Kyle Sandilands opens up about Mary Madigan joining his breakfast show

Kyle Sandilands and newsreader Mary Madigan have discussed their new working relationship, the public reaction to it and the difficult history behind his former radio partnership with Jackie “O” Henderson. The pair appeared together on the Stellar Podcast, where host Sarrah Le Marquand asked about Madigan taking a place on Sandilands’ daily breakfast program. Madigan said stepping into the role was daunting because it was a new job and a kind of work she had not done before. She worried that she might not be good at it, but said she had settled in. Before accepting, she sought advice from ABC journalist Annabel Crabb and news.com.au political editor Samantha Maiden, who both encouraged her to go ahead. She also acknowledged that some people had advised against it, largely because they feared she might be treated badly. Sandilands joked that people might have wondered whether Madigan would become the next Jackie O. Madigan said she and Sandilands had a different dynamic, describing their exchanges as a regular push and pull. Sandilands replied that he had once believed he shared that kind of dynamic with Henderson, but said it eventually broke down when, in his view, she did not tell him she had changed her mind about it. The interview also touched on the legal dispute between Henderson and her former employer, ARN Media. The article reports that Henderson is suing the company for more than $82 million after her contract ended in March, following an on-air argument with Sandilands. Henderson has said she could no longer work with him and alleged that the workplace had become toxic. Sandilands said the outcome of the dispute remains to be determined by a court, while adding that Henderson would always be a significant part of his life.