Kyle Sandilands has spoken openly about his long-running admiration for fellow Aussie radio icon, the late John Laws.
But in a candid and honest chat about their friendship, the KIIS FM shock jock revealed live on air that he will not be attending the big state funeral being held in Sydney today.
“I’ve told the family I’m not attending. I said, ‘Listen, thank you. But after my own father’s funeral and the paparazzi intrusion in such an emotional moment, I just thought I’m never going to another funeral again,’” he shared on his Kyle and Jackie O breakfast program.
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The 54-year-old then went on to share that despite being used in some of the ads for the televised coverage of Laws’ farewell, he also won’t be bringing himself to watch it privately.
“It’s too emotional. As I said, it feels to me like I’ve lost a grandfather. I know that sounds bizarre, but he’s been in my life for a very long time. It’s very sad,” Kyle clarified.
With co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson’s support, Kyle then asked if she, also being a valued member of the radio industry, would be attending.
“I didn’t know John like you did. I mean, I literally met him once, and that was it,” she replied.
“I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing that. I don’t feel I knew him well enough to turn up.”
The confession comes just a week after the shock jock broke down live on air while opening about his own grief with news.com.au’s Mary Madigan.
Kyle choked up as he recalled the last time he cried.
“I was sitting on the beach on the Gold Coast after doing the radio show with my son, building sandcastles,” he explained.
He then shared that he was emotional because he was thinking about his good friend and mentor, John Laws.
Sharing how they had a “good friendship” and that the radio icon felt like a “grandfather” to him, Kyle shared a few more details about his unexpected moment of grief.
“I had a moment to myself because my son was obsessed with his sandcastles and the sun was shining through the clouds, and it was one of those biblical, Jesus, moments, and then I thought ‘That is John,’” he said.
“A tear rolled down my cheek and I had a little chat with him.”
Laws passed away at the age of 90 in his Eastern Suburbs home, one year after officially retiring from the airwaves. A state funeral is being held for the legendary broadcaster today at Saint Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, where an impressive range of big names in broadcasting, politics and media are expected to attend.
