Brittany Hockley will take the place of Jackie ‘O’ Henderson in the coming weeks as the popular host takes time to recover from the aftermath of Covid.
Hockley, a former Bachelor contestant, is considered a rising star at KIIS FM and already presents the popular life uncut podcast and weekend radio show of the same name.
After stepping into the hosting chair on Monday, an ARN spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that she will be the regular substitute until Henderson returns.
Brittany Hockley (pictured) will fill in for Jackie ‘O’ Henderson in the coming weeks as the popular host takes time to recover from the aftereffects of Covid
Henderson, 47, said at the start of Monday’s show that she had been in poor health since contracting Covid-19 a few months ago and had been ordered by doctors to take time off and get enough rest to recover from the virus.
She told listeners she would be off air for the next “few weeks,” but did not specify a return date.
Hockley, 35, who is currently starring in the Channel 10 reality show The Challenge, immediately stepped into the role of Henderson alongside Kyle Sandilands.
Hockley took over all of Henderson’s usual segments on Monday morning, including the O News entertainment update. An ARN spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail Australia via email that she will be the regular substitute until Henderson returns
She took over all of Henderson’s usual segments that morning, including the O News entertainment update.
Hockley recently became part of the KIIS FM family after reportedly signing a multimillion-dollar deal with the station’s parent company, ARN.
Industry rumors suggest that the recently canceled Pick-Up afternoon show at 3pm will be replaced by Life Uncut, which Hockley is co-hosting with Laura Byrne.
Henderson (right, with Kyle Sandilands) is taking a few weeks off on a doctor’s prescription
Hockley said on Monday that something big is coming” when she revealed that she had been instructed by ARN to create her own TikTok account, a strong indication that listeners will be hearing more from her.
Her podcast Life Uncut is arguably Australia’s most popular female-fronted podcast, having recently climbed the charts to number five.
She and Byrne have won Listeners’ Choice Awards at The Australian Podcast Awards for two years in a row.
Henderson announced her temporary departure from The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Monday, saying: ‘I haven’t been this good since I’ve had Covid…I’m struggling with this fatigue’
Announcing her temporary departure from The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Monday, Henderson said: “Since I’ve had Covid I haven’t been this good… I’m struggling with this fatigue.
“I went to the doctor several times and he said because I was pushing myself every day, after the show I just slept and I’m not getting better.”
“I feel like it’s gotten worse. I can hear it,” her co-host Kyle Sandilands replied, noting that Henderson couldn’t even laugh without breaking into a coughing fit.
“I just need to take some time off,” Henderson added. “I’m ending the show today. Like now.’
She continued, “You know how much this show means to me. You know how much I push through everything, and I wouldn’t do this unless I absolutely had to.
“Without going into details, I’m fine. I…’ she said, before Sandilands asked her gravely, ‘Are you going to die? Do you have cancer?’
“I feel like it’s gotten worse. I can hear it,” said her co-host Kyle Sandilands (pictured), noting that Henderson couldn’t even laugh without having a coughing fit.
She replied that she wasn’t dying or had cancer, but just needed “good, serious rest” with a doctor’s prescription.
“He basically said, ‘If you keep doing this, this will get a lot worse,’ and I took his advice,” she said.
“I rarely take doctors’ advice, I’m usually like, ‘No, it’ll be fine.’ [But] in any case, I will be all right and be back with you soon.’
“I just need to take some time off,” Henderson said. “I’m ending the show today.” (Henderson and Sandilands were pictured at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards in Sydney last month)
When Sandilands asked for a timetable for her return, Henderson said: ‘It’s only for a few weeks, guys’
When Sandilands asked for a timetable for her return, Henderson said, “It’s only for a few weeks, guys.”
He then joked that it was all just a ruse because the twice-divorced Henderson had secretly “taken a lover” – which she denied.
“It’s just the rest, early Mark, that’s about it,” she said.
Hockley’s podcast Life Uncut, which she hosts with Laura Byrne (left), is arguably Australia’s most popular female-front podcast, having recently climbed the charts to number five.
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