The feud continues: Kyle Sandilands takes a swipe at 2GB host Ben Fordham as he wins the AM breakfast radio ratings – a year after branding him a ‘piece of s**t’ live on air
Ben Fordham took over the reins of Alan Jones’s top-rating 2GB breakfast program in June.
And fellow radio powerhouse Kyle Sandilands couldn’t help but take a swipe at his rival on Tuesday, after the first Sydney radio survey since Jones stepped down revealed that Fordham was No. 1 in the AM ratings.
Speaking on his own KIIS 106.5 show, Sandilands, 49, joked that the reason why Fordham had retained listeners was because ‘most people that listen to to 2GB don’t even know how to change the radio’.
He couldn’t resist! On Tuesday, Kyle Sandilands (pictured) took a cheeky swipe at 2GB host Ben Fordham after he topped the Sydney AM radio ratings
As his co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson laughed along, Sandilands added: ‘A lot of them are on respirators at the moment, so it was very difficult to change the channel.’
Fordham had faced widespread scrutiny after taking over Jones’ breakfast show, but came out on top when the results were released on Tuesday.
The ratings also revealed that Kyle and Jackie O were still Sydney’s most popular FM breakfast show, topping the rankings for the fourteenth time.
‘So well done him, well done us and suck d**k to everyone else that took a tumble in the ratings,’ Sandilands added. ‘That’s the headline there: suck d**k!’
The two men have not seen eye to eye in recent years, with Sandilands infamously branding Fordham a ‘piece of shit’ during a live broadcast in April 2019.
Winner! Ben Fordham (pictured) came out on top of the radio rankings on Tuesday, despite facing widespread scrutiny after taking over Alan Jones’ 2GB breakfast show. But Kyle Sandilands (right) couldn’t help but comment on the rankings as the results hit on Tuesday
When asked whether he was ‘friends’ with the 2GB host, Sandilands shrieked: ‘I’m barely acquaintances with the dog!
‘No news today! We’ll just take calls, I’ll take Ben on and tell him what a piece of s**t he is. As a matter of fact, we’ll just ring him up now.’
Kyle then called Fordham, only to tell him: ‘Piece of sh**! See ya! You’re nothing.’
It’s wasn’t the first time the radio rivals had clashed on the airwaves. In May last year, Fordham remarked how the Kyle and Jackie O Show had remained popular in the youth-focused FM market, despite its host being ‘no spring chicken’.
‘That Ben Fordham’s starting to p**s me off,’ Sandilands later said of the remark about his age.
Henderson added: ‘He’s having a few digs here and there.’
They’re still number one! Kyle Sandilands (right) and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson (left) have dominated Sydney’s FM radio ratings for the fourteenth consecutive time – beating out rivals Jonesy and Amanda
Proving himself a formidable replacement for his predecessor, Fordham’s show won the AM breakfast slot with 17.3 per cent in the first survey since Jones’ departure – a number almost identical to Jones’ last survey results of 17.9 per cent.
2GB enjoys a market-leading 14.2 per cent share overall, which is slightly down from down from 14.8 per cent in April.
Fordham had reportedly been under pressure to produce good ratings after critics claimed he was ‘too nice and relaxed’ to fill the famously fiery Jones’ shoes.
However, the Channel Nine star previously told The Australian he wasn’t trying to emulate Jones’ style, but rather ‘bring his own flavour of breakfast to the radio’.
History: It’s not the first time the two radio rivals have been embroiled in a feud. In May last year, Ben remarked how the Kyle & Jackie O Show had remained popular in the youth-focused FM market, despite its host being ‘no spring chicken’