Sophie Monk emerges as the top candidate to fill the void left by The Kyle & Jackie O Show on KIIS FM Sydney, amid ongoing legal disputes between Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson with ARN.
Monk’s Firm Rejection
Insiders reveal that the 46-year-old TV personality has turned down approaches from ARN three times since the network terminated contracts for Sandilands, 54, and Henderson, 51. Despite her strong ties to ARN and friendships with the former hosts, Monk shows no interest in the role.
‘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,’ one source states.
Monk’s previous radio stint in 2014, replacing Sandilands and Henderson on 2Day FM alongside Merrick Watts and Jules Lund, resulted in poor ratings. She remains cautious about returning to breakfast radio without an ideal co-host to match her relatable style.
‘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 adds. ‘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.’
ARN’s Urgent Talent Hunt
With the powerhouse show canceled last month, ARN scrambles to rebuild its Sydney breakfast lineup. Mike Etheridge currently hosts the slot solo, while Ben Fordham, Carrie Bickmore, and Karl Stefanovic rank among potential replacements.
Timeline of the Kyle & Jackie O Split
Henderson’s dramatic on-air departure on February 20 marked the end of the duo’s long run. Following a heated broadcast argument, she informed ARN she could no longer work with Sandilands. The network terminated her contract, then ended Sandilands’ two weeks later.
ARN now faces lawsuits from both: Sandilands seeks up to $85 million, while Henderson claims adverse action and breach of contract. The company’s market value has dropped to between $100 million and $110 million as of late March 2026, briefly dipping to $98.5 million.
