First AXED From Radio, Now THIS?! Kyle Sandilands Abruptly QUITS Australian Idol Amid BOMBSHELL Advertiser Chaos!
Kyle Sandilands has suffered another career blow in the wake of his ARN sacking, with the radio shock jock stepping away from his Australian Idol judging role.
Kyle Sandilands has quit Australian Idol in order to protect the Channel Seven show from an oncoming activist campaign.
The Sydney Morning Herald confirmed on Friday that the radio shock jock had walked away from his judging role on the Aussie reality series due to activist group the Mad F***ing Witches’ multiple attacks on potential advertisers.
“I spoke with Channel Seven this morning, and those activists have attacked the potential clients for Australian Idol or the clients from last year, and [that] has caused a problem in Channel Seven’s sales team,” Sandilands told the publication.
Kyle appeared on the show alongside fellow judges Marcia Hines and Amy Shark, and hosts Ricki-Lee Coulter and Scott Tweedie. Picture: Channel 7
“So I’ve told Channel Seven this morning, just prior to speaking to you, that I’m standing down from Idol for the good of the brand to continue,” the 55-year-old said.
Sandilands spent a combined total of eight years as a judge on the beloved Aussie singing show, and was a major part of the show’s 2023 relaunch on Channel Seven.
This year, he appeared on the show’s 11th season, which aired its finale in April, alongside fellow judges Marcia Hines and Amy Shark, and hosts Ricki-Lee Coulter and Scott Tweedie.
The network’s director of unscripted content, Majella Hay, confirmed the news of Sandilands’ departure from the judging panel to the SMH, adding that producers were now in search of someone to fill Sandilands’ shoes.
Sandilands spent a combined total of eight years as a judge on the beloved Aussie singing show and was a major part of the show’s 2023 relaunch on Channel Seven. Picture: Supplied
“We’ve had an amazing four seasons with Kyle and have loved everything he’s brought to Idol. We wish him well and can’t wait to see what he accomplishes with his new project,” Hay said, hinting at Sandilands’ new paid subscription platform that is set to launch in August.
“Kyle is a one-off individual talent. I won’t say we are looking for a replacement, because no one can replace Kyle. But we are now looking for a new judge who brings their own unique energy to Australian Idol.”
This isn’t the first time Sandilands’ sponsors have been targeted by Mad F***ing Witches, with the feminist group putting pressure on The Kyle and Jackie O Show’s advertisers to pull spending prior to it getting the axe in March.
Sandilands’ decision to step down from the judging role no doubt comes as a fresh blow for the radio shock jock, whose on-air clash with Jackie O Henderson saw him booted from the radio waves earlier this year.
This isn’t the first time Sandilands’ sponsors have been targeted by Mad F***ing Witches, with the feminist group putting pressure on The Kyle and Jackie O Show’s advertisers to pull spending prior to it getting the axe in March. Picture: At Home With Kyle,
On February 20, Sandilands accused Henderson of being “off with the fairies” and letting her “fixation” with astrology make her “almost unworkable” after she brought up former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s birth chart during a broadcast.
The bust-up left Henderson in tears, and resulted in a two-week suspension for Sandilands, who Australian Radio Network (ARN) accused of breaching his contract, and a termination of the duo’s deal.
After getting sacked, both Sandilands and Henderson, 51, filed legal proceedings against their former employer for wrongful termination.
In June, Sandilands settled his case for $12 million, the day before he was due to tender evidence to the Federal Court.
Henderson will proceed with her Federal Court claim against ARN, which will go to trial in October.