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Updated April 24, 2026 — 1:05pm,first published April 24, 2026 — 9:59am
Kyle Sandilands has lashed out at Jackie “O” Henderson’s “bullshit” legal strategy” after her barrister told the Federal Court she did not want to be in an enclosed space with him during a trial that could run for two weeks.
Sandilands’ comments came outside the courtroom after he was told by the judge it was highly unlikely he would be returned to air on KIIS FM and his bid to have an expedited trial in June was scotched, with the hearings set tentatively for October instead.
“They say they don’t want to be in the same courtroom, that’s their legal strategy. We have a different strategy. Just don’t believe the bullshit that you hear and read, just wait to see what comes out in court,” Sandilands said to reporters before heading home to “eat wings” with his son.
Inside the courtroom, his barrister Scott Robertson, SC said that while Sandilands’ conduct may not have been pleasant, ARN, the owners of the KIIS network knew exactly what they were getting and took responsibility for it via a specially customised contract.
Robertson argued “if you buy Kyle, you get Kyle” and that ARN profited off his conduct while outlining his client’s arguments during a case management hearing on Friday morning.
Both Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson’s legal cases against their former employer ARN Media will be heard over the course of two weeks spanning October 12 to October 23, Federal Court justice Angus Stewart has tentatively decided.
“The kind of conduct in which he engaged was conduct that was desired, contractually designed… and indeed was monetised, evidence will demonstrate,” Robertson told the court. He said that applied even where Sandilands’ conduct occurred off-air, but in the broadcast studio where everything was recorded for later use.
Earlier, Robertson had urged Stewart to hear split off Sandilands’ case so it could be heard as soon as possible in June, arguing that ARN was “throwing the kitchen sink” at the case via one of the largest law firms in the world and could get ready in time.
He added that Sandilands “appears highly likely” to admit to having “engaged in the poor conduct that is alleged”.
As Sandilands sat in the centre of the front row of the courtroom laser focused on the proceedings, his barrister, Robertson said that as a citizen himself “I look at it and say ‘this is not nice conduct, this is not the kind of conduct that I think someone should engage in’.“
But he said that did not give ARN a right to tear up Sandilands’ contract, which had a special clause to protect the foul-mouthed radio host.
Henderson – who is also suing the radio network over her scrapped contract – also did not want her case to be heard at the same time, with her legal representatives saying their client does not wish to be forced into being in the same courtroom as Sandilands for weeks on end.
Henderson’s barrister Vanja Bulut said the cases being heard together would put her client in the same “enclosed space” as Sandilands, who “she says has caused a significant psychological harm”.
Consistent with Bulut’s comments, Henderson was not present on Friday, but her manager Gemma O’Neill observed proceedings. She expects to call on two experts for evidence including “evidence of a medical nature as to the impact it’s had on my client’s health and wellbeing”.
Tom Blackburn SC, acting for ARN argued both cases should be heard together, saying that there is “too much risk for inconsistent findings to be made”. Both cases contain consistent facts and outcomes, he said, with Justice Stewart ultimately saying it is likely the cases will be heard together.
Blackburn responded to a demand by Sandilands’ side for orders to return him to the airwaves by saying that request was “close to hopeless”.
“The relationship of trust and confidence has utterly broken down between the parties,” Blackburn said. “It’s a hopeless situation and it’s seriously put to the court that they… might get an order for the parties to cooperate together for the next nine years.”
Arriving outside the Federal Court earlier in the morning, Sandilands stepped out of a black 2004 Rolls-Royce Series 1 Phantom emblazoned with the number plat KS20. He told a media scrum that his legal dispute with KIIS network owner ARN Media was “pretty ugly” and that he wanted to get back on air to boost ARN’s share price.
He was trailed into the building by dozens of reporters, photographers and videographers, adding that he and Henderson, so close for nearly three decades, had not spoken.
The Federal Court in Sydney today is also hosting a clutch of other high-profile cases including the consumer watchdog’s case against Woolworths and a defamation case against actor Rebel Wilson.
ARN tore up Henderson’s contract in early March this year after she allegedly refused to work with Sandilands because of his conduct towards her. Two weeks later, it scrapped his contract as well after he was unable to “remedy” what it said was serious misconduct on his part, stemming from his on and off-air behaviour toward his former co-host of 25 years.
Not long after, both stars sued the company in separate attempts to claw back the majority of the $200 million contracts they had each signed, which began just over 14 months ago.
As ARN filed its defence to the court to both matters on Tuesday this week, this masthead also revealed the company is also suing both former employees and their private companies in a pair of counter claims, citing lost revenue and profits as a result of the show blowing up, largely due to alleged “systemic bullying” on behalf of Sandilands toward Henderson.
The car Sandilands arrived in, reportedly one of several Rolls-Royce in his ownership, is worth, by some estimates, about $1 million.
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