These days, Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson are the undisputed king and queen of FM radio, as proven by their multi-million dollar salaries.
And on Thursday, the pair revealed just how far they’ve come in their careers when they revealed the modest salaries they earned in their first years in the industry.
Kyle, 46, started in Brisbane at local station 4CC – reportedly getting the job by lying about his skills on his resumé – while his co-host scraped by on Adelaide radio.
Started from the bottom: On Thursday, KIIS FM’s Kyle Sandilands (L) and Jackie O Henderson (R) revealed just how far they’ve come in their storied careers, announcing the salaries they earned in their first year in radio
The pair played clips from Kyle’s first gig on the show Thursday, when the shock-jock’s breakfast show used to air right before John Law’s 9am slot.
‘You were a no-name back then,’ Jackie laughed as they listened to a very different sounding Kyle, who still couldn’t help picking fights with co-hosts.
‘You know how much I was earning?’ he asked, after listening to a segment where he teased his radio partner for mispronouncing the time.
The beginning: Kyle, 46, started in Brisbane at local station 4CCC – reportedly nabbing the job by lying about his skills on his resumé – while his co-host scraped by on Adelaide radio
‘Eighteen-and-a-half thousand dollars a year!’ he revealed.
Last year, Kyle revealed he gets paid ‘More than $3 million’ a year for his role on KIIS FM’s Kyle & Jackie O Show.
That works out to be more than $60,000 a week – more than three times the figure he earned in his full first year.
‘And that’s just the radio money,’ the personality added at the time, ‘I own businesses – coconut water… I make a fortune off that sh*t’.
No-name: ‘You were a no-name back then,’ Jackie laughed as they listened to a very different sounding Kyle, who still couldn’t help picking fights with co-hosts
When he told Jackie how much she earned, the 42-year-old sounded jealous, revealing: ‘you were close to me, I earned ten grand for my first year.’
‘Even back then they obviously didn’t want me. They said we can only pay you $10,000 and I said “I’ll take it!” ‘
When Jackie signed her five-year contract with Australian Radio Network – who own KIIS – she demanded, and was subsequently granted pay parity with Kyle.
How much? ‘You know how much I was earning? Eighteen-and-a-half thousand dollars a year!’ he revealed – much lower than his current $4 million salary
According to multiple reports, the radio stars signed contracts to be paid $20 million over their five-year contracts, averaging out to be $4 million per year.
For Jackie, that equates to a figure two thousand times higher than her first ever radio salary, and a tick over one thousand times for Kyle.
Close! When he told Jackie how much she earned, the 42-year-old sounded jealous, revealing: ‘you were close to me, I earned ten grand for my first year’
Perspective: Kyle and Jackie’s salary (which is equal) works out to be over $60,000 a week – more than three times the figure they earned in his full first year