Kyle Sandilands reportedly ‘open to settlement’ for right price, according to source
Sandilands was sacked by the company for ‘serious misconduct’ after an on-air clash with his co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson on February 20.
Shock jock Kyle Sandilands is reportedly open to settling his multimillion-dollar wrongful dismissal lawsuit with his former employers ARN.
Sandilands was sacked by the company for “serious misconduct” after an on-air clash with his co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson on February 20.
The controversial radio host denies he engaged in serious misconduct and is suing the radio network, seeking a payout of the rest of his $100 million contract.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Henderson is also suing ARN for what she claims is $85 million in earnings still owed to her.
Sandilands has reportedly even considered buying the embattled network, after the value of its shares plummeted following the cancellation of the Kyle and Jackie O Show and the subsequent lawsuits.
But in a remarkable turnaround, a source told News.com.au on Tuesday that ‘King Kyle’ would consider settling if the offer was reasonable.
“If there was a reasonable figure that made him feel like he didn’t get totally f...ed over … yeah,” the source said.
“He is a righteous guy, and he could just go, ‘Let’s take this to the end’, but no one loves the idea of court.”
A settlement would be an incredible twist in the legal saga, with Kyle repeatedly talking tough and hitting out at his former bosses for their treatment of him.
“Let me tell you what actually happened here,” Sandilands said in a statement on March 3.
“Jackie and I had a blue on air. That’s it. The kind of thing we’ve done a hundred times in 25 years. And ARN took the situation and decided to try and burn the place down.
“They sacked Jackie. They suspended me. They wouldn’t even let me pick up the phone to call her or anyone else on the show.
“Then — and this is the bit that gets me — once they’d made it impossible for the show to go on, they turn around and say, ‘You didn’t fix it. You’re fired’.”
Sandilands said during the two week period of his suspension, he had done “everything ARN asked”, and offered to go back on air, to work with Henderson or to work with someone else, and had been rebuffed.
“ARN knew exactly what they were getting when they signed my deal. They’ve worked with me for over a decade. They knew how I work, they knew the show, and they were happy to pay for it — because I delivered”.
On Tuesday, the source also claimed Kyle was not interested in hearing “unflattering” claims as part of the court process.
“Kyle and Jackie are playing with their own money here,” they said.
Both Sandilands and Henderson are expected to appear in the Federal Court before Justice Angus Stewart in separate case management hearings on Friday, April 24.
If they both attend in person, it will be the first time they have crossed path since the infamous blow-up on February 20.
