Jackie ‘O’ Henderson has announced her shock departure from her hit radio show, amid health concerns.
Henderson made the bombshell announcement live on the Kyle & Jackie O show on Monday morning.
“Look, you know I have been not very well – I think ever since I had COVID, I’ve just been struggling with this fatigue,” she said, as co-host Kyle Sandilands jumped in and asked if she was talking about her coughing spells.
Henderson, 47, said she had been checked over by her doctor several times since catching the virus a few weeks ago. Eventually, the doctor said she needed to take a break because she had been “pushing” herself.
Henderson admitted that she had been sleeping every day after finishing her hit morning radio show. But still her health was not improving – in fact, it was “getting worse”.
Mr Sandilands agreed.
“I can hear it’s got worse,” he said, adding Henderson couldn’t even laugh without setting off a coughing fit.
Instead of getting her throat cut out – as Mr Sandilands jokingly suspected she should – Henderson said she planned to take some time off. She didn’t reveal how long she would be away, but it is thought to be some weeks.
“I’m ending the show today. As in now,” she said.
“You know how much this show means to me.
“You know how much I push through everything, and I would not be doing this unless I absolutely had to.
As well as 800,000 Sydney listeners, Henderson and Sandilands’ show has many more around Australia through its Hour of Power highlights show and K&J podcast.
There are just three weeks left in the radio ratings year, meaning it’s possible Henderson won’t be heard on the radio again in 2022, and her return might be delayed into January 2023.
Ms Henderson reiterated she was fine and there was no more sinister threat to her health. But she said medical advice was that early starts for her morning radio show were hindering her recovery.
She promised to be back on-air in a couple of weeks, when she is “all better”.
Laughing off Sandiland’s suggestion she had “taken a lover”, Henderson admitted she was “disappointed” she had to take the early mark.
KIIS Network owner ARN issued a short statement following Henderson’s announcement.
“Regular listeners of the Kyle & Jackie O show will know that Jackie has been struggling with fatigue and illness since having COVID,” it said.
“On her doctor’s advice she is taking a couple of weeks off to rest and properly recover. Jackie will be back on board as soon as she’s feeling better.”
Who will replace Jackie O?
While Sandilands was live on-air on Monday for a cross to the Nine Network’s Today Show, questions began about who would step in to replace Henderson.
Former Bachelor contestant, Brittany Hockley happened to be “lingering” outside the studio on Monday. Sandilands said Hockley had come in for an interview, but he insisted she should stay.
ARN later confirmed that Hockley would fill in for Henderson.
Henderson abrupt departure comes just weeks after she and Sandilands were inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards.
The pair also won the Best On-Air Team award in the FM category. They hold the record for the most wins in the category.
