Kyle Sandilands reveals the truth about the most controversial incident in his radio career

Kyle Sandilands has set the record straight on arguably the most controversial incident in his radio career. 

The 48-year-old and his co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson sparked outrage in 2009 when they asked 14-year-old rape victim about her sexual experiences during a lie detector segment.

Speaking on The Ben, Rob and Robbo Show on Tuesday, Kyle said: ‘I was under the assumption that poor girl was 21. I was in New Zealand operating out of the Sofitel Hotel on a ski holiday when it happened. I had no control of any buttons.’

‘On my sheet it said she was 21 and at no stage did anyone know she was going to get asked that question [about her sexual past],’ he added.

Kyle said he had chosen to keep the girl’s identity hidden over the years because she was so young at the time and he ‘didn’t want her to suffer’.

‘I could come out and say what the lie detector actually said when she said that… I could have said what the real situation was but the girl was 14, so if someone’s going to suffer over this it’s going to be me, not a 14 year old kid,’ he said.

He also revealed that the mother of the young girl have made contact with him over the years.

‘She’s made contact since, and the mother, and said “hey, like we see this comes up every now and then, you should say what happened, what really happened” [But] I got blamed, I took it because it was my responsibility at the end of the day,’ he said.

‘It was my show and I wasn’t going to throw a desperate confused, worried mother and a troubled 14 year old girl under the bus.’

In August 2009, a 14-year-old girl became emotional during a lie detector segment on the pair’s 2Day FM breakfast radio show and reluctantly admitted she had been raped when she was 12 years old.

Kyle then replied: ‘Right… is that the only [sexual] experience you’ve had?’

At that moment, Jackie swiftly cut off the segment and announced the show’s hosts and producers had no prior knowledge of the rape.

It was too little too late, however, and the segment became a major news story. Even 2DayFM advertiser Optus announced it was appalled by the incident.

Amid the backlash, Network Ten confirmed that Kyle had been axed from the judging panel of Australian Idol.

Ten’s programming boss David Mott said at the time: ‘We thank Kyle for his contribution to Australian Idol over the last four years.

‘But it has become increasingly clear that as Idol has remained a family-focused show, even more so this year with the 6.30pm Sunday time slot, his radio persona has taken on a more controversial position over this period which is not in the interest of the show. 

‘The recent controversy surrounding Kyle’s radio program has highlighted more than ever the conflicting attitude of the two careers.’

Kyle’s Australian Idol contract was reportedly worth $1million.

In August 2013, Kyle and Jackie O announced that they would be moving from 2Day FM to KIIS FM.