Kyle and Jackie O staff speak out after show explodes

Staff members from The Kyle & Jackie O Show have begun speaking out after the program’s dramatic collapse, with several sharing emotional tributes.

Among them is senior producer and part-time presenter Jaimee “Mayo” Blazquez, who said she was “absolutely gutted” by the sudden end of the show she had worked on for nearly a decade.

Blazquez, who first joined the program in 2018 and spent nine years working alongside Kyle Sandilands and Jackie “O” Henderson, took to Instagram on Thursday to share a gallery of photos from her time on the show.

“I don’t really know what to post or what to say. I’m absolutely gutted about what’s happened,” Ms Blazquez wrote.

“I had always dreamt of working on this show, so having had the opportunity to produce for Kyle & Jackie O for the past nine years has been an absolute privilege.

“We weren’t just a show but we were a family, so to see it end like this is heartbreaking.”

Other staff members have also begun sharing tributes and memories following the show’s abrupt end.

Long-running newsreader Brooklyn Ross, who has been part of the program for more than a decade, reflected on the impact the hosts had on his life in a heartfelt Instagram post.

“It’s hard to describe how important Kyle and Jackie O have been in my life, but this photo sums it up. They are family. They built a life-changing radio show for so many people, and I am incredibly grateful to have spent the past 12 years by their side,” Ross wrote.

“My role on KIIS continues for now. If I haven’t replied yet, THANK YOU for the love. ❤️”

Producer and on-air personality Pete Deppeler, better known to listeners as Intern Pete, also shared a string of memories from his time on the show, including a clip of a birthday prank played on him by the team.

“We always did birthdays in our fun little way,” he captioned the post.

Former team member Mitchell Coombs also weighed in on the situation, posting a video to Instagram saying he “wasn’t necessarily surprised by the outcome,” but reflected on his time working on the program.

“Thought I’d throw in my two cents on the Kyle & Jackie O saga,” he captioned the post.

“I was a fan of the show as a teenager and desperately wanted to get a job there. Eventually I got the job and had a really memorable few years as part of the team. The fact they’re done and dusted is a weird feeling for a lot of us!

“Sure, plenty of people were no fan of the show, but a lot of people are gonna be bummed about it ending. So just ease up, I reckon 💋”

“Think of the staff would ya,” he said in the video.

“I can’t help but to share a thought for all the die-hard listeners. People would always say the show was a real comfort show during real rough patches. What a s*** way to go.”

“So yes you’re allowed to hate them but don’t be a d*** about it.

Blazquez also reflected on some of the memories she made while working on the program, including a trip to France where members of the team surprised Sandilands during his honeymoon.

“While everyone likes to give their two cents about what’s happened, let’s just remember the legacy KJ have left and how many people they’ve inspired,” Ms Blazquez said.

“Thought I’d post some photos from our trip to France when some of the team crashed Kyle’s honeymoon.

“These are some of the memories I’ll hold forever. Thanks KJ for everything, hope to work with you guys again in the future!”

The emotional posts come as staff and listeners continue to process the abrupt end of the long-running breakfast show.

The veteran radio duo were just one year into a reported 10-year, $200 million contract when it was revealed this week that Henderson had decided she “cannot continue to work” with Sandilands following an on-air clash.

The pair had worked together for more than 25 years, building one of Australia’s most successful radio partnerships.

In 2023, Sandilands and Henderson made Australian media history when they signed the landmark deal, which expanded their Sydney breakfast show into Melbourne and was expected to keep them on air together until the end of 2034.

However, tensions boiled over on February 20 during a discussion about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest.

Kyle and Jackie O on-air fight

During the segment, Sandilands criticised Henderson’s work ethic on air.

“You’re off with the fairies, you are unfocused, you don’t give a sh** … everyone in this building has mentioned it to me,” he said after Henderson raised the topic of horoscopes.

“It’s affecting other things. Your fixation on this has made you almost unworkable.”

The criticism left Henderson stunned.

“I’m totally offended by you saying something like that … That’s so unfair,” she replied, audibly emotional.

Following the clash, Sandilands was issued with a breach notice by management, which reportedly considers his behaviour “serious misconduct”, and has been given 14 days to respond.

Henderson later announced she would walk away from the show, saying she “cannot continue to work” with her longtime co-host.