Jackie ‘O’ Henderson has broken her silence to say she “did not resign or resign” from the Kyle and Jackie O Show, and is “deeply sad” that the hit breakfast radio show may be coming to an end.
“I am deeply saddened by the events of last week and the possibility of the show ending,” she said. “This has been a shock to me, as well as to everyone else.”
His statement appears to contradict the explanation given earlier this week by the station’s parent company, Australian Radio Network, which said Henderson had “advised that he ‘cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands'” and that his contract had been terminated.
ARN told ASX on Tuesday that Kyle and Jackie O’s show had been taken off the air and that Kyle Sandilands had been accused of “gross misconduct”.
“ARN has terminated the services agreement with Henderson Media Pty Ltd, under which Ms Henderson presents the Kyle and Jackie O show,” ARN said.
It is the first time Henderson has commented on the breakdown of the $200 million partnership between the two Kiis FM radio hosts since she left the show upset at the way Sandilands treated her two weeks ago.
Sign up to receive Guardian Australia’s weekly media diary as a free newsletter
Henderson indicated Friday that he would take legal action, but did not detail his claim or who it was against. She alleged that there was widespread misinformation in the media about her exit from the show.
“In recent days, there has been a lot of speculation and misinformation regarding my departure from the show,” Henderson said through her manager, Gemma O’Neill. “I want to make one important point very clear: I did not resign or resign.”
A fortnight ago, Henderson became emotional after her on-air partner of 25 years, Sandilands, mocked her for her interest in astrology.
He accused her of not doing her job, of being “unfocused” and “out of the loop” after she dissected Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s birth chart.
Henderson said in response: “I would never say things like that about you. It’s an outright attack, it really is… to say, ‘You don’t know what’s going on, you’re not doing your job.’ That’s an attack and I wouldn’t do that.”
He did not return to work the following week and after 10 days, ARN said the Kiis breakfast show would go off the air with immediate effect.
“The current media narrative does not reflect what really happened, and it’s been really heartbreaking to see how this unfolded,” Henderson said Friday. “At this time I cannot say anything further as I am addressing this matter through the appropriate legal channels.
“Thank you to everyone who has sent kind messages of support during what has been an incredibly difficult time.”
Each host signed a record $100 million deal in 2023 for a decade of breakfast shows.
Technically, Sandilands is still under contract with ARN, but has been suspended for 14 days due to his “serious misconduct”. He has not made any public statement.
Sandilands will have to demonstrate how it will “remedy” the alleged breach of its “services agreement”, ARN said, but its contract will end if it does not find a solution. The exact nature of the alleged breach and how Sandilands could remedy it remains unclear.
On another front, the licensee faces enforcement action from the broadcasting regulator, which found last year that the Kiis network was repeatedly broadcasting “vulgar” and “deeply offensive” content on the Kyle and Jackie O Show.
An announcement on a further licensing condition for Kiis from the Australian Communications and Media Authority is expected within weeks.
ARN declined to comment.
