Karl Stefanovic holds talks with ARN over possible FM radio move

The spectacular implosion of Kyle Sandilands and Jackie “O” Henderson this week has ignited a frenzy of industry speculation about what the radio company will do next, as it wrestles with the prospect of life without Sandilands in the event he is unable to make up with his professional partner of nearly three decades.

Enter Today show co-host Karl Stefanovic, whose contract with Nine Entertainment, publisher of this masthead, is reportedly due to expire at the end of this year. ARN Media, which owns the KIIS network, has recently held informal talks with Stefanovic’s camp over a possible move to poach him from next year, according to two sources familiar with the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential information.

As things stand, we hear the discussions have not resulted in any agreement or deal, and are not guaranteed to result in a move. It should be noted that media companies hold discussions of this nature with prospective talent all the time. Still, the contact itself, which we hear was initiated before the Kyle and Jackie O on air bust up, certainly piqued our interest.

ARN Media and Nine declined to comment. Stefanovic didn’t respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

Word of the talks came across our desk amid mounting industry intrigue over Stefanovic’s future at Nine, which was given renewed prominence after Henderson walked from ARN’s marquee show, just one year into an eye-watering 10-year, $200 million contract for the duo. Henderson told her employer on Tuesday that she would no longer work with Sandilands after he berated her on air during the pair’s show, the Kyle and Jackie O Show on KIIS FM.

The decision is set to cost Henderson dearly. In an announcement to the market on Tuesday, ARN accused Sandilands of breaching his contract as a result of his behaviour during the pair’s February 20 segment. The company said it’d given Sandilands 14 days to remedy the breach, which this masthead has previously reported would mean convincing Henderson to return to air.

Stefanovic’s future, meanwhile, has been the subject of ongoing industry gossip for months. But the chatter was sent into overdrive when he was given the go-ahead by Nine to strike out and launch his own podcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show, independent of the company.

The podcast, which is known affectionately as “the Joe Bogan Experience” in some media circles, had none other than Sandilands as a guest just two weeks ago, and has had all manner of CBD favourites on to chew the fat. The show’s recent guests have included newly minted One Nation member Barnaby Joyce, his boss, senator Pauline Hanson, and former senator Gerard Rennick.

We hear that Stefanovic is liking his newfound podcast freedom, which leads us to speculate that, if things were to get serious with ARN, any deal would not include his independent “poddie”, as he’s been known to describe it. Our guess? Maybe the company is fantasising about a future where he hosts Sydney breakfast.