Radio host Jackie “O” Henderson broke down on air on Thursday morning while tearfully revealing a private lengthy battle with drug addiction and her subsequent recovery.
During a planned-yet-halting emotional statement from the broadcast veteran, Henderson said that, two years ago, she was taking up to 24 powerful Panadeine Forte painkillers per day and up to 14 potent Stilnox sleeping pills, all while drinking excessively.
It was only brought to an end by a month-long stay in rehab in November 2022 at the famed Betty Ford Centre in Palm Springs, California.
“I feel like I’ve been given this position where I have a platform and I can speak to so many people,” Henderson told listeners. “I don’t wanna look back one day and think I had an opportunity to help someone by sharing my story and I chose to take the coward’s way out and kept it secret.”
In what was a wrenching departure from the titillating norms of The Kyle and Jackie O Show, the co-host of the polarising KIIS FM program choked up and paused while explaining how she began dabbling with painkillers and sedatives as a way of relieving stress and some sadness (starting around 2017, when her marriage to former photographer Lee Henderson began breaking down), before ultimately sinking deeper into her substance abuse issues during pandemic lockdowns.
She chose to break her two-year silence on Thursday by reading aloud from the prologue of her upcoming memoir, Jackie O: The Whole Truth.*
“It’s Friday the 11th of November, 2022, around 10am … ” she began. “And I’m hanging on by a thread.” Her chosen passage ended with a description of the moment she entered the rehab facility, and then tears.
Henderson, pictured with Sandilands, has revealed her drug addiction and recovery.
“I’m not crying because I’m ashamed,” Henderson said, “but because I kept this in so long, and saying it out loud to everyone right now is scary, in a way. I didn’t know if I should share this ... There are people who are going to judge me.”
The revelation was met with resounding support from callers and from her colleagues, including newsreader Brooklyn Ross – “I’m proud of you, Jackie!” – and, of course, Sandilands.
The latter leaned on humour at first, joking that they should change station billboards to describe Henderson as a “recovering drug addict” versus “current drug user” Sandilands. But he was also, at times, uncustomarily lost for words.
“I don’t know what to say,” he admitted. “I’m scampering around here trying to make light of it, but it’s heavy.”
Sandilands also asked how Henderson came to access so much prescription medication, but she declined to answer. She later described how hard it was – even at her worst – to recognise that she was even stuck in a dark place. “Addiction is a disease, and it warps your way of thinking,” she said. “I just thought a sober life would be the most miserable thing ever.”
The 49-year-old kept her secret to focus solely on her health, with only a small group of trusted confidantes being let in on the extent of her problem.
Henderson’s manager, veteran network executive Gemma O’Neill, was one of them, and ultimately drove the decision to enter rehab, after Henderson initially wanted to taper off the drugs herself.
“I believe she saved my life,” Henderson said of O’Neill, her best friend and business partner. “I actually do.”
Meanwhile, other close friends, extended family, and even her co-host Sandilands were kept in the dark until Thursday morning. “Where do you draw the line?” she said of her decision to close ranks around the personal problem. “I just didn’t want anyone to know until I had at least gotten a year or more of sobriety under my belt.”
Sandilands understood: “I’m sorry you didn’t think that you could share it earlier, but these things do creep up, don’t they,” he acknowledged. “Slowly, slowly.”
Good Weekend magazine will feature the first exclusive print interview with Henderson about her ordeal this Saturday, in a cover story explaining how she turned to pills and alcohol while feeling “diminished, untethered and alone” in her new life.
Now free of her secret, Henderson opens up in Good Weekend, reflecting on everything from what it’s like working with Sandilands, to embracing singledom in her 40s, and how their show has struggled in Melbourne so far.
On Thursday morning at 10.01am, the otherwise standard instalment of their long-running program ended with a kicker perhaps only Sandilands could make: “Even if you’re on crack, we still love you, Jack.”
- This reporter helped write Henderson’s upcoming memoir, Jackie O: The Whole Truth, published by Random House next Tuesday.
The revelation that Jackie “O” Henderson, co-host of the popular Australian radio show “The Kyle and Jackie O Show,” was struggling with a secret drug addiction came as a shock to many.
Henderson bravely opened up about her two-year struggle with addiction to painkillers, sleeping pills and alcohol, revealing that she spent a month in rehab at the Betty Ford Centre in Palm Springs, California, in November 2022 to address her dependence.
Henderson, whose marriage to former photographer Lee Henderson ended in 2018, said her addiction started around 2017 after she was prescribed painkillers for endometriosis. She initially stopped taking the pills, but after her divorce, she found herself turning back to them as a way to “escape” and find “happy place.”
The COVID-19 lockdowns only worsened her situation, with Henderson revealing that her intake of painkillers and sleeping pills increased dramatically. She confessed that at her worst, she was taking up to 24 Panadeine Forte painkillers and 12 Stilnox sleeping pills per day, all while consuming alcohol.
“Someone was watching over me because I don’t know how I woke up most days with that kind of dosage,” Henderson said.
Her decision to seek help came after a tearful conversation with her best friend and manager, Gemma O’Neill, who urged her to go to rehab. Henderson credits O’Neill with “saving her life.”
Henderson also revealed that she kept her addiction a secret from most people, including her co-host, Kyle Sandilands, until she had reached a year of sobriety. She explained that she didn’t want to share her struggles until she felt strong enough to handle the public scrutiny.
“I just didn’t want anyone to know until I had at least gotten a year or more of sobriety under my belt,” Henderson said.
Henderson’s courage in sharing her story has been met with widespread support. Many have commended her for her honesty and vulnerability, and for using her platform to help others struggling with addiction.
It’s important to remember that addiction is a disease, and it can affect anyone, regardless of their fame or status.
Henderson’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of seeking help and support, and of breaking down the stigma surrounding addiction.
Her decision to share her story is a testament to her strength and resilience, and a source of hope for others who are struggling.
If you are struggling with addiction, know that you are not alone and there is help available. Please reach out to a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional.
Here are some resources that can help:
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Lifeline: 13 11 14
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Alcohol Drug Information Service: 1800 250 015
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DrinkWise: https://www.drinkwise.org.au/
You can also find help and support online at:
Remember, you are not alone. There is help available, and you can get through this.
It’s a testament to Henderson’s strength that she chose to be open and honest about her journey with addiction.
Henderson’s story is a reminder that we all have our own struggles, and that we are all capable of overcoming challenges. Her courage and honesty inspire others to seek help when they need it, and to break down the stigma surrounding addiction.
In the end, it’s not the secret itself that matters, but the willingness to share it and the impact it can have on others.
Henderson’s decision to share her story is a brave and powerful move, and it’s a testament to her strength and resilience.
Her journey to recovery
Henderson’s decision to seek help was a turning point in her life. She spent a month at the Betty Ford Centre, a renowned addiction treatment facility in California, where she was able to begin the process of healing.
Henderson’s journey to recovery is a reminder that it’s never too late to seek help and that there is always hope for a better future.
Breaking the stigma
Henderson’s story also plays a vital role in breaking the stigma surrounding addiction. By sharing her experiences, she is helping to normalize the conversation around mental health and addiction, and showing others that it’s okay to seek help.
The power of honesty
Henderson’s decision to share her story is a testament to the power of honesty. By being open and vulnerable, she is helping others to understand that addiction is not a weakness, but a disease that requires treatment and support.
A message of hope
Henderson’s story is a message of hope for those who are struggling with addiction. It’s a reminder that it’s possible to recover and that there is always a path forward.
Jackie ‘O’ is a strong and resilient woman, and her story is an inspiration to us all.
It’s important to note that addiction is a complex issue, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to recovery. If you are struggling with addiction, please reach out to a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional for help.
There are also many resources available online and through organizations dedicated to supporting those who are struggling with addiction.
Remember, you are not alone.
This reporter helped write Henderson’s upcoming memoir, Jackie O: The Whole Truth, published by Random House next Tuesday.
