Kyle Sandilands’ ruthless response to axed radio shows

Radio stars around the country are set to lose their jobs if Kyle and Jackie O’s show is rolled out nationally. How does Kyle feel about that?

Kyle and Jackie O are already responsible for one breakfast show getting the axe, and there are rumours several more are set to follow.

Last year ARN (the company that owns KIIS FM) decided to ditch its Melbourne breakfast show hosted by Jase Hawkins and Lauren Phillips, and replace it with The Kyle and Jackie O Show (which also airs on KIIS FM in Sydney).

Kyle has made no secret of the fact he wants the trend to continue until their breakfast show is broadcast in each capital city, a move some experts think will happen soon.

“The likelihood that Kyle and Jackie are Australia’s first national breakfast show by the start of 2025 is almost set in stone,” Craig Bruce, host of the Game Changers: Melbourne Radio Wars podcast, told news.com.au.

“I can’t see a world where it won’t happen,” he added.

Jase and Lauren are now on Nova Melbourne.

Kyle and Jackie want their show to be national.

Speaking exclusively to news.com.au, Kyle and Jackie O claimed they genuinely have no idea how many cities they’ll be broadcasting into next year.

“That’s still open for discussion, because people have those jobs,” Kyle said.

“I really think if we do real well in Melbourne, let’s say it’s half as successful as Sydney, then they’re just gonna have to roll it all out (nationally).”

Kyle did say that the performance of each local ARN breakfast show would be taken into account before being replaced by The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

“It’s only if there’s a market in trouble,” he told news.com.au.

“That’s (why) we went for Melbourne, because we were like, we’ve given this (Jase and Lauren on KIIS FM) a good run, it can’t get over fourth (in the radio ratings), so we’ll take it.”

When asked if he “felt bad” that he could cost some local radio presenters their jobs, Kyle had a fairly blunt response.

“No … I don’t care,” he said.

Jackie was far more diplomatic.

“No one ever wants to move someone out of a job, because I wouldn’t want that to happen to me,” she told news.com.au.

“It’s a double edged sword … it really is.”

KIIS Brisbane’s Robin and Kip could be replaced by Kyle and Jackie. Picture: David Clark

Mix Adelade’s Max Burford and Ali Clarke could be in trouble.

Coming to a screen near you

Kyle and Jackie O don’t just want to dominate on radio: they also want to dominate on screens as well, by giving fans the opportunity to watch their breakfast show.

“It could just be as simple as you know, you’re on the train and you’re listening and you’re like, ‘I wouldn’t mind actually looking at this’, and you’ve got that option to tune in anytime and see what’s happening as opposed to just hearing it,” Jackie said.

“I think it’s definitely possible to do. I don’t know where and what platform though,” she added.

Kyle said, “I actually truly believe, and I’ve spoken to the management here (at ARN), that TV, radio, podcasts, they will all end up morphing into the one product, a visual audio entertainment medium, so we need to be out in front of this.”

“Yeah, we want to be ahead of the game,” Jackie said. “I always think there’s enough interesting things going on in our show, particularly behind the scenes stuff.”