Kyle Sandilands has broken his silence after The Kyle and Jackie O show was pulled off air.
In a statement shared to news.com.au, the radio shock jock expressed his regret over the on-air argument with co-host Jackie O Henderson.
According to the publication, the pair started speaking again late last week, with an inside source claiming “they’re both in the same boat because they have both been f**ked over.”
The radio duo signed a $200 million deal with ARN in 2023, reportedly worth $10 million a year over 10 years.
“Jackie’s contract never should have been terminated. Someone at ARN saw the opportunity to save money and went for it,” the source said.
The show was pulled off air last Tuesday.
In the statement, Sandilands said he wanted to inform the public of what was really going on, explaining that he had apologised to his co-star, and that ARN had “terminated” Henderson’s contract the same day he was suspended for “serious misconduct.”
“On 20 February, I argued with Jackie on air about a longstanding issue. I wish I had phrased things differently,” he said.
“That same evening, I sent Jackie a message telling her I was sorry for anything I said that didn’t go down well, that I love her and care for her, and that I could have handled it better. I meant every word of that, and I still do.”
He added that having worked together with Henderson for the last 25 years makes her one of the “most important people” in his life.
“The idea that our partnership could end like this is devastating to me,” the statement reads.
“ARN told me that I am not allowed to contact Jackie. They have told me that I am not allowed to speak to my colleagues.
“I did what was asked even though it made it impossible for me to do the one thing anyone in my position would want to do — pick up the phone and talk to the person I have been talking with continually for my entire career.”
“The truth is that ARN terminated Jackie’s contract on the same day it accused me of a breach. It suspended me from work,” he continued.
“All of this happened while I was being told to sit quietly and say nothing. That is not a genuine process.”
The shock jock acknowledged that while their situation was complicated, he and Henderson have always worked out their differences.
“Jackie told me she was hurt, and I accept that. But we have had disagreements before, and we have always worked through them,” he said.
“That is what partners do. We never needed lawyers or ASX announcements to sort things out. I believe we could have sorted this out, too, if ARN had given us the chance. I have a contract with ARN that runs until 2034.
“I am committed to that contract. Despite what ARN says, I am not in breach of that contract. I want to be on air. I want to be with my audience. I want to do the job I have done my entire adult life.”
He ended the statement by asking ARN to “do the right thing” and honour his contract.
“I am asking ARN to do the right thing: honour our agreement and let me get back to doing what I do best — entertaining the people who have supported this show for more than two decades,” he said.
“To my listeners: Thank you. I miss you. I’ll be back.”
