The exact moment Kyle Sandilands′ career began to implode and his KIIS FM contract crumbled was caught on camera – and now, he’s released it to the public.
The shock jock, 55, premiered the first of his four-part docuseries At Home With Kyle Sandilands on Monday, with app subscribers seeing the lead-up to the catastrophic demise of The Kyle and Jackie O Show and the text that started it all.
Kyle Sandilands has detailed the exact moment he realised his career on KIIS FM might soon be over. Instagram/@kylesandilandslive
The show followed days of uncertainty after his February 20 row with co-host Jackie “O” Henderson – documented by his manager, Bruno Bouchet – with Sandilands claiming he had no idea his contract was ever under question.
“I was in bed in the afternoon, having an afternoon nap, watching TV and Bruno texted and said they’re trying to cancel the contract,” he recalled.
“In my mind, I thought, ‘Whose contract?’ I didn’t think mine, I thought maybe they’re trying to cancel Jackie’s as she’d taken time off and didn’t want to come back and extended it. I said, ‘Whose contract?’
“I’m waiting there like a nervous girl waiting for a text like a guy, waiting, waiting, waiting … and he texts back, ‘Yours’.”
His face dropped as he recalled: “I thought, ‘What the f— is going on here? This is an ironclad, 70-page bible that was impenetrable.’”
Sandilands said he feared for his employees, his family members’ medical situations and the $20 million worth of mortgages he had, which would all have been taken care of had the 10-year contracted radio plan panned out.
“That just … detonated,” he said.
The series followed Sandilands as he appeared on Australian Idol, awaiting to hear news on whether he could return to air.
Sandilands and Henderson haven’t appeared on air since February 20. Instagram/@jaimeeblazquez
“During all of this and the press and Idol, all I’m thinking is, ‘Am I going to get that call?’ I’m back on air, or I’m fired. One or the other. What’s it going to be?” he said.
“I bet everything on going back on air. Then the phone rang, and all of a sudden it was time to find out.”
The camera then flashed to a recording of a visibly upset Sandilands discovering the news – that the show was done, and his contract terminated. He teased more was to follow during the next episode.
Also in the docuseries, Sandilands spent time reflecting on his relationship with Henderson after the row between the two, which ultimately led to the end of their 27-year professional partnership.
“I’ll always love and respect her like a sister … I’ll never say anything bad about Jackie, and I will always love her, and I’ve told her this,” Sandilands said.
“I’ve texted her and told her no matter what, you and I are good.
“We will talk one day. Whether I’ll really understand what happened or not I don’t know; I don’t even really care whether I do or not. I did at one stage, and I’ve shut that down.”
This is the first time Sandilands has shared content with fans via his new app, with all four episodes being released in the days ahead of his new morning breakfast show which will air live on weekdays for his subscribers from August 10.
Sandilands eventually settled with his previous employer ARN for $12 million over the termination of his $100 million contract.
As part of the settlement, ARN will provide Sandilands with “advertising services on ARN’s partner platforms”, worth $1.5 million over the next three years.
Henderson also launched a lawsuit against her former employer claiming compensation of at least $82.25 million and alleging that her termination was against the Fair Work Act.
It was revealed she will still proceed with the lawsuit, despite her former co-host settling.