Kyle Sandilands will receive A$12.09m in cash and A$1.5m worth of advertising after settling a lawsuit with ARN Media, the owner of KIIS FM, where he co-hosted the Kyle and Jackie O Show. The payout comes after Sandilands’ ten-year A$100m contract was terminated early in March.

Dispute Stemmed from On-Air Altercation

Sandilands was dismissed from the KIIS FM breakfast programme following a public argument with his co-host Jackie Henderson in March. Henderson accused him of bullying, which led to the show being pulled from the airwaves. Sandilands initially sued for A$85m, claiming wrongful termination.

ARN Media had alleged serious misconduct on Sandilands’ part but confirmed on Wednesday that the matter had been settled. The resolution included a cash settlement and future advertising support over three years. In a statement, ARN said the agreement provides a “full and final resolution of all claims and counterclaims between the parties.”

Controversial On-Air Tirade Led to Fallout

The dispute came to a head on 20 February when Sandilands delivered a seven-minute on-air rant accusing Henderson of being unprofessional and “off with the fairies.” He cited her recent interest in astrology and horoscopes as affecting her job performance, though he provided no examples when Henderson asked for clarification through tears.

Sandilands attempted to apologize after the argument, but ARN reportedly prohibited him from contacting Henderson or any show staff for weeks afterward. He also offered to work with another presenter if needed, but ARN allegedly showed no interest in such an arrangement.

After the show was taken off air, staff at ARN were reported to have celebrated the move, citing the expensive contracts of the show’s hosts as a factor in the decision. The station had also attempted to expand the programme to Melbourne, but the effort failed, which some observers believe may have contributed to the decision to end the show.

Restrictions and Ongoing Legal Action

As part of the settlement, Sandilands is barred from working for ARN’s competitors until next March. Also, ARN will receive a 19.9% cut of any earnings from his next media venture for three years.

Jackie Henderson, who worked with Sandilands for 27 years, is also suing ARN over the termination of her ten-year A$100m contract. Her case is ongoing, according to reports. After the fallout with Sandilands, Henderson took a leave of absence, stating she could not continue to work with him, leading to the show’s cancellation.