A surprise detail has emerged following Jackie ‘O’ Henderson’s shocking admission about his secret addiction to drugs and alcohol.
The radio host, 49, made the tearful revelation that she secretly checked into the Betty Ford Clinic in November 2022 while speaking to her co-host Kyle Sandilands on his KIIS FM radio show on Thursday morning.
Jackie revealed that at the height of her addiction she was consuming up to 12 Stilnox sleeping pills and 24 Panadeine Forte tablets a day, often with alcohol.
Even though their on-air partnership lasted 25 years, Jackie’s former co-host Kyle was left in the dark about her battle with addiction.
When Jackie made her candid admission, a shocked Kyle revealed that he had “no idea” about his co-host’s secret.
“You’re so anti-drug, that’s the shocking thing, you’ve never been the party girl, you never were,” she said.
Speaking candidly, Kyle added that he was “embarrassed” that he hadn’t seen any signs of Jackie’s addiction.
‘I didn’t know you were a big drinker, I know you like wine from time to time. “I feel ashamed that I sit here every day of my life and have no idea,” he said.
“I’m shocked, I’m shocked and I feel like an idiot my friend for not realizing it,” he added.
A surprise detail has emerged following Jackie ‘O’ Henderson’s shocking admission about his secret addiction to drugs and alcohol on Thursday.
Jackie admitted that only her mother, her 13-year-old daughter Kitty, and her best friend Gemma O’Neil knew of her personal struggle.
“I just didn’t want anyone to know until I was at least a year or so sober,” he said.
An empathetic Kyle responded, “I’m sorry you didn’t think you could share this sooner, but these things creep up, don’t they?” Slowly, slowly.’
Kyle and Jackie O’s on-air partnership began in 1999 when Kyle replaced Jackie’s former ‘Ugly’ Phil O’Neil as co-host of 2DayFM’s Hot30 Countdown.
Even though their on-air partnership lasted 25 years, Jackie’s former co-host Kyle was left in the dark about her battle with addiction.
When Jackie made her candid admission, a shocked Kyle revealed that he had “no idea” about his co-host’s secret.
Jackie revealed on Thursday that she took between 10 and 12 Stilnox/Zolpidem and 24 Panadeine Forte sleeping pills a day and took them while drinking alcohol at the height of her addiction.
She checked into the Betty Ford Clinic in California in November 2022, taking an extended break from The Kyle and Jackie O Show.
At the time, Kyle told listeners that Jackie was taking a break to “focus on her health” after contracting Covid.
Jackie also revealed how she managed to secretly fly from Australia to Los Angeles in November 2022 to check into the famous Betty Ford Clinic, which has hosted Hollywood stars such as Lindsay Lohan and Keith Urban.
Speaking live, Jackie said she was accompanied by her best friend Gemma on the flight and they made the decision to take a red-eye flight to have more privacy.
Jackie broke down when she finally revealed her secret on Thursday.
Reading a section of her memoir, The Whole Truth, Jackie detailed her travel itinerary and how she managed to keep her addiction a secret for more than two years.
‘I’m ready to leave for the airport and take this night flight. We boarded at the last possible moment and arrived late at night.
‘We pick up our rental car and head to Palm Springs. We headed to a small hotel there for two nights, but that’s not my final destination.
‘After our weekend in the Sonoran Desert, Gemma will be returning home and I won’t be going with her. I’ll go only when she leaves.
Jackie then secretly checked into the Betty Ford Clinic for a 28-day stay to participate in a voluntary 12-step program to treat her drug addiction.
