Kyle Sandilands has revealed he has not spoken to former co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson and demanded he be put back on the radio ahead of their joint court mention. Sandilands made the comments outside the Federal Court in Sydney on Friday amid civil cases brought by both stars against former employer ARN, owner of KIIS 106.5.
Confronted with a thick media pack outside court, Sandilands made clear that the radio stars are currently not communicating. 'I haven't spoken to Jackie,' he said. Sandilands also made a series of veiled comments about his ARN bosses and former co-host Henderson, talking about 'truth' and 'media dynamics'. 'I can talk to anyone - it's the media business. One day you hate someone, the next day you're best friends,' he said.
Sandilands said the public should not read everything at face value as the dispute plays out. 'If you know how these procedures work, there's strategy and then there's truth, and once we get inside, you'll get all the answers out and the truth will raise its head.' He said the dispute had become 'pretty ugly'. He said his message to ARN was to put him back on the radio.
The Kyle and Jackie O Show came to an end on February 20 following an on-air fight when Sandilands slammed Henderson for her 'fixation' on astrology, and then mocked her for crying. Legal proceedings were launched when their combined $200 million contracts were then terminated, with Henderson claiming ARN breached the Fair Work Act by failing to protect her from Sandilands' alleged bullying.
Sandilands claims the radio giant wanted him to have a 'dominant and abrasive personality' while presenting the show, and that his sacking was therefore invalid. ARN has filed a counter claim in both matters, claiming the relationship breakdown threatens to undermine its profitability, and is seeking damages for breach of contract, losses in profit and advertising revenue, and legal costs.
Defence documents lodged by ARN in Henderson's matter say Sandilands often made 'offensive and degrading' comments to her, but the broadcaster had 'no ability or powers' to stop him. Henderson and Sandilands signed their contracts using their respective businesses, Henderson Media and Quasar. ARN claims those businesses were responsible for the welfare and conduct of the co-hosts, rather than the broadcaster.
The radio giant's defence also referred to a complaint from Henderson's lawyers about Sandilands in the days following the February argument, stating she would not return to work until she was given an alternative radio show. To ARN, that meant Henderson did not intend to return to work if there was no alternative show. ARN said it did not propose an alternative show because there was no obligation to do so.
ARN's defence documents claim Sandilands breached the code of conduct in his agreement and listed about eight of his foul-mouthed rants - largely against ARN staff. There was one instance in July where Sandilands berated a censor for dumping a portion of his show, which was done to avoid potentially getting dragged before a court and charged with contempt. When his manager Bruno Bouchet said during the live broadcast that he didn't want anyone going to jail, Sandilands replied, 'I don't give a s**t,' before claiming he'd rather be sexually abused in jail than be muzzled by the law.
In another rant on April 30, Sandilands made a series of disparaging comments about Melbourne listeners, and ARN's attempt to improve dismal ratings in the city. Other rants included further attacks on the government and contempt laws, while continually firing off blistering attacks on his colleagues, calling them 'p*ssies' and 'flops', and threatening to leave ARN.
