Brittany Hockley will be filling in for Jackie ‘O’ Henderson for the next few weeks while the popular host takes time off to recover from the after-effects of Covid.
Hockley, a former Bachelor contestant, is considered a rising star at KIIS FM, and already presents the network’s popular Life Uncut podcast and weekend radio show of the same name.
After stepping into the hosting seat on Monday, an ARN spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail Australia she will be the regular fill-in until Henderson returns.
Brittany Hockley (pictured) will be filling in for Jackie ‘O’ Henderson for the next few weeks while the popular host takes time off to recover from the after-effects of Covid
Henderson, 47, said at the start of Monday’s show she had been suffering from poor health since contracting Covid-19 a few months ago and had been instructed by doctors to take time off and get proper rest to recover from the virus.
She told listeners she would be off the air for the next ‘couple of weeks’ but did not specify a return date.
Hockley, 35, who is currently starring on the Channel 10 reality show The Challenge, immediately stepped into Henderson’s role alongside Kyle Sandilands.
Hockley took over all of Henderson’s usual segments on Monday morning, including the O News entertainment update. An ARN spokesperson confirmed via email to Daily Mail Australia that she will be the regular fill-in until Henderson returns
She took over all of Henderson’s usual segments that morning, including the O News entertainment update.
Hockley recently became part of the KIIS FM family after reportedly signing a multimillion-dollar deal with the station’s parent company ARN.
Industry rumours suggest the newly axed 3pm Pick-Up afternoon show will be replaced by Life Uncut, which Hockley co-hosts with Laura Byrne.
Henderson (right, with Kyle Sandilands) is taking several weeks off work on doctor’s orders
On Monday, Hockley said something big is coming’ as she revealed she was instructed by ARN to create her own TikTok account, a strong indication listeners will be hearing more from her.
Her podcast Life Uncut is arguably Australia’s most popular female-fronted podcast, recently rising up the charts to number five.
She and Byrne have already won the Listeners’ Choice Awards for two years in a row at The Australian Podcast Awards.
Announcing her temporary exit from The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Monday, Henderson said: ‘I’ve been not very well ever since I’ve had Covid… I’ve been struggling with this fatigue’
Announcing her temporary exit from The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Monday, Henderson said: ‘I’ve been not very well ever since I’ve had Covid… I’ve been struggling with this fatigue.
‘I’ve been to the doctor several times and he said because I’ve been pushing myself every day, after the show all I’ve been doing is sleeping and I’m not getting better.’
‘I feel it’s got worse. I can hear it,’ replied her co-host Kyle Sandilands, who noted that Henderson couldn’t even laugh without going into a coughing fit.
‘I just have to take some time off,’ Henderson added. ‘I’m ending the show today. As in now.’
She continued: ‘You know how much this show means to me. You know how much I push through everything, and I would not be doing this unless I absolutely had to.
‘Without going into detail, I’m fine. I just…’ she said, before Sandilands asked her gravely: ‘Are you dying? You have cancer?’
‘I feel it’s got worse. I can hear it,’ said her co-host Kyle Sandilands (pictured), who noted that Henderson couldn’t even laugh without going into a coughing fit
She responded that she wasn’t dying, nor did she have cancer, but just needed ‘proper, serious rest’ on doctor’s orders.
‘He basically said, ‘If you keep doing this, this is going to get much worse,’ and I’ve taken his advice,’ she said.
‘I rarely take doctors’ advice, I’m usually like, “Nah, it’ll be fine.” [But] at least I will be all better and back with you guys soon.’
‘I just have to take some time off,’ Henderson said. ‘I’m ending the show today.’ (Henderson and Sandilands are pictured at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards in Sydney last month)
When Sandilands asked for a timeframe for her return, Henderson said: ‘It’s just for a couple of weeks, guys’
When Sandilands asked for a timeframe for her return, Henderson said: ‘It’s just for a couple of weeks, guys.’
He then joked it was all just a ruse because twice-divorced Henderson had ‘taken a lover’ in secret – which she denied.
‘It’s just the rest, early mark, that’s kind of it,’ she said.
Hockley’s podcast Life Uncut, which she co-hosts with Laura Byrne (left), is arguably Australia’s most popular female-fronted podcast, recently rising up the charts to number five
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