Inside ARN's desperate push to make Sophie Monk the next Jackie 'O' Henderson - as insiders reveal she's been approached several times for the radio gig

Sophie Monk is said to be the frontrunner to step into the slot left by the Kyle & Jackie O show, as Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson continue their legal battle with ARN. 

A source has claimed the popular TV personality, 46, has been approached 'three times' by the network since Sandilands, 54, and Henderson, 51, had their contracts terminated, News.com.au reported on Tuesday.

However, there is one hiccup in the plan to make Monk the new face of KIISFM radio in Sydney - she's not interested.  

'She has shut them down and has no interest. She has done breakfast before, and it didn't work out because she didn't love who she was teamed up with,' an insider said.

ARN is reportedly now scrambling to find top talent to replace the ratings juggernaut that the Kyle & Jackie O show had become before it was cancelled last month. 

Mike Etheridge is currently hosting the time slot solo, while Ben Fordham, Carrie Bickmore, and Karl Stefanovic are apparently being considered for the position.

Sources claimed Monk was considered a frontrunner because of her working relationship with ARN and her friendship with Sandilands and Henderson. 

She was also, coincidentally, the star who replaced the radio shock jocks in 2014 when they left 2DayFM and jumped ship to ARN. 

However, her foray into radio with Merrick Watts and Jules Lund ended in a ratings disaster as they struggled to win back audiences. 

She has reportedly since been hesitant to return to a full-time breakfast radio gig without the perfect co-host to complement her down-to-earth personality. 

'What she is keeping in mind is how difficult breakfast hours are and when it starts getting cold, and the ratings are going down,' the source said. 

'It could negatively impact her ability to earn outside of radio. If you have a stench of failure on you, it can impact other work.'

When the Daily Mail approached ARN about the recent reports, the network declined to comment further on the matter.

Daily Mail has also reached out to Monk for comment. 

Monk has been a favourite to replace Henderson since she left the Kyle & Jackie O show on 20 February, with fans wanting her to join Sandilands as a new duo.

The Love Island host has developed a reputation for her down-to-earth nature, cheeky banter and a willingness not to take things too seriously.

These qualities made her a prime candidate for filling Henderson's shoes alongside Sandilands when it was believed he would return from his two-week suspension.

However, those dreams were dashed when Sandilands' suspension ended last month, and his contract was torn up by ARN. 

Henderson's sensational on-air exit on Friday, February 20, was the beginning of the end for one of Australia's most enduring radio teams.

KIIS FM owners ARN then announced that Henderson had told them she 'could not continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands', after their now notorious argument was broadcast during The Kyle & Jackie O Show.

The split led to ARN terminating Henderson, before ripping up Sandilands' contract two weeks later.

Meanwhile, ARN is reeling from a devastating financial and legal double hit, with its market value now hovering dangerously close to the $100million mark after Sandilands and Henderson launched lawsuits against ARN last month.

Once a dominant force in Australian radio, the KIIS 106.5 parent company has seen its valuation plummet to between roughly $100million and $110million as of late March 2026.

At one point, ARN’s value dipped even lower, briefly hitting around $98.5million. 

The lawsuits themselves are nothing short of explosive.

Sandilands is already pursuing a claim believed to be worth up to $85million, while Henderson has now launched her own legal action alleging adverse action and breach of contract.