'Rock bottom': Jackie O admits to secret California rehab stay

"I was in a really, really dark place."

This morning, radio host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson broke down on air while revealing her private battle with drug addiction and subsequent recovery.

In a departure from the norms of The Kyle and Jackie O show, Jackie entered a planned yet emotional segment early on Thursday, sharing with both her co-host Kyle Sandilands and listeners the turmoil which began back in 2017.

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Jackie's co-host Kyle Sandilands found out about her struggles at the same time as their listeners during Thursday's show. Image: Instagram / @jackieo_official.

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Hitting rock bottom

The radio veteran revealed that it was at this time when she first dabbled with painkillers and sedatives in an attempt to relieve some stress and sadness as she struggled with her split from UK photographer Lee Henderson.

However, Jackie said that she sunk deeper into addiction during the pandemic, revealing that at the height of it, she took anywhere from 10-12 Stilnox sleeping pills and 24 Panadeine Forte a day, whilst also drinking alcohol - a dangerous combination which can cause the respiratory system to slow down and cause difficulty waking up.

"I was in a really, really dark place," she admitted.

This led her to be flown out of Australia in 2022 and treated for a month at Betty Ford - a world-famous rehabilitation facility in California, popular amongst Hollywood stars - whilst Kyle told listeners she was taking a break to focus on her health after contracting COVID.

“That's what the addiction does to your brain, it changes your way of thinking, it doesn't want you to get help, it's so powerful,” she tearfully said on the air.

“It takes a rock bottom moment to cut yourself off.”

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Coming forward

In the segment, Jackie revealed she has gone back and forth for many years about coming forward about her struggles, scared of how she would be perceived moving forward. 

However, she said that ultimately, after being sober for almost two years, she decided she didn’t want to take the ‘coward’s way out’ by keeping it secret, instead doing everything she can to help others and reduce the stigma around drug dependence.

“I knew that the story that I have and what I went through would help someone out there in that same situation,” she said.

“I felt like it was a cop out for me, if I kept it hidden from people just because I was fearing what people would say or think about me.”

In the lead-up, Jackie said she also spoke to her daughter to seek permission to share her story publicly.

“I couldn't be more proud of my daughter, the way she has been about it has been zero judgement, just compassionate and support,” she said.

Her story was read from the prologue of her upcoming memoir Jackie O: The Whole Truth, which will be released next week.

Originally published as 'Rock bottom': Jackie O admits to secret California rehab stay