Kyle Sandilands’ shock drug confession about controversial 60 Minutes interview

Radio star Kyle Sandilands has revealed the shocking truth about his controversial TV interview with Karl Stefanovic that made headlines last year.

Kyle Sandilands has made a bombshell confession about his controversial 60 Minutes interview from last year.

Kyle and his KIIS FM radio partner Jackie O were interviewed by Karl Stefanovic on the Channel 9 show last year to celebrate their 20-year work anniversary.

But the current affairs show copped major backlash from some viewers for teasing that Kyle was set to reveal a mysterious health battle on the program, only for it to be revealed when it aired that Kyle was joking.

Now, eight months later, the top-rating radio duo have sensationally revealed to news.com.au that Kyle was under the influence of marijuana during the interview and claimed that Stefanovic was well aware of that fact.

“I was off my head,” Kyle told news.com.au in an exclusive interview about that 60 Minutes segment.

“You were!” Jackie agreed. “I almost died. He arrived late to that interview. We were waiting 50 minutes for him.”

“I was probably dutching it up in the car,” Kyle laughed.

Kyle Sandilands has revealed he was high on 60 Minutes.

Jackie said she could tell as soon as Kyle walked into the room that he was under the influence.

“I was like, ‘oh well, this will be interesting’,” she told news.com.au.

When asked if Stefanovic knew Kyle was under the influence, Jackie replied: “Yep, Karl did. Everybody knew. I think Karl secretly loved it because he knows he’ll (Kyle) go a little more out there if he’s (high).”

“High on 60 Minutes, great achievement,” Kyle laughed.

“I gotta say, all my life I watched 60 Minutes,” Jackie said. “Never did I think I’d be on there with you, the greatest moment of my career, and then you’re high.”

News.com.au reached out to Channel 9 but a spokesperson declined to comment.

THE 60 MINUTES INTERVIEW

Channel 9 heavily promoted the 60 Minutes interview with Kyle and Jackie O in the lead-up to the episode (you can watch the promo in the video player at the top of the page).

A voice over in the promo said ominously: “Is this loudmouth of the airwaves about to be silenced?” and then cut to a shot of Kyle in tears saying to Jackie O: “There’s a condition that I’ve been diagnosed with that I haven’t spoken to anyone about.”

When the episode aired, it was revealed that line from Kyle was followed by Jackie asking: “are you joking?”

Kyle said “yeah” before bursting into laughter.

Viewers were less than impressed.

so that entire Kyle and Jackie O segment was a hoax. How low of 60 Minutes to essentially use them as an Ad to hook viewers in for a "health secret" of Kyle. There was NO SECRET ISSUE. And he joked Jackie into thinking he had a health diagnosis. Appaling.

— Emma H 🥀 (@EmmaH1123) May 24, 2020

#60minutes. Anybody who has ever been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and had to tell loved ones, would not appreciate Kyle Sandiland’s ‘joke’ tonight.

— Derryn Hinch (@HumanHeadline) May 24, 2020

One thing for @kyleandjackieo to pull a prank about a life threatening illness. That’s on brand. Different thing for @60Mins to use it in a promo knowing they wouldn’t be delivering. That’s off brand.

— Peter Ford (@mrpford) May 24, 2020

RELATED: Karl Stefanovic defends 60 Minutes promo amid backlash

The morning after the episode aired, Kyle broke down in tears on KIIS FM and told listeners that he was close to opening up about his mental health struggles on 60 Minutes.

“The honest truth of why I was about to cry with all that breakdown stuff is because inside, I’m very, very sad,” Kyle said. “But it wasn’t the right forum to bring it up.

“When you said, ‘I’m very worried about him’. A wave of emotion went through me, and I realised I was losing control, so I had to make something up as a joke.”

Kyle went on to reveal that he’d been struggling with his mental health for some time.

“(People) look at me and think, ‘yeah, you’re a fat bastard, you should be sad’,” he continued, as a tearful Jackie O added: “And you haven’t been having a great time lately.”

“Not for a long time,” Kyle responded.

“Me, knowing how I feel inside, watching the show last night … there were glimpses of (the sadness). Like, when Karl was like, ‘do you use humour to mask sadness?’ That is true. I use jokes and say inappropriate things.

“I just feel really let down by a lot of people, a lot of the time. Everyone has their struggles – but I often feel very alone.”

With both hosts in tears, Jackie O reminded Kyle that she was always checking in on him.

“You’re not alone – I reach out to you all the time. I know you put your guard up, you’ve had a lot of bad eggs … You have,” she said to her longtime co-host.

“You’ve had people who have used you, and that’s probably caused a lot of the loneliness and sadness in your life.”

"Inside I’m very sad."

Kyle reveals the truth behind his sick days and that 60 Minutes gag.

If you or someone you know is struggling, Lifeline is available for support on 13 11 14. pic.twitter.com/HAVbn3yRgl

— Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo) May 24, 2020

HOW IS KYLE FEELING NOW?

Speaking to news.com.au, Kyle clarified what he was trying to say when he opened up about his feelings on air last year.

“This is what I meant. I’ve felt for a long time I’ve been carrying some sadness around,” he told news.com.au. “I don’t cry in the car or sit at home feeling sad, there’s just always been a little sadness there somewhere. Maybe everyone has a bit of that.”

“Do you think it’s gone a lot more now?” Jackie asked. “From where I sit, you seem like you’re in a really much better place these days.”

Kyle replied: “No … I think it’s still there, there’s an emptiness there. But it’s not like sad where I’ve got to get on the phone to someone to talk me down or anything, it’s just a deep wondering of maybe never feeling like I was good enough for anything, I don’t know.”

The Kyle and Jackie O show airs from 6am-10am weekdays on KIIS FM