Jase Hawkins makes playful dig at on-air rival Kyle Sandilands ahead of radio return

Radio personality Jase Hawkins has taken a playful swipe at on-air rival Kyle Sandilands as he prepares to make a return to breakfast radio.

Radio personality Jase Hawkins has taken a playful swipe at on-air rival Kyle Sandilands as he prepares to make a return to breakfast radio.

Hawkins and co-host Lauren Phillips’ breakfast program was abruptly axed from Melbourne’s KIIS FM roster last November to make way for Sandilands and Jackie “O” Henderson’s juggernaut The Kyle & Jackie O Show, which would broadcast in Melbourne for the first time ever.

But in February it was announced Nova 100 had given the axed duo a lifeline and new home at the network as hosts of the reimagined Jase & Lauren breakfast program.

Now, on the eve of their return to airwaves on Friday, Hawkins couldn’t help but make a pointed comment about Sandilands while promoting his new Nova gig on the Today show on Thursday morning.

Radio hosts Jase Hawkins and Lauren Phillips return to the breakfast airwaves on Nova 100.

“I was on The Kyle & Jackie O Show last week and they were talking about how they are coming to Melbourne, so you guys will have to go up against them,” host Karl Stefanovic pointed out. “So what would you like to say to those two on the airwaves right now?”

Hawkins was quick to respond: “The talk is when they’re going to start and if it keeps going on like this, my concern is Kyle could be dead or casting from a retirement home.”

After his playful dig, Hawkins added that he and Sandilands are actually mates and the shock jock reached out to him after it was announced he was deflecting to Nova.

“We are friends I can say that,” Hawkins added. “When it was announced we were going to Nova, Kyle was one of the first on the texts to say it was a great move and congrats.”

Phillips then jokingly added: “They were friends until he pushed him over.”

Hawkins and Phillips promote their return on the Today show.

At the time of the shake up, it’s believe Sandilands and Henderson wanted to spread their wings and broadcast their successful Sydney show in Melbourne.

Hawkins and Phillips found themselves collateral damage in a record-breaking deal said to earn Sandilands and Henderson a collective $200 million over the next 10 years.

And the dejected duo were told in a phone call from management that they no longer had jobs.

“Last night, we all received a phone call from management … Mine was during ‘black hawk down hour’ when all the kids are cracking it trying to get to sleep,” Hawkins told listeners on air at the time.

“[Management were] informing us that the show will be finishing up at the end of this year. We’ll be finishing up at the end of 2023. Kyle and Jackie O will be taking over in 2024.”

Phillips added, “They’ll be syndicating their show from Sydney to broadcast here in Melbourne.”

Hawkins and Phillips were axed from KIIS...

… to make way for The Kyle & Jackie O Show.

Phillips, who joined Hawkins on the show two years ago, held back tears as she said “this is certainly not the way we wanted to bow out.”

“We didn’t have a choice,” she added. “It’s a business decision that we have been told is what’s happening. We don’t want to say goodbye. We didn’t have to be here this morning to make this announcement, but we’re here.”

It didn’t take long for the duo to be snapped up again with Nova 100 announcing them as the new hosts of its breakfast program.

“I’m rapt to have a job again,” Hawkins joked in a statement last month. “I’m even more over the moon that we get to join Nova. My whole career, I have always wanted to be a part of this network, it’s the perfect fit for Loz and I.”

“So, I’m sorry Nova, we’re never leaving. Melbourne, we’re back! So join us and come over to Nova.”