Shock amount Lauren Phillips is demanding to be paid as her radio show beats Kyle and Jackie O in the ratings – and why she has no chance getting it

Lauren Phillips is said to be demanding a massive payday after her Nova FM radio show beat rival breakfast program The Kyle and Jackie O show in the ratings.

Lauren and her co-host Jason ‘Jase’ Hawkins’ radio show was axed by KIIS FM last year to make way for Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson’s big expansion into Melbourne.

But the duo had the ultimate revenge after they moved over to rival network Nova FM, and their show has continued to beat Kyle and Jackie O in the Melbourne radio ratings.

Lauren is now said to be asking for a ‘massive increase’ following the success of the show.

‘Lauren Phillips is doing quite well in her market with her co-host Jase Hawkins, but she wants to rival the Kyle and Jackie O pay packets,’ an insider told Daily Mail Australia.

But the insider says Lauren is completely out of her league. In the pecking order she is still relatively new on radio compared to Kyle and Jackie O, who have been on  the airwaves for almost two decades.  

‘The Sydney based KIIS FM breakfast show opposition are on a $200 million dollar deal that dwarfs the Melbourne based announcer. However, they are very much in different leagues,’ the insider added.

‘You can see how she has drawn the line, but while Jase and Lauren are good talent they just aren’t a brand like Kyle and Jackie O. Nor are they properly established like Hughsey and Kate.

‘Nova also doesn’t have that kind of money to be paying talent over their worth.’ 

The insider added that the salary conversation is out of control and radio has always been an uneven playing field.

‘You’re either on average pay packets or you’re making millions. The pay disparage is outrageous and it always has been,’ they said.

It has also become impossible to manage other radio shows expectations after Kyle and Jackie O went public with their salary.

‘Trust Kyle to flash his cash knowing that no one in the industry is on anywhere near that kind of money. It’s rather uncouth to talk dollars and it used to be prohibited,’ they added.

‘However, the laws have changed. It used to be in your contract that you were not allowed to share how much you were being paid, but now employers can’t legally enforce you not to discuss your salary anymore.

‘Plus in radio where the wages are so vastly different – all this talk about money has set the cat amongst the pigeons.’

‘Lauren Phillips is doing quite well in her market – with her co-host Jase Hawkins but she wants to rival the Kyle and Jackie O pay packets,’ an insider told Daily Mail Australia. Pictured Jackie O and Kyle Sandilands

Meanwhile, Lauren’s friendships with Hollywood stars like Chris Hemsworth and Matt Damon has given her the ‘confidence to ask for this kind of money’.

‘Lauren has a reputation for dropping famous names into stories. It’s almost a signature move, but it’s not very endearing,’ the insider said. 

‘I’d say Lauren will be getting a pay rise but won’t be anywhere near a million.’

However, Kate Langbroek and her old radio co-host Dave ‘Hughesy’ Hughes could be in for a massive payday if they reunite to create the same magic they had when they were over at Hit FM. 

The pair last hosted Hit FM’s Hughesy & Kate sow in 2019, before Langbroek took a step back from the program to move to Italy.

‘There are multiple radio networks talking to Hughesy and Langbroek wanting them to reunite,’ the source said. 

‘They are both super keen to pull together a new show and our radio insider believes they may collect a huge pay cheque to be back on the airwaves.’

‘You can see how she has drawn the line but while Jase and Lauren are good talent they just aren’t a ‘brand’ like Kyle and Jackie O. Nor are they properly established like Hughsey and Kate,’ the source said