Subpoena delivered live on air
Kyle Sandilands was served with legal papers live on air during Wednesday morning's broadcast of his show, Kyle Sandilands Live. His manager and producer, Bruno Bouchet, walked into the studio to hand-deliver a subpoena and a notice to produce documents, leaving the 55-year-old radio host momentarily speechless.
"Kyle… this is great timing," Bouchet said as he interrupted the broadcast, according to a transcript of the exchange aired during the show. "Can I just pop into the studio?"
Bouchet explained that they had tried to get the papers to Sandilands the night before, but could only reach him. "They were trying to get to you last night, but they could only get on to me, so they asked me to pass it on to you," he said.
"Um, it's a subpoena for the trial," Bouchet added.
Sandilands asked if the subpoena was "against Jackie," referring to his former co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson. Bouchet confirmed, saying, "Yes," and clarified that it was also a notice to produce documents for the case.
"I'm very uncomfortable about that," Sandilands said.
The moment came during a discussion on the show about being served, with Bouchet's entrance interrupting the conversation. Sandilands appeared caught off guard, with the exchange unfolding in front of the show's live audience.
Sandilands' reaction
After receiving the papers, Sandilands threw the documents into a bin. "I'll just put that in the bin… just tell them I'm overseas," he said, adding, "Is that what happens? How do you get out of this?"
Newsreader Brooklyn Ross asked Sandilands whether ARN wanted him on their side against Henderson. "Does ARN want you to be on their side against Jackie?" Ross asked. Bouchet replied, "Yeah."
"Well that makes me feel very uncomfortable," Sandilands responded. He said he did not feel comfortable saying anything that might affect Henderson's situation. "I'm very uncomfortable about that," he reiterated, adding, "I came in feeling great. I was a bit embarrassed about feeling sad last week, and now you dump this t on me."
Background of the legal dispute
The subpoena comes amid an ongoing legal battle between Henderson and ARN, the parent network that previously employed both Sandilands and Henderson. Henderson has filed a lawsuit against ARN over alleged matters relating to her employment and treatment, with the allegations not yet determined by a court. Her legal action is expected to proceed to trial later this year, while Sandilands reached a settlement with ARN following his departure from the network.
The pair co-hosted a radio program together for over two decades before their partnership ended. Their feud became public in February, when Sandilands said Henderson's fixation on horoscopes made her "almost unworkable" and "off with the fairies," as reported by PerthNow.
au reported that the legal notice came a week after Sandilands spoke on air about court documents in which Henderson claimed she was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. According to excerpts of an affidavit made public by the Federal Court, a psychiatrist claimed Henderson had PTSD as a result of the end of the duo's 27 years on air. In the affidavit, Henderson claims on-air banter shifted in 2023 and became harder to deal with. Sandilands said he could not stop thinking about the affidavit during the August 28 broadcast.
au has reached out to ARN for comment on the story.