Some of the top names in Australian showbiz have weighed in on the sacking of Kyle Sandilands from KIIS FM, using the opportunity to plug their own brand.
The bombshell move against the radio host follows his on-air blow-up with Jackie ‘O’ Henderson last month.
And on Thursday, Richard Wilkins, Matt ‘Shirvo’ Shirvington, and Natalie Barr gave their reactions to Daily Mail during a fundraising event in Sydney.
Asked about the end of the era in Aussie radio, Richard Wilkins, 71, smiled and said, ‘Kyle’s a big boy, I’m sure he’ll be fending for himself.’
The long-time Smooth FM broadcaster gave a shout-out to his own station while taking a swipe at the recently axed Kyle and Jackie O Show, which lost ratings in the last survey released this week.
Wilkins said: ‘Well, the good news is that Smooth FM is still the number one, most listened to radio station in Australia, so, you know, in these difficult times, some things remain stable.’
Some of the top names in Australian showbiz have weighed in on the sacking of Kyle Sandilands (pictured) from KIIS FM
On Thursday, Richard Wilkins, Matt ‘Shirvo’ Shirvington and Natalie Barr gave their reactions to Daily Mail during an event in Sydney. Pictured: Natalie Barr plugged Sunrise joking that with The Kyle and Jackie O Show gone there would be more viewers for the Seven brekkie show
Pictured: Richard Wilkins The long-time Smooth FM broadcaster gave a shout-out to his own station while taking a swipe at the recently axed Kyle and Jackie O Show, which lost ratings in the last radio survey which was released on Thursday
When Daily Mail asked whether Sandilands’ boundary-pushing antics were a factor in the shock jock’s sacking, the media veteran dodged the question.
‘These are interesting times, and he’s got us all talking as he always does,’ Wilkins said.
Sunrise co-host Natalie Barr took a similar line to Wilkins, and joked: ‘I know, big news in radio, we’re all waiting to see what’ll happen, aren’t we?
‘But I just think more people will be tuning in to Sunrise.’
Barr’s brekkie show co-anchor Shirvington attempted to be diplomatic about the headline-making saga.
‘I don’t know, I mean, there’s a lot of puzzle pieces to be kind of laid, I think, I don’t know where it all ends up,’ he began, apparently referring to Sandilands legal challenge over his sacking.
He continued: ‘But one thing I do know is that it’s exciting.’
Shirvington also appeared to refer to Henderson, whose media career remains uncertain in the wake of her dramatic split from her old on-air partner.
Barr’s brekkie show co-anchor Matt ‘Shirvo’ Shirvington (pictured) attempted to be diplomatic about the headline-making saga
‘[We’ve] lost some talent, and some talent is sitting on the sidelines at the moment, they probably won’t do it for long.’
The Seven star also indicated that he thought that KIIS FM’s management was responding to market forces in letting go of Kyle, suggesting that his no-holds-barred style was dated.
‘It changes all the time, right, the idea of what’s acceptable, what’s not, and I think it’s a reflection of the audience,’ he said.
Shirvington, alongside his co-host and Wilkins, joined Karl Stefanovic, Peter Overton, and Samantha Armytage for the Wharf4Ward fundraiser in Woolloomooloo.
NOVA Entertainment’s Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli, Kate Ritchie, and Seven’s Katie Brown were also on deck for the event, which raises funds to support young regional and rural Australians with cancer and their families.
During her chat with Daily Mail, Natalie updated fans on her own recent health scare, which involved having skin cancer removed.
‘I don’t think there are many Australians who haven’t been touched by cancer, whether it’s them individually or whether it’s a friend or a family member,’ she said.
‘Mine was tiny. Mine was just a little skin. The cancer was from many, many years in sun baking with baby oil in the ’80s, but mine was really easily treatable.
‘I do have regular checks, I go every year and have scans, so it is a good reminder to get checked.’
