Ben Fordham on the ‘very personal question’ Kyle Sandilands asked Jackie ‘O’ Henderson that hinted at their relationship breakdown

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Ben Fordham has commented again on the recent issues between Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, saying he predicted they would happen some time ago.

The two former radio hosts are now each suing their previous employer, ARN, after being fired because of a heated argument they had on the air in February.

I was really interested to hear Fordham on the Bonafide with Luke Bona podcast. He said he actually predicted things were heading this way over a year ago – he really saw it coming!

Fordham recalled an incident from about a year and a half ago when Kyle Sandilands told Jackie O Henderson, ‘You’re not listening to me anymore,’ as he remembered hearing it on the radio.

‘And she said: “Yeah, you’re probably right, because I’ve heard it all before, Kyle”.’

This realization was a key moment for the experienced radio host, who suddenly understood that Henderson and Sandilands were no longer enjoying the show.

‘I remember hearing a few of those things thinking: “It stopped being a bit fun”,’ he said.

Fordham remembered another awkward moment on air when the two discussed sex, upsetting Jackie.

He said Sandilands asked Jackie a deeply personal question about her past experiences.

‘She said: “I think I’ve given up enough of my personal life on this show, Kyle.”

‘That was another moment where I heard it and went: “Ooh.”‘ 

Fordham explained that he thought the main reason Henderson and her former co-star had a falling out was that Henderson had simply moved on and changed, leaving their relationship behind.

‘I think Jackie grew as a human being,’ he said.

She started exploring self-improvement through things like meditation, yoga, and astrology, and it really paid off – she lost a significant amount of weight and looks fantastic!

She really transformed and became much healthier, and it seemed like Kyle had a hard time with that. He wasn’t growing at the same pace, and it was difficult for him to watch her change.

It’s not the first time that Fordham has weighed in on the drama.

Last month, Fordham discussed on the “Behind the Mic with Mike E” podcast how the large salaries of the show’s hosts may have contributed to its cancellation.

Sandilands and Henderson signed a whopping 10-year $200 million contract with ARN in 2023.

‘I just wonder how much that big 10-year deal played a part,’ he said.

As soon as I heard about this big deal, honestly, my gut told me it wouldn’t work out. It felt less like a win-win and more like a long-term burden for both parties involved. I’ve seen this pattern before – sometimes a ten-year commitment can actually hold you back rather than help you grow.

I was walking the dog with my wife, Jodie, when I first heard the news, and I immediately told her, “I don’t think Kyle and Jackie O’s new 10-year contract is going to work out well.”

I told Jodie to picture waking up and thinking, “Just nine and a half more years to go.”

He also wondered if the large amount of money might have negatively impacted the quality of The Kyle & Jackie O Show.

He believes that offering a lot of money can cloud people’s judgment, making it difficult for them to see things clearly like others do.

Many viewers have noticed the show isn’t as enjoyable as it used to be. I’ve been hearing that feedback a lot.

Fordham also thought their move to Melbourne, which didn’t go well, was a key reason for the breakup.

He described the decision to relocate to Melbourne as a disaster, explaining that company leaders already understood they were facing an impossible challenge.

He believes the high salaries led to the decision to let go of Jase Hawkins, Lauren Phillips, and Clint Stanaway in Melbourne, despite them putting on a successful show for KIIS. They likely needed to convince themselves the expense was worth it.

Fordham then took a not-so-subtle dig at his former radio rivals.

He explained that concentrating on Melbourne likely meant they were neglecting Sydney, and that could be a key reason they outperformed them in seven out of eight surveys last year.

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2026-04-28 13:11