‘Both shows will air this year’: ARN’s reveal on Kyle and Jackie replacement after 14% revenue fall

ARN will officially launch two new breakfast shows in Sydney and Melbourne later this year to fill the void left by The Kyle and Jackie O Show’s demise.

The news was announced by CEO Michael Stephenson on Friday, who also shared that the network had suffered a 14 per cent revenue drop for the first half of 2026 to $126.8 million.

Stephenson said that drop was largely due to “brand safety concerns” associated with the former KIIS breakfast show and the federal election in the prior year.

He made no mention of Jackie ‘O’ Henderson’s looming Federal Court battle against ARN set for October – a lawsuit that could cost the network upwards of $80 million – choosing instead to keep the focus firmly on their new talent lineup.

“We have spent the last six months developing new breakfast shows and developing fresh new talent, and I’m pleased to say that we’re close to finalising talent agreements for our new shows in both Sydney and Melbourne,” he said.

“I can announce today that both shows will launch this year, and both will be live and free.”

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While no names of the new hosts have been disclosed, he continued to say the phrase “new stars” – hinting it won’t be a solo host taking the morning slot.

“Very rarely do you get an opportunity to reset your talent base, and that’s what we’ve had in this six month period,” he added. “We’ve also been public about the fact that we’re not going to rush it, and we haven’t.”

He concluded that The Kyle and Jackie O Show undoubtedly brought in strong ratings, but said that advertising had become challenging in recent years.

“We will generate as much revenue as we did previously, albeit on a different model. I’m quite excited by that,” he concluded.

It’s been five months since Sandilands and Henderson had their contracts terminated by ARN after their on-air fallout. 

Both launched legal action against their former employer and while Sandilands settled for $12 million, Henderson is set to face court in October. 

Sandilands went on to launch his own broadcasting platform, Kyle Sandilands Live, an online show where he can chat with listeners and deliver a show similar to the radio show he became known for in the mornings. 

Kyle Sandilands Live launched on Monday August 10, but the debut show was plagued with tech issues. 

The first week was a turbulent one, with some shows going off without a hitch, and then on Friday the show was pulled off-air after an hour-and-a-half due to tech problems.