There’s no sugarcoating it - Kyle Sandilands’ first live show was an absolute disaster

Opinion: Not even Kyle Sandilands could deny the obvious – the debut of his new live show was an absolute s--tshow. 

Following a cinematic 6am countdown, listeners held their breath to see what Sandilands, 55, would pull off next after the sensational downfall of The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

But despite fans dropping $99 on an annual subscription for the groundbreaking new app, they were met with never-ending audio issues that ended up sounding like a drive-thru speaker in a thunderstorm.

The broadcast was a disaster. Sandilands couldn’t hear producer Mayo, his manager Bruno Bouchet was echoing through the background and Tradie vs Lady – the beloved show dragged over from KIIS FM – played out awkwardly with no sound effects.

Celebrity psychic John Edward was the first caller, though even he couldn’t have predicted the outcome – his voice barely carried through a scratchy, muffled speakerphone. 

“For some reason, everyone can hear the audio except for me,” a frustrated Sandilands shouted to the staff, before leaving the room to try and sort it out.  

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‘Off to a clunky start’: Kyle Sandilands Live first show hit with issues in opening minutes

In a desperate bid to rescue the broadcast, Bouchet pulled the show off the air for a 30-second hard reset. It made zero difference.

By the two-hour mark, Sandilands was calling Pauline Hanson on his own mobile phone, and her voice was so unbearably echoey you couldn’t hear the controversial drivel she was speaking. The team just let it be, echoes and all – it couldn’t be fixed.

The content itself was what you would imagine from the controversial shock jock, who promised this would be an uncensored version of his former show on KIIS FM. 

And it was. He uncomfortably discussed one staffer’s weight, told Premier Chris Minns – who came into the studio to cut the ribbon – he looked like a methhead, and mentioned drugs and graphic sex shenanigans more times than anyone could count.

You forget how much Jackie ‘O’ Henderson actually did as a buffer to Sandilands’ wild ways. Evidently, it was a hell of a lot.

Among the first guests was a 38-year-old woman caught sleeping with her husband’s teenage son. Sandilands wasted no time grilling the 19-year-old lad with questions so graphic they can’t be repeated here. His line of questioning was so graphic and intense that the teenager looked utterly panicked, appearing close to tears on air.

Watching the full four-hour broadcast, it was a lot to take in. There were so many teething problems it was often unlistenable, and worlds away to what we’d come to expect on The Kyle and Jackie O Show. 

Fortunately for the team, listeners have already shelled out for an annual subscription; anyone paying monthly would have jumped ship immediately.

I suspect they’ll be working through the day and night to make sure the audio is at 100 per cent tomorrow, and the thousands who have subscribed will be along for the ride.

It certainly wasn’t the triumphant launch Sandilands had hoped for. 

But as the host himself put it: “It is brand new, never-before-done... and we put it together in 60 days.” That defence lasted all of five seconds – right up until Bouchet chimed in with an ill-advised meth joke, throwing the broadcast right back to square one. 

Jackie O’s absence was glaringly obvious, and without her there to steady the ship, the broadcast quickly descended into unhinged madness.

In credit to the team, it’s a massive undertaking and one that would be very difficult to pull together. 

It’s brand new, exciting and a genuinely ambitious gamble for Australian entertainment – and once the audio is fixed, it definitely has huge promise for what’s to come. 

Sandilands says plans include giving away a house to a listener, a move that ensures we’ll all be glued for months to come. 

The end of the broadcast was definitely better than the beginning. Sandilands became emotional as he thanked his staffers for joining him on his new venture, before partaking in a group hug with everyone.

Here’s hoping things improve as the season rolls on. After a premiere like that, the only way is up.