Kyle Sandilands has admitted he was high during his interview with Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes in May last year.
The radio presenter, 49, told News.com.au on Tuesday he was under the influence of marijuana while speaking to journalist Karl Stefanovic.
The 60 Minutes special was controversial at the time as trailers had suggested Kyle would reveal he was secretly battling a serious, possibly life-threatening health condition.
But when the segment went to air, it turned out his tears were fake and he was just playing a joke on co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson.
‘I was off my head’: Kyle Sandilands has admitted he was high during his interview with Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes in May last year
‘I was off my head,’ Kyle said, adding that Karl knew he was high at the time.
‘High on 60 Minutes, great achievement,’ the KIIS FM personality added.
Jackie confirmed that everyone on set knew Kyle was high after smoking cannabis, including Karl.
‘High on 60 Minutes, great achievement’: The radio presenter, 49, told News.com.au on Tuesday he was under the influence of marijuana while speaking to journalist Karl Stefanovic
‘He secretly loved it’: Jackie ‘O’ Henderson confirmed that everyone on set knew Kyle was high after smoking cannabis, including Karl Stefanovic (pictured)
‘I think Karl secretly loved it because he knows [Kyle] will go a little more out there if he’s [high],’ Jackie said.
The interview was filmed in California, where cannabis has been legal for recreational use since late 2016.
At the time the interview aired, 60 Minutes received an avalanche of criticism after Kyle’s supposed ‘health crisis tell-all’ was revealed to be nothing but a joke.
Karl, who hosted the controversial segment, revealed afterwards that even he had been targeted by trolls in the aftermath of the broadcast.
Making headlines: The 60 Minutes special was controversial at the time as trailers had suggested Kyle would reveal he was secretly battling a serious, possibly life-threatening health condition. But when the segment went to air, it turned out his tears were fake and he was just playing a joke on co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson (left)
‘I had a few [messages] sent through to me that said, “I wish you had something wrong with you, Karlos.” I had quite a few of those,’ he said on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on May 25.
During that same broadcast, Kyle acknowledged his joke about having a serious illness had rubbed many viewers the wrong way.
‘We read a lot of [Twitter] haters out this morning, hating on us, hating on 60 Minutes, hating on me mainly,’ he said.
Personal demons: Kyle insisted the day after his 60 Minutes special went to air that he did have a secret health problem – but it was a mental rather than a physical one
Kyle insisted the day after his 60 Minutes special went to air that he did have a secret health problem – but it was a mental rather than a physical one.
He confessed on his radio show that he’d been suffering from loneliness and depression and that he felt ‘sad’ and ‘let down’ by those he once considered friends.
Referring to his controversial interview, he said: ‘The truth as to why I was so able to cry, like all that breakdown stuff so easy, was because inside I’m very sad.’
‘I’m not joking. Inside my person, I’m very sad,’ he added, fighting back tears.
Kyle acknowledged his joke about having a health problem on 60 Minutes ‘wasn’t the right forum’ to address his depression, but clarified his tears came from a genuine place of sadness.
He said: ‘Yeah, so I had to make up something was wrong, as a joke. It was real emotion… there is a great sadness in me that I just carry around. Every day.’
If you or anyone you know is struggling, please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue.
Sad: He confessed on his radio show that he’d been suffering from loneliness and depression and that he felt ‘sad’ and ‘let down’ by those he once considered friends