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Radio star mocks Sandilands over ratings win

ABC Breakfast Radio star Sammy J has mercilessly mocked rival Kyle Sandilands, claiming he lives “rent free” in the radio shock jock’s mind.

Kyle Sandilands throws drink at Ben Fordham

Melbourne radio presenter Sammy J has poked fun at Kyle Sandilands lack of popularity on the city’s airwaves.

Sammy J, who recently announced his departure from ABC, has been hosting the broadcaster’s breakfast show since before the pandemic.

On Thursday, Sammy took to social media to reveal that his morning show had once again beaten The Kyle and Jackie O Show’sratings in Melbourne.

The radio shock jock and his co-star have been struggling to win over Melbourne listeners for months now, and the latest figures were yet another kick in the teeth.

ABC radio presenter Sammy J has taken aim at Kyle Sandilands' misfortune. Picture: ABC
ABC radio presenter Sammy J has taken aim at Kyle Sandilands' misfortune. Picture: ABC

Figures released hours before Sammy J’s tweet showed the Kyle and Jackie O’s nationally syndicated radio show dipped from a 5.2 per cent audience share to 5.1 per cent in Melbourne.

“I beat Kyle again in my final ratings today,” teased Sammy J on Twitter in response to the news. “So I’ll forever live rent free in his head. I’m his white whale; his tormentor; the last face he sees at night and first face he sees each morning. When he strolls on the beach at night, the wind will whisper Sammy J’.”

Sandilands hasn’t been taking the whipping from listeners lightly, and last month he laid into them on-air.

“I blame everyone in Melbourne. It is your fault, you are late to the party, you are pearl clutchers, you all love the s--t show that used to be on here that we a---holed,” he said.

Sharing his thoughts on Lauren Phillips and Jason Hawkins, who won the ratings war, he went on to add: “At the end of the day he is a ranga from Brisbane. He is not even a Melbourne guy, so who is the joke on? Pests.”

Sandilands' show is failing to appeal to Melbourne listeners. Picture: Twitter
Sandilands' show is failing to appeal to Melbourne listeners. Picture: Twitter

It comes after Sandilands revealed on-air that producers had attempted to brand the show with a new catchphrase.

Sandilands pushed back on the catchphrase “less filth more fun” which was supposed to help his show appeal to a wider range of listeners.

“When the management came up with this idea with our highly paid consultants I said it was the s***iest idea I had ever heard in my life,” Sandilands told his listeners.

“They said ‘Nah, people in Melbourne think you are disgusting,’ and I said ‘I don’t give a shit what people think, you get what you get, that’s it. We are not changing anything, we are not dialling anything down, I refused.’

“Because they own the network they said, ‘Well, we are putting in the less filth more fun.’

“So I ran with it.

“I did not want to say less filth more fun. I don’t like lying to people,” he added.

Originally published as Radio star mocks Sandilands over ratings win

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/radio-star-mocks-sandilands-over-ratings-win/news-story/e8121cffd0c3e0c284b85297ba2da8a8