Several high-profile Australian celebrities are being name-dropped as potential replacements for radio star Jackie ‘O’ Henderson after she sensationally quit The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Tuesday.
The frontrunner is veteran presenter Sophie Monk, 46, whose extensive TV and radio career includes frequent guest appearances on the KIIS FM show.
Sophie has developed a reputation for her down-to-earth nature, cheeky banter and a willingness to not take things too seriously.
These qualities make her a prime candidate for filling Jackie O’s shoes, should Kyle return to the hosting gig following his two-week suspension.
Other potential candidates could include several veteran radio stars, including Amanda Keller, Chrissie Swan and Fifi Box, or even reality TV stars looking to make a career change.
It has also been speculated that should Sandilands not return to the program, KIIS FM will bring on a new duo of breakfast stars to fill their spot.
‘You can’t replace a show like Kyle and Jackie O. You just do the best you can and hope the audience will find a way and be patient with whatever you put in, in its place,’ Craig Bruce, who was previously program director at 2DayFM during Kyle and Jackie’s reign at the station, told MediaWeek.
‘It’s going to be a really high-risk, high-reward act for anyone to go in and be the next show.’
KIIS FM have currently appointed Kent ‘Smallzy’ Small to fill-in during The Kyle & Jackie O Show’s timeslot, as Kyle is on a two-week suspension from the breakfast program and it is unclear when – or if – he will be returning.
Smallzy was left ‘shocked’ and ‘reeling’ on Wednesday morning following news The Kyle and Jackie ‘O’ Show was no more.
‘We are waking up to a very different KIIS,’ he told listeners as he filled in for the radio titans after the popular KIIS FM breakfast show was taken off air following news Jackie ‘O’ had sensationally quit the show.
He went on to pay tribute to the radio stars.
‘I grew up listening to KJ and my first job in radio was on the Hot 30 with them back in the day. I used to drive the Thunders. I lied to get the job, I was on my Ps.’
‘They were very lovely and they were always very kind,’ he added.
ARN announced on Tuesday that Henderson’s $100 million contract has been terminated after she told executives she ‘cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands’ following his harsh comments on-air that left her in tears.
Sandilands has been suspended and given 14 days to ‘remedy’ the breach, or else faces termination.
ARN provided written notice to Sandilands stating that it considers his behaviour during the show on February 20 ‘an act of serious misconduct which is in breach of ARN’s services agreement with Quasar Media’.
ARN has offered Henderson the possibility of an alternative show on the network.
Daily Mail has reached out to Henderson and Sandilands for comment.
Sandilands and Henderson signed a 10-year deal with Australian Radio Network (ARN) in 2023, and have eight years left on the contract.
They were paid a reported $200 million in that landmark negotiation and earned approximately $47,000 per episode.
Henderson, 51, has been AWOL from The Kyle & Jackie O Show since Friday, 20 February, after Sandilands, 54, accused her of being unfocused at work.
During the on-air feud, Henderson broke down in tears when the pair were discussing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Sandilands got angry at her when she proceeded to read out the disgraced royal’s birth chart.
He lambasted his co-star, claiming that her love for astrology was affecting her work.
An emotional Henderson said she was deeply ‘offended’ by his brutal comments during the clash.
She took a leave of absence following the altercation, and was expected to return to the show on March 2, however, that was not to be.
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