When Kyle and Jackie O were presented with their Commercial Radio Hall of Fame awards, Jackie O wanted to speak first. One half of Australian FM radio’s most successful breakfast show warned Kyle sometimes goes “rogue” so it is usually better if she goes first!
The two radio hosts came onstage at the 2022 ACRAs after a special video was screened which featured messages of congratulations for Kyle and Jackie O from Ed Sheeran, Delta Goodrem, John Legend, Amy Shark, John Laws, Guy Sebastian, Anthony Albanese, Alan Jones, Ryan Seacrest, Jared Leto, Kris Jenner, Elvis Duran, Miranda Kerr, Hugh Jackman and many more.
Jackie said: “Thank you to Commercial Radio Australia for this incredible honour. Kyle and I both live and breathe radio. I can’t think of another job where people are excited to wake up and do what we do every day.
“This is such a blessing and a privilege that we will never take for granted. There are so many people we need to thank but we can’t thank them all. I will thank a few key people who were responsible for helping us along the way.
“Firstly Jeff Allis, who was on the video. He was the first to spot Kyle. Without Jeff, this [pointing to Kyle and herself] would never have happened. People from the Jeff Allis days may remember the Samurai sword that he hit on the table every time he fired someone. He was a bit rogue, but we loved him.”
Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O are inducted into the Australian Radio Hall of Fame at the ACRAS 2022
Kyle jumped in: “What no one knows is that when Jeff Allis hired me to come down from Triple M Brisbane – and I fuckin’ hated that joint, too much rock music – he said to me: ‘There’s a lot of people here who are really good at their jobs and there are a lot of 9 to 5ers just punching the time card. Between you and I, just fucking do anything you want and I will be your get-out-of-jail-free card.’ I took full advantage of that and Jeff Allis saved me every time.
“When he left [Austereo] to do Boost Juice I backed the fuck off a bit as I was on my own.”
Back to Jackie with other thanks:
“We also want to thank DB [Derek Bargwanna] who has been with us since the very beginning. Thank you DB for always having our back and always giving us invaluable guidance throughout our career.
“To Gemma O’Neill [former EP, Hit Network PD and now Jackie’s manager] who pushed us outside of our comfort zone when often at times we didn’t want to do things.
“To Simon Greally who helped us with the transition to KIIS and off course ARN for having the belief we still had many great years ahead of us. Thanks to Ciaran, Duncan and anyone here from ARN.”
Kyle: “Whoa. I hated Greally. He was no good and I railroaded him out.”
Kyle and Jackie O with their team including Bruno (left) and Kitty (right)
Jackie continues: “Bruno Bouchet [former EP, managing Kyle now MD of the King Kyle business]…stand up Bruno. This is the maddest and most incredibly talented EP out there. You will always have a special place in our heart and to this day we miss you being part of our show.
“Our current team…your loyalty in unquestionable and the long hours you dedicate to our show is why we love you so much. Sonya our EP is leaving, what a rat. We will miss you.”
Jackie wrapped up her bit with three personal thankyous: “Ugly Phil [ex-on and off air partner/husband]. He is an absolute a class act and I wouldn’t be where I am now [without him]. He showed me the passion and the hard work you need in radio and it has stayed with me to this day.
“I also want to thank my date, the best date I’ve ever had in my life. My daughter Kitty. She never made mummy feel guilty for not being there in the morning for school drop-off.
“Last but not least, I want to thank this right or die guy here [Kyle]. I know what you are going to say before you say it. Except when it is controversial…[Jackie indicates she backs off and distances herself from him]. We respect each other and we have shared out ups and downs with our audience. They have come on this ride with us and we are very much ourselves on air. Cheers baby…if you ride off a cliff I will ride off it with you.”
Kyle Sandilands; KIIS 106.5, ARN – winner of the Best Entertainment Presenter at the ACRAS 2022
Kyle on how he knows better than radio management
Kyle: “I have no one to thank. I thank my beautiful fiancé [Tegan Kynaston ] for putting up with me. It can be terrifying when Hezbollah military groups overseas are threatening your life…and armed people with shotguns are roaming around our house…often. Thank you Tiegs.”
[Awkward joke about weight gain here we won’t repeat!]
“There is no one else in management or anyone that I have ever met in any of the companies [I have worked for that I] will I ever thank. I have had to fight against you and it takes so long for you to realise I know better than all of you.”
Kyle & Jackie O also won the top award for Best On-Air Team in the metropolitan FM category for a record eighth time; the Kyle & Jackie O Hour of Power won Best Networked Program and Kyle was awarded Best Entertainment Presenter.
When the team were onstage as the event wrapped up they were joined onstage by their whole team including the great Intern Pete who was for once lost for words when he had a chance to speak.
They then exited the stage with a trolly to transport all the K&J ACRA trophies. They are going to need a bigger trophy cabinet.
Kyle and Jackie O career highlights
• The Kyle & Jackie O Show are major supporters of the LGBTQI community, speaking up over the years to change the conversation to celebrate pride and diversity.
• They supported gay marriage and held Australia’s first gay wedding with previous newsreader, Geoff Field.
• They run the annual Sydney Children’s Hospital Toy Drive.
• The duo support R U OK Day every year and take the station off air for 10 seconds every hour as an important reminder to reach out to a friend or family member and ask “R U OK?”
• They run a regular segment ‘Triple Zero Heroes’ which highlights the amazing work of our 000 operators and emergency service staff that have saved people’s lives.
The Kyle & Jackie O Show was won a record eight Best On-Air Team awards in this category – in 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2013 when they were with 2Day FM and in 2015, 2018, 2021 and 2022 with KIIS.
Top photo: Kyle and Jackie O and a rare public appearance from longtime producer and now KIIS network head of content Derek Bargwanna
See also:
ARN’s Kyle and Jackie O dominate ACRAs, inducted into Hall of Fame. All the winners.