Media insiders convinced Kyle Sandilands' $20 million next move is hiding in plain sight

As the wreckage of Australia's most famous radio partnership is cleared away, insiders say Kyle Sandilands' next move is already hiding in plain sight.

Entertainment reporter Peter Ford said there is "no way" the shock jock, 54, and his co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson will work together on KIIS FM again, but a lucrative podcast career could be on the horizon – which has the potential to rake in $20 million.

"I think his next move will be going into the podcast arena on a pay-per-month subscription for his fans," Ford told nine.com.au. "I think that's what he'll try and get going next if this doesn't work out."

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Meanwhile, radio insiders Craig Bruce – Kyle and Jackie O's former boss – and Irene Hulme, who co-host the Game Changers Radio podcast, agreed with the sentiment and estimated the millions Sandilands could potentially make in future.

"Let's say that this can't be worked out. Let's say that there's a settlement and Kyle is no longer on the radio and Jackie is no longer on the radio," Bruce said on the podcast.

"Kyle's Lavender Bay studios has a working podcast studio. It's ready to go. It's just ‘press the green button' and it's on. So this is back of the napkin, but its a start."

Sandilands and Henderson's total audience was 1.7 million, including their daily breakfast show, afternoon 'hour of power' and show podcast.

READ MORE: Kyle releases statement claiming he wants to return to air

READ MORE: Jackie 'O' has 'been through a lot', ex-colleague says

READ MORE: Jackie O's forgotten TV career - and why it's back in the spotlight

"Less than 10 per cent of that is 100,000 people, paying $12.95 a month for the Kyle & Jack[ie] Podcast Show – that is $15m a year in recurring revenue, and on top of that sponsors, merchandise, live shows... that's a $20 million business right there," Bruce explained.

"That may be their best hope to earn that kind of money again."

The beauty of this is there would be "no rules" or radio advertisers to please.

A podcast would also protect them from the efforts of advocacy group Mad F--king Witches (MFW) who have made it their mission since 2024 to convince advertisers to pull their ads from the show, citing examples of Sandilands' offensive comments.

"They could say whatever they liked," Hulme said.

On Tuesday, Sandilands released a a blistering statement claiming he is "not in breach" of his contract and asking ARN to let him return to his job on KIIS FM.

The 54-year-old signed a $100 million deal in 2024 to remain on the airwaves alongside his longtime colleague Henderson until 2034.

In the statement, Sandilands said he wasn't allowed to contact Jackie and asked ARN to "honour our agreement and let me get back to doing what I do best – entertaining the people who have supported this show for more than two decades."

Ford said Sandilands' words echoed what many thought – he'll likely never work with Henderson again.

"If you look at that [Kyle’s] statement, it's all about 'Let me back on air, let me do what I do', there's no sense of 'us' whatsoever," Ford explained.

"He knows Jackie does not want to reunite with him at all and he needs to save himself now. He's like a drowning rat and he's trying to get what he can."

On March 3, ARN Media released a statement saying they'd suspended Sandilands for two weeks after alleged "serious misconduct" after an on-air row with Henderson.

He was warned his contract would be terminated if he did not respond to an allegation of serious misconduct within 14 days.

Ford feels the requirement by ARN that Sandilands "remedy" the situation "could become a very interesting thing if it does end up in court, if he's not offered an amount of money that makes him happy".

"He knows the bosses at ARN have been discussing how much they need to pay both of them to make them go away quietly. That's what ARN want to do," he said.

"They want to get rid of them. They want them gone. They want them off the books.

"So if that means a substantial payout to make that happen, they're willing to do that, but obviously they want to make that payout as low as possible."

He added Sandilands could argue, "'Well, how was I meant to remedy the situation when you've told me not to talk to her?'"

"He was given an impossible task to fix the problem, and that's what he will argue, if it gets to court, which is where it probably is going."

In his statement, Sandilands said of his co-host: "Jackie and I have worked together for over 25 years. She is one of the most important people in my life. The idea that our partnership could end like this is devastating to me."

Ford feels Sandilands' words about Henderson were "absolutely sincere".

"I think he is devastated by what's happened, but I don't think he still fully understands what's happened or why. But I think he also at the same time has accepted that it's not going to be fixable, so he now has to look after himself.

"They're a completely unique duo. They're both very decent people. They're both very good broadcasters, and it's a sad thing at both a personal level and also a professional level."

Ford said Sandilands "loves talkback radio" and agreed this could be a possible future for him in the industry.

"He's addicted to 2GB, he loved John Laws, but I don't think he's ready for that yet," he added, saying a podcast is a more visible next step for Sandilands.

"To me, that statement is very much a drowning man saying, 'Please throw me a lifeline, give me one more chance'.

"But if that doesn't happen, I don't doubt for a second that he's got a plan B."

READ KYLE SANDILANDS' STATEMENT IN FULL:

I want to speak directly to my listeners, my colleagues and the public about what has been happening.

On 20 February, I had an argument with Jackie on air about something that had been bothering me for a while. I said things I wish I had said differently.

"That same evening, I sent Jackie a message telling her I was sorry for anything I said that didn't go down well, that I love her and care for her, and that I could have handled it better.

"I meant every word of that, and I still do. Jackie and I have worked together for over 25 years. She is one of the most important people in my life. The idea that our partnership could end like this is devastating to me.

ARN told me that I am not allowed to contact Jackie. They have told me that I am not allowed to speak to my colleagues. I did what was asked even though it made it impossible for me to do the one thing anyone in my position would want to do — pick up the phone and talk to the person I have been talking with continually for my entire career.

The truth is that ARN terminated Jackie's contract on the same day it accused me of a breach. It suspended me from work. All of this happened while I was being told to sit quietly and say nothing. That is not a genuine process.

I am not going to pretend that everything about this situation is simple. Jackie told me she was hurt, and I accept that. But we have had disagreements before and we have always worked through them. That is what partners do. We never needed lawyers or ASX announcements to sort things out. I believe we could have sorted this out too, if ARN had given us the chance.

I have a contract with ARN that runs until 2034.

I am committed to that contract.

Despite what ARN says, I am not in breach of that contract.

I want to be on air. I want to be with my audience. I want to do the job I have done my entire adult life.

I am asking ARN to do the right thing: honour our agreement and let me get back to doing what I do best — entertaining the people who have supported this show for more than two decades.

To my listeners: Thank you. I miss you. I'll be back.

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