Radio titan Kyle Sandilands reflects on his rise to the top – from being homeless on the streets of Brisbane to owning a multi-million dollar empire
He’s the radio titan who came from humble beginnings.
And on Tuesday, Kyle Sandilands, 49, reflected on his rise to the top, after The Kyle and Jackie O Show marked 20 years on air.
Speaking told The Daily Telegraph about his ascension, he said: ‘My aim was to be good enough to maybe go to the Gold Coast one day and maybe do a practice show at the Gold Coast, that’s when I was in regional Queensland that was my aim.’
‘When I go back to Brisbane that’s when it really comes back’: On Tuesday, Kyle Sandilands (pictured) reflected on his rise to the top in an interview with The Daily Telegraph
Kyle’s motivation to succeed in his work came in part because he had been kicked out of his family home as a teen, and lived on the streets of Brisbane.
Now, those tough times are nothing more than a ‘distant memory’ for the breakfast radio star.
He said: ‘It’s when I go back to Brisbane and I drive down a street that I used to walk around when I was homeless, that’s when it really comes back as a real feeling but other than that it’s a distant memory.
Started from the bottom: Kyle’s motivation to succeed in his work came in part because he had been kicked out of his family home as a teen, and lived on the streets of Brisbane
Kyle’s career has since soared to great heights and he’s become one of radio’s biggest stars.
He moved The Kyle and Jackie O Show, which he hosts alongside Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, from 2DayFM to KIIS FM in 2014.
The pair have continued to maintain their successful ratings, and in 2016 reportedly signed a five year deal worth $20 million each.
Outside of radio, Kyle has a multi-million dollar portfolio of properties and businesses, including his latest alcoholic beverage, Nueva Sangria.
Success! Kyle’s radio career has soared to great heights. He moved The Kyle and Jackie O Show, which he hosts alongside Jackie ‘O’ Henderson (left), from 2DayFM to KIIS FM in 2014. In 2016, the pair reportedly signed a five year deal worth $20 million each
Although Kyle doesn’t really drink, he said he’s proud of how the company has grown, telling The Daily Telegraph: ‘It was just a little side project and it was only ever going to be available online and on our website. It’s doing very well.’
In 2018, Kyle talked to Daily Mail Australia about his experience as a homeless 15-year-old, when he lived in constant fear of being bashed or raped in his sleep.
‘It’s always there. That’s what drives me. The fear of being in that box again,’ he admitted.
‘It’s always there. That’s what drives me’: In 2018, Kyle talked to Daily Mail Australia about his experience as a homeless 15-year-old, when he lived in constant fear of being bashed or raped in his sleep. Pictured is Kyle during his 60 Minutes interview earlier this year