Kyle Sandilands takes aim at ARN Media outside Federal Court of Australia as $100m contract battle unfolds

Kyle Sandilands has taken a dig at his former network as he entered a Sydney court on Friday, telling them to put him back on the air so he could “get the share price back up”.

Mr Sandilands and his former Kyle & Jackie O co-host, Jackie Henderson, are suing ARN in the wake of their sacking earlier this year.

Both matters will come before the Federal Court on Friday for a case management hearing.

They both had their 10-year, $100m contracts torn up following their on-air argument in February, during which Mr Sandilands accused his co-host of being “off with the fairies” and made critical comments about her interest in astrology.

After Mr Sandilands’ contract was terminated, he sued ARN and its subsidiary, Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), in an attempt to be reinstated.

Mr Sandilands arrived at court in a black Rolls-Royce on Friday morning and was met by a massive media throng.

Asked if he had a message for ARN, Mr Sandilands said outside court: “Put me back on the radio, let’s get the share price back up.”

There was also an awkward moment as he saved a photographer from walking backwards into a taped-off area of the court steps.

“I’m always saving one of your guys from near death,” he said.

Mr Sandilands has argued he often played the role of the “dominant and abrasive personality” on the Kyle and Jackie O Show, and that his comments to his co-host were “congruent” with the “robust character that CBC desired.”

He claims his sacking was invalid as there was no act of serious misconduct or contract breach.

Court documents have revealed that in a complaint letter sent to ARN, Henderson alleged she was “attacked and bullied on live prime time radio” and she had been left “psychologically unwell” after being “defamed and humiliated”.

“The simple fact is that our client has been attacked and bullied on live prime time radio,” the letter said.

“There is evidence that she has endured persistent and relentless bullying by Mr Sandilands well before the 20 February 2026 incident which despite numerous opportunities, the Group has failed to adequately address both at law and ethically.”

Ms Henderson has meanwhile argued that she was owed $82m relating to the remainder of her contract.

In court documents, Ms Henderson has claimed that she twice complained to ARN Media – KIIS FM’s parent company – in the months leading up to their on-air bust-up.

According to court documents, Henderson sent a “complaint letter” to KIIS’s parent company saying she could not continue to work with Mr Sandilands.

In its defence filed with the court, CBC, said that it entered into a contract with Henderson’s company, Henderson Media, for her to present the Kyle & Jackie O Show.

ARN argues that Henderson Media and Sandilands’ company, Quasar, were “solely responsible for controlling the manner in which it provides Program Services” for the Kyle and Jackie O Show.

“Consequently, once any broadcast began, CBC had no ability or power to contemporaneously prevent Mr Sandilands from engaging in bullying or other unwanted conduct towards Ms Henderson,” the company said in its defence filed with the Federal Court.

CBC is also countersuing Mr Sandilands and Ms Henderson seeking damages for breach of contract and loss of advertising revenue.

More to come...