KIIS FM Listeners Surprised by Sudden Breakfast Show Replacement
Listeners of KIIS FM in Sydney were left bewildered on Monday morning when they discovered that Ken 'Smallzy' Small had been unexpectedly replaced by Michael Etheridge on the breakfast show. Smallzy had been temporarily filling in for the suspended radio stars Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson, whose show was halted earlier this month following a shocking on-air argument that left Henderson in tears.
Etheridge's Unexpected Role and Insider Revelations
During Monday's broadcast, Etheridge expressed his surprise to the audience about landing the fill-in position. "It's weird to get the call up to help fill in. So the reason I'm here? I wasn’t doing anything else," he quipped humorously. Meanwhile, long-time Kyle and Jackie O staff member Brooklyn Ross revealed that he had personally suggested Etheridge as a suitable replacement. "Last week, when they needed someone to fill in again, they were walking around, saying 'Who would come in and work with one day's notice and no idea of how long they're going to actually get the job for?' I said Mike!" Ross told listeners.
Sandilands' Impending Termination and Contract Breach
This development comes as veteran entertainment reporter Peter Ford appeared on Channel Seven's Sunrise on Monday morning, disclosing that Kyle Sandilands is likely to be terminated from his ARN contract on Tuesday. Ford explained that Sandilands, 54, faces a deadline to remedy a breach of contract following his suspension, but the situation appears dire. "No one seems to know exactly how he is meant to remedy the breach. He is also going to argue that he was not allowed to remedy it because he had been told not to speak to Jackie, and vice versa," Ford stated. "So, 5pm tomorrow at close of business, that's pretty much game over. That's when we go into battle mode. Today is the last chance to reach some sort of peace settlement."
Ford further revealed that his contacts within ARN have indicated Sandilands will not be reinstated. "My contacts within ARN were telling me they are not going to blink. He is not going to be reinstated, he is being fired, basically," he said. Ford added that Sandilands is likely aware of this outcome and is preparing for the aftermath once an official announcement is made.
Jackie O's Statement and Future Speculation
Ford also commented on co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson's recent statement, in which she said she "can no longer work with Mr. Kyle Sandilands." He suggested she made an error in judgment, noting that the phrasing should have been clearer to allow for potential reconciliation. "What it should have said is she can't 'currently' work with Kyle, which would have led to discussion about fixing it. Instead, it was taken as a resignation to say 'please let me out of this contract'," Ford explained.
Amidst this turmoil, Sandilands took a meeting on Saturday with Stu Laundy, whose billionaire father Arthur Laundy recently acquired Nine Entertainment's radio assets, including stations like 2GB in Sydney and 3AW in Melbourne. The meeting, held at Sandilands' McMahons Point offices and attended by his manager Bruno Bouchet, has sparked whispers that Sandilands may be exploring opportunities outside the ARN network.
Background on the Suspension and Contract Issues
ARN announced last month that Jackie 'O' Henderson's $100 million contract had been terminated after she informed executives she could not continue working with Sandilands due to his harsh on-air comments. Simultaneously, ARN provided written notice to Sandilands, stating that his behavior during the February 20 show constituted "an act of serious misconduct which is in breach of ARN's service agreement with Quasar Media." Sandilands was suspended and given 14 days to remedy the breach, with termination looming if he fails to comply.
