Industry insiders name frontrunners to replace Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson on KIIS FM – with some VERY surprising stars in the mix

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Now that the surprising cancellation of The Kyle & Jackie O Show has been announced, everyone is wondering which show will be affected next.

Now that Henderson and Sandilands’ contracts have ended, the Australian Radio Network needs to find new hosts for its breakfast shows in Sydney and Melbourne – a challenging task.

Tim Burrowes, publisher of Mumbrella, told The Daily Telegraph that the empty seats couldn’t have happened at a more difficult moment.

He explained that now isn’t a good time to hire someone great in radio, as the best candidates are likely already committed to contracts that last through the year.

He also suggested that ARN would probably create separate radio shows for Sydney and Melbourne, rather than combining them into one.

Despite these challenges, several potential candidates are starting to be discussed within the industry.

Chief among them are broadcasting veterans Carrie Bickmore and Dr Chris Brown.

Okay, but seriously, I’m trying to stay realistic here! It’s just… she’s currently doing the breakfast show on 2Day FM with Tommy Little, and everyone’s saying her contract isn’t up until the end of the year. So, maybe I’m just hoping for something that won’t happen anytime soon, but a girl can dream, right?

Further, Brown had been a frequent guest on The Kyle & Jackie O Show.

There’s a strong possibility that KIIS FM will move Will McMahon and Woody Whitelaw, the hosts of their national drive show, to the breakfast slot in Melbourne.

Sophie Monk was once considered as a possible co-host alongside Kyle Sandilands, but that now seems improbable following his exit.

Mitch Churi is also being considered, but he was let go from KIIS FM in December 2024 after working there for ten years.

Churi is well-versed in the KIIS FM format, as she’s often stepped in to host The Kyle & Jackie O Show when Sandilands is unavailable.

Okay, so I’ve been scouring every article, and apparently Jim Jeffries – yes, the Jim Jeffries – is a dark horse contender for… well, something big! Someone inside told The Daily Telegraph his name at least came up in discussions, which is enough to send me into orbit, honestly. It’s not a sure thing, but the fact they even mentioned him? I’m already picturing it!

Okay, so I was listening, and apparently, someone actually thinks Sam Mac, the weatherman from Sunrise, could win? I know it’s a long shot, a total wildcard, but honestly? I’m kind of here for it. He’s just…got that something, you know? It’s crazy, but I wouldn’t completely rule him out!

The friendly star started his career on the radio, working at Triple M Adelaide and Austereo in Perth. He also hosted the national Hot 30 Countdown show.

Coincidentally, he helmed the same show Sandilands and Henderson captained from 2000 to 2003.

Kyle Sandilands’ radio show, The Kyle & Jackie O Show, concluded on Wednesday after ARN, the company that owns KIIS FM, ended his ten-year contract worth $100 million. Kyle announced the news in a statement released at 7am on Wednesday.

Only an hour after the surprising announcement, news.com.au reported that Michael Stephenson, the CEO of ARN, emailed staff to confirm that The Kyle & Jackie O Show was cancelled.

The cancellation of the show came as a surprise to KIIS staff. Reports indicate that some of those working on the show aren’t directly employed by ARN, but rather through Kyle Sandilands’ company, King Kyle.

According to a source, employees were concerned about job security and upset with the way things were managed.

According to a source, many employees learned about the news through social media before receiving any official communication. They weren’t officially informed until after the news had already become public.

I’m really frustrated with how things were managed. It’s upsetting, particularly because the people who put in the work on that show are still coming in every day.

Daily Mail reached out to ARN, who declined to comment.

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2026-03-19 12:34