The heartbreaking off-air truth behind Jackie O’s sudden radio exit

Jackie ‘O ‘Henderson will step away from her KIIS FM breakfast role for ‘several days’, following a fiery on-air clash with co-host Kyle Sandilands.

The radio queen, 50, was a no-show on Monday’s Kyle & Jackie O show, with Sandilands, 54, confirming that Jackie would be taking a break from the popular show.

He revealed that he had only been in touch with Henderson over the phone.

The news comes after Jackie was moved to tears on Friday after Sandilands slammed Henderson over her ‘fixation’ with astrology.

The pair were discussing the latest developments regarding Prince Andrew when Jackie proceeded to read out the disgraced royal’s birth chart.

Sandilands then proceeded to lambast his co-star, claiming that her love for astrology was affecting her work.

‘As I said, fascinating, but I don’t think it should be at the detriment of everything else on the show – this relentless research,’ he said.

Taken aback by the comment, Henderson protested, saying that she had just looked up the information on her phone.

This did not placate Sandilands, however, with the shock jock continuing to chastise Jackie.

‘It’s affecting other things, like your fixation on this has made you almost unworkable. You’re off with the fairies with this s***t. It’s mental,’ he said.

Henderson then asked her co-host to give an example of her lack of focus, and he replied: ‘Listen to the program, you’ll hear yourself.

‘Be aware about what’s really going on.’

Clearly taken aback by the shock spray, a stunned Henderson said that she was offended by the comment.

‘I am, Kyle. I totally am offended by you saying something like that,’ she said, but Sandilands was having none of it.

‘Well, too bad if you are because that’s the reality of what we’re dealing with here,’ he spat.

‘It’s affecting everything else. You’re too fixated on it.’

When Henderson asked for examples, Sandilands replied: ‘Every segment, every time you’ve spoken, you don’t even know what’s going on.’

It didn’t end there, either, with Sandilands claiming that Henderson’s obsession was affecting her work – something that had been raised with him by KIIS FM staff.

‘You’re not doing the rest of the job, and everyone in the building has mentioned it to me,’ he said.

‘I’ve just said: “I’m not getting involved, that’s a management…”‘ he added before Henderson interjected.

‘Well, let management talk to me then,’ she said. ‘I welcome it.’

Henderson then became audibly emotional, fighting back tears as she continued to defend herself.

‘I would never say things like that about you,’ she said.

‘It’s a total attack, it really is … to say, “You don’t know what the F is going on, you’re not doing your job”, that’s an attack and I wouldn’t do that.

Sandilands remained stoic in his position, replying with: ‘It’s not an attack, it’s an actual fact, babe, I’m sorry.’

Henderson continued to defend herself, but Sandilands was in no way moved.

‘I come in here and I do my job and I do it well,’ she said, to which he replied: ‘I wouldn’t say that lately, no.’

This clearly did not sit well with Henderson who told her co-star that he could do the show without her if unhappy with her performance.

‘Isn’t that a bit extreme?’ he asked.

‘I didn’t say you’re not very good, I said you’re off with the fairies, you are unfocused, you don’t give a s***.’

Henderson appeared to brush off the clash, spending a breezy Sunday at the beach with pals.

Daily Mail has reached out to representatives of The Kyle & Jackie O Show for comment.