Australia’s main radio stars are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Jackie ‘O’ Henderson and Kyle Sandilands to Melbourne airwaves, as speak of a effervescent radio struggle heats up.
Henderson and Sandilands’ Number one KIIS FM present was set to make its hotly-anticipated debut within the Victorian metropolis alongside rival headline hosts this week, nevertheless it was delayed on the final minute.
After they do lastly premiere their Sydney-based program within the new market, the king and queen of radio will go up towards fashionable Fox FM breakfast present, Fifi, Fev & Nick, with co-host Fifi Field declaring “sport on” in a current interview with Herald Solar.
However Henderson – who promised their Melbourne takeover would come “quickly” – wouldn’t be dragged into aggressive discourse.
“All we will do is simply the present we do,” Henderson instructed the publication in response.
She continued, “It’s not the tip of the world, we’re solely having enjoyable and it’s pure and easy, and hopefully folks listening wish to have a little bit of enjoyable on the way in which to work.
“It will likely be one thing completely different for Melbourne breakfast and that’s the attraction in a manner, it’s going to shake issues up and that’s at all times a superb factor I feel.
“Kyle is basically excited. The ladies by no means struggle, it’s the boys which might be b****es. Women don’t care about that. I’ve received girlfriends in any respect the networks.”
Henderson did, nevertheless, speak to the time she and Sandilands broadcasted 2Day FM’s Hot30 within the early 2000s, saying the pair “outdated everybody else’s figures” within the Melbourne rankings.
“I’m excited really. We used to broadcast to Melbourne years in the past and when Kyle and I did the Hot30 for a nationwide present all these years in the past, Melbourne was at all times our greatest viewers out of each metropolis in Australia,” she mentioned.
“That by far and away outdated everyone else’s figures so I’ve at all times had this type of particular love for the Melbourne viewers for that cause. As a result of they have been at all times actually loyal again within the day.
“So it’s good to come back again on air so a few years later, it’s additionally a problem and I like that.”
Henderson and Sandilands increasing their present to Melbourne got here as a part of a staggering new 10-year, $200 million contract with their current station Australian Radio Community (ARN), which they formally signed on-air in November. It’s going to see the duo earn a minimal of $10 million yearly, every.
It meant KIIS Melbourne hosts Jason Hawkins and Lauren Phillips have been brutally ousted from their gig.
Since then, there’s been operating debate over whether or not Henderson and Sandilands are a “good match” for town of Melbourne.
The Mission panellist Steve Value criticised Sandilands on the Ten program in November, dubbing him a “grubby buffoon” who “wouldn’t work” among the many native audiences.
Sandilands and Henderson insisted their present be broadcast exterior of Sydney after they started negotiations with ARN in early 2023, with rival community Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) additionally gunning for his or her signatures.
Sandilands has lengthy been clear about his need to faucet into the Melbourne radio market, with Brendan Fevola dropping on-air in August he’d heard a hearsay the shock jock was set to make it occur from 2024.
The co-host of Fifi, Fev & Nick – which is owned by SCA – instantly made his emotions about it identified.
“That’s not the appropriate DNA,” the previous AFL star mentioned. “That’s a Sydney present. Certainly they’re not coming to Melbourne … What the hell?”
