Kyle declares dispute ‘pretty ugly’ as he arrives at court in $1 million Rolls-Royce

Watch the hearing live here from 10.15 AM via the Federal Court.

Kyle Sandilands has arrived at the Federal Court of Australia in a black Rolls-Royce, calling his legal dispute with KIIS network owner ARN Media “pretty ugly”.

The former top-rating radio host told a packed media scrum on Friday morning he wanted to sort the dispute out to get back on air and boost ARN’s share price, ahead of a dual procedural hearing for his case and that of his former co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson.

Sandilands, ever the showman, pulled up outside the court in the luxury vehicle, bearing the number plate KS20, and was trailed into the building by dozens of reporters, photographers and videographers. “It’s a procedural day today, no fun today,” he said.

Sandilands said he hadn’t spoken to Henderson since their dramatic on-air separation in February, admitting to reporters that things were “already pretty ugly”. “Put me back on the radio. Let’s get the share price back up,” he said.

The Federal Court in Sydney today is also hosting a clutch of other high-profile cases including the consumer watchdog’s case against Woolworths and a defamation case against actor Rebel Wilson.

ARN tore up Henderson’s contract in early March this year after she allegedly refused to work with Sandilands because of his conduct towards her. Two weeks later, it scrapped his contract as well after he was unable to “remedy” what it said was serious misconduct on his part, stemming from his on and off-air behaviour toward his former co-host of 25 years.

Not long after, both stars sued the company in separate attempts to claw back the majority of the $200 million contracts they had each signed, which began just over 14 months ago.

As ARN filed its defence to the court to both matters on Tuesday this week, this masthead also revealed the company is also suing both former employees and their private companies in a pair of counter claims, citing lost revenue and profits as a result of the show blowing up, largely due to alleged “systemic bullying” on behalf of Sandilands toward Henderson.

Sandilands’ 2004 Series 1 Rolls-Royce Phantom is worth, by some estimates, about $1 million.

More to come.

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