Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O: KIIS FM host reveals if Jackie O will return after explosive on-air fight
Kyle Sandilands has broken his silence on Jackie O’s future on KIIS FM, revealing his long-time presenter will “return in the future”; Despite this, industry speculation swirls that Jackie O may never return.
Opening the breakfast show on Tuesday morning, Sandilands told listeners she had received “good news” about her co-host, who has not been on air since February 20 following the on-air outburst.
“I did get some good news yesterday, though,” Kyle told anchor Brooklyn Ross.
“I have to sign anything with my name on it, so I signed it yesterday… kind of a statement from Jackie’s camp.
“The only thing I noticed (in the statement) was that Jackie would be back in the future,” Kyle said. “So that’s a good sign… so our intention is to come back, which is fantastic.”
It’s not yet clear when the statement will be released or how long Jackie plans to return. The duo have a contract with KIIS FM until the end of 2034, but few in the radio industry expect the partnership to last another eight years.
Sandilands’ update comes just a day after senior entertainment reporter Peter Ford cast doubt on Jackie’s return during an appearance on Channel 7’s The Morning Show.
“Most people I talk to think he will never come back,” Mr. Ford said.
He claimed Jackie’s manager Gemma O’Neill met with KIIS FM executives late last week and used language that alarmed channel bosses.
“Gemma used a word that triggered radio bosses. She stated that Jackie O felt ‘unsafe’ at work and of course as employers they now need to take certain measures to ensure that if she is to return it does not result in some form of litigation,” Mr Ford said.
In another update on Sunrise, Mr Ford said Jackie was “seeking legal advice on what her options might be”.
“I’m hearing that Jackie O feels like she needs to take a stand here and that she needs to do this to show that you don’t need to be humiliated and humiliated at work like you were that day when Kyle gave her that dressing.”
He added: “I think Jackie wants to take a stand to show her daughter Kitty that you don’t have to put up with this.”
Is this the beginning of the end for KIIS FM presenters?
Sandilands, meanwhile, rejected suggestions that if television reporters outside the KIIS FM studios in Sydney reached them it could mean the end of their programme.
“No, I don’t know,” he said when asked if this was the beginning of the end.
“I think I obviously hurt his feelings, but maybe there’s something else going on because it seems like a bit of an overreaction because of (the on-air dispute). We’ve had worse Barneys before.”
He confirmed that he had not spoken to Jackie since February 20.
“I sent a message,” he said. “It’s just like, ‘Hey, I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.’ like. It was a very short message.
“He (answered) a few days later, saying he just needed some rest, but I haven’t had any contact since then.”
Wild fight on live broadcast
The impact stems from a heated argument on 20 February in which Sandilands publicly criticized Jackie’s work performance.
He accused her of being distracted by astrology and star charts.
“Your obsession with this has nearly left you unable to work,” Kyle said. “You’re going to the fairies with this nonsense. It’s a mental thing.”
Stunned, Jackie replied: “I’m totally offended by you saying something like that.”
“It’s too bad (you’re offended)… It’s too much. It affects everything else. You’re so focused on it. Every episode, every time you talk, you don’t even know what’s going on,” Kyle continued.
He added: “You don’t do the rest of the work, and everyone in this building told me about it. Everyone said, ‘What’s going on with Jackie? She’s off today.'”
Jackie responded, choking back tears: “I would never say things like that about you. It’s a complete attack, really… Saying ‘You don’t know what an F is, you’re not doing your job’ is an attack and I don’t do that.”
“It’s not an attack, it’s a real fact babe, I’m sorry,” Kyle responded.
“I come here, I do my job, and I do it well,” Jackie insisted.
“I won’t say that lately, no,” he replied.
For now, listeners are told that he intends to return. When and under what conditions remain open questions.
