One of Australia’s most high-profile radio personalities has made explosive new claims in an ongoing workplace lawsuit, alleging that years of toxic and unpredictable treatment at the hands of her long-time on-air co-host left her with a diagnosable case of post-traumatic stress disorder.
In a sworn affidavit filed this week with Australia’s Federal Court and made public Tuesday, Jackie “O” Henderson has detailed allegations of persistent workplace bullying against her former KIIS FM co-host Kyle Sandilands, leveling claims against the major radio network ARN, the parent company of KIIS FM, for failing to intervene and protect her from ongoing harm.
The legal filing, which marks Henderson’s first formal public account of the breakdown of her professional partnership with Sandilands, includes expert medical testimony from two psychologists that corroborate her claim that repeated belittling and erratic behavior from Sandilands, compounded by ARN’s inaction, led to her PTSD diagnosis.
Henderson’s account traces the shift in her working relationship back to around 2023, when what she described as once light-hearted on-air banter gradually shifted into what she calls targeted, regular humiliation. “I did not know from day to day whether Mr Sandilands and [his manager] Mr Bouchet would be supportive of me or against me,” Henderson wrote in her sworn statement. “Their behaviour was unpredictable and erratic. I often drove to work with a low level sense of anxiety and dread, which caused me to feel worn down over time. The cumulative effect was that I felt emotionally unsafe in the workplace, even during periods where the relationship appeared outwardly positive.”
The situation boiled over into a public on-air incident in February 2024, when Sandilands launched a harsh criticism of Henderson’s work ethic and commitment on live radio that left her in tears. In the aftermath of the incident, Henderson notified ARN management that she could no longer continue working alongside Sandilands, while ARN ruled Sandilands’ conduct constituted serious misconduct.
The network subsequently terminated both hosts’ contracts. Sandilands filed an immediate breach of contract suit against ARN and ultimately reached a $12 million out-of-court settlement with the company. Henderson, by contrast, launched her own suit against the network alleging breach of workplace rights and a misleading statement issued to the Australian Stock Exchange regarding her departure. She is seeking a minimum of $82.25 million in damages in her ongoing case.
Crucially, Sandilands and his long-time manager Bruno Bouchet are not named as formal parties to Henderson’s current Federal Court suit, even as her claims center on the harm she alleges their behavior caused. Dr Jonathan Phillips, an expert consulted for Henderson’s case, outlined the three contributing factors to her PTSD diagnosis: ongoing bullying by Sandilands, ARN’s failure to provide adequate care and protection, and the publication of the network’s controversial ASX statement about her exit. A second medical assessment from Dr Emma Agnew echoed that conclusion, noting that repeated public belittling, paired with a lack of organizational support, contributed to a measurable decline in Henderson’s emotional wellbeing.
Henderson’s lawsuit remains ongoing, and this week’s newly filed affidavit forms a core part of her legal case against ARN. No trial date has been announced as of yet, and the case continues to unfold in Australia’s federal court system.