Ben Fordham has once again shared his perspective on the ongoing drama between Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson, asserting that he anticipated their fallout long before it became public. The former radio duo are currently involved in separate legal battles against their ex-employer ARN after being terminated following a heated on-air disagreement in February.
During a recent appearance on the Bonafide with Luke Bona podcast, Fordham revealed that he noticed warning signs more than a year earlier. 'I remember listening one day about a year and a half ago where Kyle Sandilands said to Jackie O Henderson: "You're not listening to me any more,"' Fordham recounted. 'And she said: "Yeah, you're probably right, because I've heard it all before, Kyle."' This exchange, according to Fordham, was a clear indicator that the show had lost its enjoyment for both hosts. 'I remember hearing a few of those things thinking: "It stopped being a bit fun,"' he added.
Fordham also recalled another uncomfortable on-air moment involving a personal question about sex that made Henderson visibly uneasy. 'He [Sandilands] asked Jackie a very personal question about whether she'd done something before,' Fordham said. 'She said: "I think I've given up enough of my personal life on this show, Kyle." That was another moment where I heard it and went: "Ooh."'
The 2GB breakfast host believes the core of the rift was that Henderson had outgrown her co-star. 'I think Jackie grew as a human being,' Fordham explained. 'She got interested in self-help, meditation, bit of yoga, bit of astrology, and good on her, she lost all the weight. She looks a million dollars. I think she became a healthier version of herself. And I think Kyle probably struggled with that a little bit, seeing her develop while he was still stuck where he was.'
This isn't the first time Fordham has commented on the situation. Last month, he appeared on the Behind the Mic with Mike E podcast, where he suggested that the pair's lucrative contract contributed to the show's downfall. Sandilands and Henderson signed a 10-year, $200 million deal with ARN in 2023. 'I just wonder how much that big 10-year deal played a part,' Fordham said. He noted that upon hearing the news, he immediately predicted a negative outcome. 'When it was announced, I was actually walking the dog with my wife, Jodie, and I said to her immediately, "Kyle and Jackie O's 10-year deal, that's gonna end badly,"' he recalled. 'The way I explained it to Jodie was, imagine waking up and thinking to yourself, "Okay, just nine and a half more years."'
Fordham also believes the massive sum may have clouded judgment. 'I think when you throw enough cash in front of people's faces, their vision can be blurred. They can't see what the rest of us can see,' he said. 'A lot of people have seen what's going on with the show. It's lost a bit of fun… I've heard it in my ears.'
Additionally, Fordham pointed to the unsuccessful move to Melbourne as a major catalyst. 'The move to Melbourne was catastrophic,' he stated, adding that ARN executives knew they faced an uphill battle. 'I suppose if they're paying them so much money, they needed to justify in their head that spend so they got rid of Jase [Hawkins] Lauren [Phillips], and Clint [Stanaway] in Melbourne who were doing a really good show for KIIS.' Fordham then took a subtle jab at his former rivals, saying, 'When you're focusing on Melbourne, that means you're taking the eye off the ball in Sydney and that's probably partly why we beat them seven out of eight surveys last year.'
