Australian radio host Kyle Sandilands has missed his new show for the second time in three weeks after falling ill with a stomach bug caught from his wife.
The 55-year-old broadcaster was absent from his subscription-only series, Kyle Sandilands Live, leaving his newsreader and production team to open the show without him.
Staff on the program were initially confused about whether the shock jock was physically unwell or taking a personal mental health day when the episode went to air with his host chair empty.
"Kyle is not with us again this morning, unfortunately," newsreader Brooklyn Ross announced on air. "He's had a tough week, we saw last week, and I'm okay with him taking some time. I don't know if he might actually be physically sick.. I'm just fine if Kyle needs a day."
On-Air Clarification and Health Issues
Executive producer Jaimee 'Mayo' Blazquez quickly intervened to clarify that Sandilands was suffering from a physical illness, reading a text message the host had sent her earlier that morning.
"I'm sick mate, won't be in today, cramps in the gut," Sandilands wrote in the message, explaining that he had caught a stomach virus from his wife, Tegan Kynaston.
"I think I've got the same thing Tegan has had the last three days, sorry guys," Kyle added in the text message.
Following the clarification, Ross corrected his initial opening statement on air. "Well, he's not going to like me opening the show by saying 'have a mental health day'," Ross admitted to listeners.
The missed broadcast marks Sandilands' second absence from the air since launching Kyle Sandilands Live midway through August. The subscription series represents a new format for the long-time commercial broadcasting staple, who established his career across Australian television and radio.
Subpoena Served Live on Air
The sudden absence follows a turbulent week for the radio star, who was slapped with legal documents live on air during his Wednesday episode.
Sandilands was dragged into an escalating legal war between media giant Australian Radio Network, known as ARN, and his former radio partner Jackie 'O' Henderson after ARN served him with a subpoena.
The shock jock was handed the legal papers during his live subscription show in a dramatic moment organized by his manager, Bruno Bouchet.
Sandilands appeared taken by surprise as Bouchet presented him with the subpoena alongside a formal notice to produce documents.
"I'm very uncomfortable about that," Sandilands said live on air, before tossing the notice into a bin. "Just tell them I'm overseas or something. Is that what happens? How do you get out of this?"
Newsreader Ross then asked manager Bouchet whether ARN wanted Sandilands in its corner and against Henderson in the ongoing legal dispute.
"Yeah," Bouchet replied, confirming that the media network was seeking documents from Sandilands as part of its courtroom battle with his former co-host.
Sandilands responded by emphasizing his reluctance to involve himself in the dispute. "Well, that makes me very uncomfortable," Sandilands said. "I don't feel comfortable saying anything that may affect what she's got going on."
Multimillion-Dollar Lawsuit and PTSD Diagnosis
The legal disruption came just one week after an emotional Sandilands revealed he was left in tears upon learning that Henderson had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Henderson is currently engaged in a major lawsuit against her former employer ARN, seeking $82 million in damages. Her PTSD diagnosis was detailed in a medical report prepared by Dr Jonathan Phillips.
Sandilands and Henderson co-hosted top-rated Australian commercial radio shows together for over two decades, forming one of the nation's most recognizable broadcasting partnerships before going their separate ways.
"This morning I woke up.. I was shattered. I instantly burst into tears," Sandilands told listeners when discussing Henderson's diagnosis. "I just fell apart this morning."
The radio host later expressed disbelief at allegations contained in court documents filed in connection with the lawsuit, stating that the claims bore little resemblance to his own recollection of events.
"It was really very, very, very upsetting to read some terrible things like that about yourself. And obviously, it's her truth. But that is so against what the reality of what happened was," Sandilands said, adding that the situation had left him deeply hurt.
"It's very unfair, and it's completely the opposite," Sandilands added. "It's soul destroying. It really is. It's very upsetting to me."
