Australian radio host Kyle Sandilands declared he will never trust anyone again after learning his former co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Speaking on his new show Kyle Sandilands Live on Wednesday morning, the 55-year-old became emotional as he revealed he broke down in tears after receiving an update on Henderson's health condition.
Sandilands told listeners that the news had left him devastated and shattered when he woke up in the morning. "This morning I woke up.. I was shattered. I instantly burst into tears," Sandilands said. "I just fell apart this morning."
The shock jock expressed frustration and disbelief over allegations made in court documents, insisting they bore little resemblance to his recollection of events and had left him deeply wounded. "It was really very, very, very upsetting to read some terrible things like that about yourself," he added. "And obviously, it's her truth. But that is so against what the reality of what happened was."
Sandilands said the accusations were unfair and soul destroying. "It's very unfair, and it's completely the opposite," he said. "It's soul destroying. It really is. It's very upsetting to me."
Legal dispute and medical report
Henderson's mental health concerns were detailed in documents filed in the Federal Court of Australia and released on Tuesday as part of her ongoing legal dispute with employer Australian Radio Network (ARN). The action follows the cancellation of The Kyle & Jackie O Show earlier this year, with Henderson pursuing an $82million payout from the network.
A medical report prepared by Dr Jonathan Phillips states that Henderson is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder arising as a result of "the ongoing bullying perpetrated by Sandilands" and "the failure of ARN to offer appropriate care and protection."
In a sworn statement, Henderson said she was "belittled" and "humiliated" by her "unpredictable and erratic" former KIIS FM co-host. "I felt that the constant attacking of my character and putting me down at work by Mr Sandilands was slowly wearing me down," she said. "I felt exhausted and like I wanted to give up. I felt like this treatment was happening in subtle ways but regularly. It felt like bullying."
Henderson added that the alleged treatment worsened from 2023 onwards and left her feeling anxious. "I often drove to work with a low level sense of anxiety and dread, which caused me to feel worn down over time," she stated. "The cumulative effect was that I felt emotionally unsafe in the workplace, even during periods where the relationship appeared outwardly positive."
Sandilands hits back at claims
Sandilands rejected the claims made in court, stating that they contradicted his experience of working with Henderson. He described her as unpredictable and inconsistent throughout their time hosting their radio program together.
"If she ever hears this, that's what we were getting with you," Sandilands said on air. "We never knew whether you're going to be interested every day or not give a f**k, or off with the fairies. So to be accused of that is something I'll never get over."
Sandilands concluded: "I will never trust another human being as long as I live. I just won't." The workplace fallout comes after Henderson's KIIS FM contract was abruptly terminated in March following a high-profile on-air argument between the co-hosts.
Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson were long-time co-hosts of Australia's top-rated breakfast radio program across commercial networks including KIIS FM. Their sudden on-air clash and subsequent multi-million dollar legal dispute have made headlines across national media.
