Real reason Kyle and Jackie O’s executive producer quit

Kyle and Jackie O’s executive producer has revealed why he suddenly quit two months ago, saying the job often left him in tears.

The Kyle and Jackie O show’s former executive producer has revealed for the first time why he quit the breakfast radio show, saying the role often reduced him to tears and turned him into a person he didn’t like.

Pedro Cuccovillo Vitola worked on the KIIS FM radio program for years before being promoted to EP in early 2023.

Two months ago he shocked listeners, and the radio industry, when he announced on air that he had resigned.

He still had months left on his contract when he walked away from the program for good.

Pedro has revealed why he left his role as EP of The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

Pedro, as he’s known to regular listeners of the breakfast show, this week opened up about his decision to leave in a podcast called I Wear The Pants which he co-hosts with his wife, Patty.

“Working on that show was by far the best years of my life,” he said.

“Working with them (Kyle and Jackie O), it’s hard to describe the feeling unless you work there, but the moment those microphones go on from 6am to 10, it’s like an escape.

“You could have a million problems in your life … but the moment those mics go on, it’s like those four hours of you just doing whatever you can … to make the greatest radio show you can.”

Pedro said he took the job “very seriously”, working around the clock to ensure he was always on top of the latest news.

“Every day I’d come home, I’d have a one hour nap to catch up on some energy, and then I’d go back to work from 3.30pm to 8pm,” he said on I Wear The Pants.

“(At) 8pm I’d have dinner, go to bed, and then I’d get up at 3 in the morning again.”

The relentless work schedule strained Pedro’s relationship with his wife, who was pregnant with their first child during his tenure as EP.

Pedro and Patty.

“For two years, I would hardly talk to you at home,” he said to Patty on the podcast.

“We would sit on the couch together and I would literally just be on my phone.

“It was one of those roles where you can’t just switch off,” he continued. “If you switched off for two hours, you missed a breaking news story that you need to cover tomorrow or a last-minute change that happened overnight.”

Pedro said the role also affected his social life.

“I didn’t go to birthday parties, I didn’t go anywhere,” he said. “I appreciated my own time in my own bed so much.”

Over time, Pedro said he realised that he didn’t like the person he had become as a result of the high pressure role.

He singled out a moment in December last year when Jaimee Hassos, a senior producer on the show, announced that she was pregnant and was leaving the team.

Rather than be happy for her, Pedro said he was upset about what her departure would mean for the show.

“My reaction was really bad,” he said on the podcast. “I came home to you (Patty), I cried.

“I was like, f**k, I’m wrong here.”

The Kyle and Jackie O team.

Pedro and his wife, Patty, welcomed their first child in August, a milestone that convinced him he had to leave his role as EP.

“The moment that I handed in that (resignation) letter, that weight that came off my shoulders was incredible,” he said.

Pedro is currently focused on being a father, but admitted on the podcast that he does “feel lost” now that he doesn’t have a fast-paced job anymore.

Three weeks ago it was announced that Nat Penfold had been promoted to EP of The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

“I’ve always been a huge fan and to be leading such a powerhouse team, is a real ‘pinch me’ moment,” she wrote on social media.

Originally published as Real reason Kyle and Jackie O’s executive producer quit