The talent agency owned by Jackie ‘O’ Henderson’s manager and longtime friend, Gemma O’Neill, has collapsed, reportedly owing more than half a million dollars.
Administrators were appointed after O’Neill’s talent management business, Gemmie Agency, went into voluntary liquidation in November.
The firm owes $543,548 to the Australian Taxation Office, with another $3,300 owed to small business Jack Lawrence Accountants and Advisors, reports news.com.au.
Administrators from Grant Thornton Australia said in a creditors’ statement that the debts incurred by O’Neill’s agency were in stark contrast to a seven‑figure commission paid by an unnamed ‘key client’ between October 2023 and March 2024, the publication reported.
On February 20, O’Neill reportedly informed the administrators she couldn’t make any repayment contributions, noting she has no available personal savings, limited income, and had failed to refinance her beachside apartment in Sydney.
That was the same day O’Neill’s star client, Jackie O, fought with her KIIS FM radio partner, Kyle Sandilands, in the infamous argument about her being ‘away with the fairies’, which later saw the duo taken off the airwaves permanently and their $100 million contracts torn up.
The Kyle and Jackie O Show was officially axed 11 days later in a dramatic announcement by the radio station’s owner, ARN Media.
The troubles for O’Neill’s firm come as Jackie O fights a wrongful termination suit against ARN, after she told executives she couldn’t ‘continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands’ following his harsh on‑air comments.
The duo’s joint venture, Besties Australia Pty Ltd, is also mentioned in the creditor’s report after it was revealed that a loan of $18,143 was made to the event business.
Besties Australia was registered by O’Neill in October 2022 in her role as director/secretary.
However, the report states O’Neill did not disclose any loans to related parties to GTA’s administrators.
‘The director (O’Neill) advised that this balance was incorrectly recorded by the Company’s former accountant and the transactions in the loan account were in respect of costs incurred by the Company, and not by Besties Australia,’ the report states.
It comes just days after Besties Australia announced it will host Meghan Markle at an exclusive three-day retreat in Sydney’s eastern suburbs next month.
Tickets to the retreat, which takes place from April 17 to 19 to coincide with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s trip Down Under, retail for around $3,000 for one person.
The duo launched their business, Besties Australia Pty Ltd, in October 2022, later hosting Gwyneth Paltrow at a ‘Besties’ event that drew a smaller-than-expected crowd.
The Daily Mail has contacted GTA’s appointed liquidator John McInerney for comment.
