OPINION: Kyle Sandilands‘ court appearance on Friday was exactly as we all predicted; a complete and utter media circus.
Clad in a crisp navy suit and signature sunglasses, the 54-year-old arrived in a black Series 1 Rolls-Royce Phantom, estimated to be worth $1 million, and commanded his way through the tornado of press with a simple message for his former employer, ARN.
“Put me back on the radio, and let’s get the share price back up.”
It was a performance that mirrored his current legal battle with ARN – a desperate play to remain the main event in radio.
Despite the legal catastrophe of him suing his former employer and in response, ARN counter-suing him, Sandilands has made no secret of the fact he wants to return to airwaves and fulfill the remainder of $100 million, 10-year contract.
By appearing in the flesh, the shock jock made it clear he won’t be fighting this $85 million legal war from the sidelines.
But his former co-host, Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, did no such thing.
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The 51-year-old’s separate wrongful termination lawsuit against ARN was also in the Federal Court today.
Opting to skip the circus, Henderson exercised her right to stay away from her own management hearing, where client attendance is not mandatory.
Instead, her close friend and manager Gemma O’Neill observed proceedings, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.
While Sandilands played to the cameras, exactly as he did at his first court appearance on March 27, Henderson’s absence spoke volumes about her shift toward a more private, post-KIIS life.
Henderson has stayed stoically silent on the radio duo’s downfall, only letting her voice be heard in legal statements and court documents. Sandilands, meanwhile, speaks to the press like they’re an old friend sharing a drink at the bar.
The only time we’ve publicly seen Henderson in recent days was at the Her Best Life retreat last weekend; a women’s wellness event organised by O’Neill.
She watched on as Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex – who herself has faced mass public scrutiny, albeit for very different reasons – spoke to women in the crowd at the closed-door event on Friday.
While Henderson did take the stage the following day to introduce a guest, her words remain a mystery to the public.
In a move to ensure total privacy, the event enforced a strict no phones policy, leaving her comments known only to the exclusive group of women in the room.
It’s that type of privacy Henderson is seemingly craving; a life away from the negative media storm that Sandilands is so readily lapping up.
“I don’t think we’ll see anyone except for me today, just quietly” Sandilands uttered to reporters ahead of his court appearance, when if he thought he’d come face-to-face with Henderson.
And he was right.
Sandilands confirmed he hadn’t spoken to Henderson at all in recent weeks; which, while expected, is still a sad revelation when looking back at their 27-year partnership.
But her no-show in court today seems to hint one thing – she doesn’t want any part of the circus anymore, or to come face-to-face with the man she used to share every morning with.
As the case moves toward a full trial, the distance between them – once just a console’s width apart – now feels like an unbridgeable chasm.
One is fighting to go back to the way things were, while the other is clearly ready to walk away for good.
The legal war between Jackie, Kyle and ARN
Henderson has filed an $82.25 million suit against ARN, alleging her termination from her KIIS FM radio show with Sandilands was against the Fair Work Act.
Court documents allege “consistent bullying” from Sandilands – which he has denied – made Henderson feel “psychologically unwell, defamed and humiliated”.
Unlike Sandilands, Henderson isn’t asking to return to the network – she just wants to be paid for the remainder of her 10-year contract.
Henderson’s contract was torn up after she said she could “no longer work with Sandlands” after their now infamous on-air fight on February 20, where he claimed she was “off with the fairies” and made critical comments on her interest of astrology.
Henderson claims ARN breached workplace rules by terminating her contract after she exercised her rights to complain about Sandilands’ behaviour, while her lawyers are also arguing that the radio network made no attempt to intervene during the row.
Sandiands’ contract was terminated as ARN claim the row was a “breach of contract”.
He’s arguing that his sacking was invalid, claiming as there was no act of serious misconduct or contract breach.
Sanidlands is seeking to have the remainder of his $100 million contract honoured.
ARN Media disputes Henderson and Sandilands’ claims and will defend against the suit in court.
ARN is also counter-suing the duo, claiming they should both repay lost advertising revenue after the show was pulled off air, and that Sandilands should return 87.9 per cent of his $3 million sign-on bonus.
It’s reported Henderson had no such bonus when she joined.
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