Kyle Sandilands and 60 Minutes under fire after radio star’s health bombshell revealed as hoax

A teary Kyle Sandilands has opened up about the heart-stopping hoax aired on 60 Minutes, as furious viewers slam the show for its misleading promotional tactics.

An emotional Kyle Sandilands has revealed the truth behind last nights heart-stopping joke on 60 Minutes as viewers slam the show for misleading promotional videos.

The Channel Nine program last week teased in promotional videos that Sandilands was battling a serious health condition, and even questioned whether the “loudmouth of the airwaves is about to be silenced”.

Preview clips showed Sandilands preparing his long-term radio partner Jackie ‘O’ Henderson for the news, as he tearfully turned to her, saying: “I love you and it’s been wonderful, (but) there’s a condition I’ve been diagnosed with that I haven’t spoken to anyone about.”

But as a shocked Stefanovic and a teary Henderson prepared for the bombshell, Sandilands said he was only joking, prompting a stunned Henderson to say: “That was really cruel.”

Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O on 60 Minutes. In the interview the radio host drops a few bombshells. Picture: 60 Minutes/Channel 9

The interview took a look at the 20-year history of the show. Picture: 60 Minutes/Channel 9

Sandilands broke down in tears as he addressed the controversy this morning.

“The honest truth of why I was about to cry with all that breakdown stuff is because inside, I’m very, very sad. But it wasn’t the right forum to bring it up,” he told Jackie O.

“When you said, ‘I’m very worried about him’. A wave of emotion went through me, and I realised I was losing control, so I had to make something up as a joke.”

Sandilands also opened up about his ongoing mental health struggle.

(People) look at me and think, ‘yeah, you’re a fat bastard, you should be sad’,” he continued, as a tearful Jackie O added: “And you haven’t been having a great time lately.”

“Not for a long time,” Kyle responded.

“Me, knowing how I feel inside, watching the show last night … there were glimpses of (the sadness). Like, when Karl was like, ‘do you use humour to mask sadness?’ That is true. I use jokes and say inappropriate things.

“I just feel really let down by a lot of people, a lot of the time. Everyone has their struggles – but I often feel very alone.”

The interview was with Channel Nine’s Karl Stefanovic. Picture: 60 Minutes/Channel 9

Some viewers were not pleased with how hyped up the Sandilands “revelation” was, and even fellow broadcasters levelled criticism at 60 Minutes for their promotional tactics.

Media veteran and former Senator, Derryn Hinch, described the tactic as “absolutely despicable”.

“Anybody who has ever been diagnosed with cancer would find Ch. 9, cynically using Kyle Sandiland’s ‘joke’ illness as a promo, absolutely despicable,” Hinch wrote on social media.

#60minutes. Anybody who has ever been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and had to tell loved ones, would not appreciate Kyle Sandiland’s ‘joke’ tonight.

— Derryn Hinch (@HumanHeadline) May 24, 2020

One thing for @kyleandjackieo to pull a prank about a life threatening illness. That’s on brand. Different thing for @60Mins to use it in a promo knowing they wouldn’t be delivering. That’s off brand.

— Peter Ford (@mrpford) May 24, 2020

Some even described the promo as “false advertising”.

“You advertise all week about a poignant moment and a deadly diagnosis all week. Only for it to be a joke. False advertising channel 9. Come on your much better than that,” they tweeted.

Both Sandilands and Henderson appeared surprised at the way the interview had been promoted.

“I didn’t think they’d promo it like that, as if I was going to die,” Sandilands said.

That's screwed up channel 9. You advertise all week about a poignant moment and a deadly diagnosis all week. Only for it to be a joke. False advertising channel 9. Come on your much better than that.

— Scott (@ScottONeill2) May 24, 2020

Do you feel any shame for your false advertising all week? People expect the 60 Minutes brand to be the one program remaining on television that doesn’t pull any tricks or mislead the viewer. But that has changed in recent months. Put this in your social media report for the EP.

— VALLEY HEIGHTS 🇦🇺 (@ValleyHeightsAU) May 24, 2020

Very poor form tonight 60 minutes. #60mins

— Tim Carabott (@timcarabott) May 24, 2020

In the interview with 60 Minutes reporter Karl Stefanovic, Sandilands also took a blood pressure test after saying it “was good for the first time in probably 15 years”.

But when he took his pressure on the show, things were far from under control.

He claimed the reading went into the high 200s — a long way from a healthy 120/80.

“I could die,” he said. “At any time, day or night.”

Then making light of the situation, he added: “That’s not too bad, 292 over 94. Where’s my doctor? He’ll die when he sees that.

The show took a detailed look at the 20-year — and reportedly $100 million — partnership that has taken Sandilands and Henderson to the top of the radio ratings, despite controversial headline-making stunts and heavy criticism along the way.

Admitting she thought Sandilands was a “disaster” when they were first paired together, Henderson also said she hated the scandals.

While she then got emotional talking about how proud she was of her eight-year-old daughter, who is not allowed to listen to the show, a segment on Sandilands showed him showing off his shooting skills at a gun range in LA.

Originally published as Kyle Sandilands and 60 Minutes under fire after radio star’s health bombshell revealed as hoax