Everything you need to know about Kyle Sandilands

Born June 10, 1971, Kyle Sandilands is famous for being one half of Australia’s highest rating FM breakfast radio duo, alongside co-host Jackie O. Together they host The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Sydney's radio station KIIS 106.5, which is the highest-rating FM breakfast radio show in Sydney.

Best known for being a controversial radio ‘shock jock’, Kyle has also appeared on several Australian television shows, including as host of Big Brother in 2002 (he also starred on a celebrity version of the show, finishing third that same year).

He was a judge on both Australian Idol (2005-2009), and Australia’s Got Talent and The X Factor for rival Seven Network.

Kyle was briefly married to Aussie pop star Tamara Jaber, but more recently was in a relationship with social media influencer Imogen Anthony for eight years. He is currently dating Tegan Kynaston, who is Director of Communications for Sandilands' company, King Kyle Pty Ltd.

How Kyle got into radio

Kyle first began working in radio at the tender age of 21, for 4TO Townsville, where he drove the station’s promotional cars.

Ambitious and driven, he declared he would do whatever it took to get a permanent radio gig, later hustling for whatever time slot he could at stations across Cairns, Darwin, and then at Triple M in Brisbane.

According to Kyle, he falsified his resume to land this last job, but he obviously impressed the right people – in 1999 he was hand-picked by 2DayFM Group Program Director Jeff Allis to co-host the Hot30 Countdown.

He moved to Sydney to star alongside his now-regular co-host, Jackie O (Jackie Henderson), after her then co-host and husband ‘Ugly Phil’ O’Neil quit his job and left his marriage to move to the UK.

The pair have been inseparable ever since, moving radio networks together in 2013, and continuing as a ‘package deal’ to co-host their radio shows together.

How Kyle Sandilands met Jackie O

After Jackie’s then-husband and co-star Phil O’Neil headed back to the UK, a replacement was sought to co-host with her on-air.

A number of people were auditioned before radio execs decided to throw then-Brisbane announcer Kyle in the deep end, putting him straight to air with O.

It didn’t take long before the wanna-be ‘shock jock’ was making waves.

"He went on air and he said the 'F-word' as soon as he was on air in the opener," Jackie told Osher Gunsberg on his Better Than Yesterday podcast. "I didn't know he was going to do that, but he knew in his head he was going to do that to shock me."

Kyle says he knew exactly what he was doing, admitting he hoped to make an impact from the get-go.

"Jackie comes on … and she introduced me and I just said (live on air): 'Look, I've spoken to the boss and apparently if I don't say f**k, everything will be fine,’” he recently told the Game Changers radio podcast.

"She died. Her whole skin changed colour. She was horrified and I thought it was excellent."

Though she famously tried to have him sacked after the first two shows they did together, by the third show they were on the same wave-length. And it’s been smooth sailing – sort of – ever since.

"He came back the next night and was amazing and we just gelled and it clicked,” Jackie has said, adding her life would be “very different without Kyle”.

The two, on air together now for over 20 years, have remained close friends, and despite the numerous controversies their show has generated – and there have been a lot – they’ve always had one another’s backs.

Despite a move from 2Day FM to rival station KIIS FM in 2014, the pair have managed to maintain their number one FM radio show status, and are still the most successful breakfast show in the Sydney market.

Kyle’s controversies

People who know Kyle personally say he’s a puppy dog at heart. But his public persona couldn’t be further removed, his regular run-ins with fellow celebs gaining him a reputation for being a prickly individual.

In 2006 Kyle was named ‘The Most Hated Australian Celeb’ in Zoo Magazine, though his loyal listeners say he’s just misunderstood.

Known for his regular on-air outbursts, crude humour and childish antics, he’s often in trouble with radio controllers and sensors, who regularly try to reign him in.

In 2009, his radio show with O was put on ‘indefinite recess’ by the Austereo network after Kyle made a series of highly offensive comments live on air. He got into trouble later that year again after insulting comedian Magda Szubanski.

There have been many more controversies since, but Kyle has managed to rise above them all, maintaining the support of his radio network, and, more importantly, co-host and friend, O.

Who was Kyle married to?

Remember ex-Popstars starlet, Tamara Jaber? She was once married to Kyle! The pair met after Jaber auditioned for the reality TV singing show – Kyle was a judge at the time.

She was later placed in manufactured pop band, ‘Scandal’Us’, and throughout this period was regularly by Kyle’s side. The pair were married in 2008, but split just two years later after ten years together.

“The divorce had happened and life wasn’t great back then so I buried my face into a big pile of cocaine to try and get over it. It didn’t work,” he said on radio in August 2018.

After Sandilands’ marriage ended, he moved out with a good friend into a bachelor pad at Woolloomooloo in Sydney’s ritzy Finger Wharf complex (Russell Crowe also has an apartment there), describing his new digs as “a debauched, disgusting sex pit.”

Who is Kyle Sandilands dating now?

In 2011, Kyle reportedly met social media influencer and model Imogen Anthony at his 40th birthday celebrations. The pair had a very well publicised relationship, often rowing publicly, and were together for eight years, before splitting last year.

Kyle is reportedly now dating Tegan Kynaston, who works at his production company – she was previously the star’s personal assistant.

The pair made headlines in December last year after a personal dispute saw police called in Bondi and Tegan arrested and charged with assaulting a female police officer. The case has been adjourned until April 2020.

Kyle Sandilands’ net worth

Kyle is one of Australia’s richest celebrities. According to the Daily Telegraph, he keeps homes in Sydney and LA and splits his time between the two.

As well as his $5 million Mediterranean-style mansion in Hollywood, he also owns a $2.98 million farm near Robertson in NSW’s Southern Highlands.

Monday to Friday he rents a luxurious home in Sydney’s ritzy Hunter’s Hill.

As well as his collection of homes, Kyle also sports a luxury car collection, which includes a Bentley, Range Rover, Rolls Royce and Lamborghini.

But don’t worry too much - he’s got the funds to afford them all – last year the radio superstar signed a deal which will see him on air until the end of 2024.

The contract is reportedly worth $7-$8 million per year, a staggering amount which will see him and co-star Jackie earn a reported $39,000 per episode of their 3 1/2 hour show! Not bad work if you can get it!

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