Jackie 'O' Henderson follows former co-host Kyle Sandilands and launches huge lawsuit against ARN demanding $82.25million over her terminated $100million deal

Jackie 'O' Henderson has followed her former KIIS FM radio co-host Kyle Sandilands by filing a lawsuit against her former employer ARN. 

Henderson is alleging the termination of her contract was a breach of the Fair Work Act, and is claiming compensation of at least $82.25million. 

She is also seeking payment of a pecuniary penalty plus interest and costs. 

Henderson has filed in the Federal Court against the Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation, a subsidiary of KIIS 1065's parent company ARN. 

She is claiming that the termination of her contract 'constituted adverse action.' 

Henderson sent a complaint to CBC saying she 'cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands' and made 'psychosocial health and safety and bullying complaints in relation to the conduct of Mr Kyle Sandilands on and prior to 20 February 2026'. 

She argues that making this complaint was her right as an employee – and that she was fired because of it, which would be illegal under the Fair Work Act.

She also claims ARN made 'misleading and deceptive statements under the Australian Consumer Law' when announcing her exit to the ASX on March 3. 

Henderson rejected ARN's claim that she quit her radio show, releasing a statement on March 6 that read: 'Over the past few days, there has been a lot of speculation and misinformation about my departure on the show. I want to make one important point very clear: I did not quit or resign.'

ARN says it denies the claims and will fight the case in court.

It comes after Sandilands filed his own lawsuit against ARN in the Federal Court on March 23.

Backed by a prominent legal team, the 54-year-old claims that ARN deliberately conspired to sabotage his $100million, 10-year contract in a calculated attempt to exit the costly agreement after just over 14 months. 

Kevin Lynch, a partner at Johnson Winter Slattery, leads Sandilands' legal team.

ARN also disputes the claims and will defend them.

Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation is also named in the lawsuit.

ARN axed the pair's $200million contract deal after a segment in which Sandilands slammed Henderson for her 'fixation' on astrology.

Henderson said 'that's not fair' and left the studio in tears, before her own $100million contract was terminated.

Less than two weeks later, on March 3, Sandilands received a letter from ARN accusing him of making 'abusive, humiliating, and belittling comments' to Henderson, which included attacks on her character, work ethic, and job performance.

'You stated that everybody at the radio station was talking about these failings, thereby impressing on her the idea that her conduct and performance was so bad, that they were generally the talk of the station,' the letter read.

ARN claimed Sandilands' comments were not made in jest, and demonstrated a 'manifested hostility' towards Henderson that was 'calculated to offend and distress her'.

The broadcaster claimed Sandilands had damaged the business because Henderson refused to 'ever present with you again'.

Days after the blow-up, Henderson released a statement saying she 'did not quit or resign'.

Sandilands was given 14 days to remedy the situation or his contract would be terminated, but ARN did not propose any solutions in either its initial or subsequent correspondence.

He was ordered not to comment on the situation, disparage anyone at ARN, or victimise staff who had complained about his conduct – or risk termination. 

A response from Sandilands' lawyer Kevin Lynch on March 10 claimed the broadcaster was aware of his client's 'tone, style, voice and robust character', to the point where it was willing to pay him $100million.

Mr Lynch also noted that the broadcaster had a 30‑second delay to censor or remove any disparaging comments but chose not to do so.

He said ARN created a 'Catch-22' when Sandilands was not given a way of resolving the situation.

The court also released an affidavit sworn by Mr Lynch, who detailed the pair's respective on‑air roles and their long working relationship.

Mr Lynch said Sandilands was the 'dominant and abrasive personality who is deliberately outrageous and often offensive', while Henderson was a 'warmer and more emotionally attuned character.'

Sandilands and Henderson co-hosted The Kyle and Jackie O Show – originally on 2Day FM – since January 2004, before moving to KIIS FM a decade later.

Mr Lynch said The Kyle and Jackie O Show was 'occasionally controversial'.

'Banter and tension between Mr Sandilands and Ms Henderson is a central dynamic to the program,' he wrote.

'Mr Sandilands generally performs the role of the dominant and abrasive personality who is deliberately outrageous and often offensive, whilst Ms Henderson plays a moderating role as a warmer and more emotionally attuned character.

'The characters which Mr Sandilands and Ms Henderson play are designed to be an exaggeration of their respective personalities.'

Mr Lynch set out the alleged harm done to Sandilands by the termination of his contract.

Sandilands's career and livelihood were 'uniquely dependent upon the maintenance of a continuous, daily relationship with this radio audience,' he wrote.

'Every day that Mr Sandilands is absent from air, the audience relationship that Mr Sandilands has cultivated is subject to erosion as listeners migrate to competitor programmes and form new habits,' he wrote.

Mr Lynch said Sandilands' 'commercial identity', including the value of his 'personal brand', was inextricably linked to his on–air presence, ratings and audience engagement.

'The harm flowing from Mr Sandilands' continued absence from the program is compounding in character: the longer the absence, the more difficult and uncertain the task of audience recovery becomes,' he wrote.

'Radio audience behaviour is such that listeners who are lost during a period of absence may not return, or may not return in the same numbers, once a broadcaster resumes.'

Mr Lynch said the loss of listeners was, to a significant degree, 'irreversible', and the damage arising from that loss 'perhaps impossible' to quantify.

Among the orders Sandilands seeks is his reinstatement.

'Mr Sandilands is willing to work with a co–presenter or, if Ms Henderson is willing, with Ms Henderson,' Mr Lynch wrote.

'He presented the program without Ms Henderson and without issue on previous occasions, including in the days immediately following 20 February 2026.

'ARN has not considered or attempted to allow either such course.'

Henderson's lawsuit comes after reports ARN was planning to call her as its key witness in its fight against Sandilands.

ARN alleges Sandilands subjected her to prolonged bullying and harassment on their KIIS FM breakfast show – accusations that emerged after he launched a multimillion-dollar lawsuit over the termination of his contract.

According to The Australian, Henderson provided ARN with a list of occasions when Sandilands allegedly 'bullied, berated, and belittled her on and off air', including the February 20 incident in which his harsh on-air comments left Henderson in tears.

'Kyle's in for a great deal of pain if he pushes ahead… Jackie has already tipped a real bucket on him behind the scenes to management,' an ARN insider told the publication.

'Jackie's letter outlined numerous instances of unconscionable behaviour towards her (by Sandilands) besides what happened on that fateful day. Her complaints go well beyond those final on-air comments.'