Kyle Sandilands signs on to judge Australia’s Got Talent: Challengers & Champions

Australia’s biggest radio titans are gearing up to lock horns in the TV ratings this year.

On Monday it was announced that Kyle Sandilands will appear as a guest judge on Channel Seven’s Australia’s Got Talent: Challengers & Champions later this year.

It’s likely the variety show will compete in the ratings against Channel 10’s The Masked Singer Australia – during which Kyle’s KIIS FM co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson will reprise her role as a judge. 

Breaking the news to Jackie live on-air this Monday, Kyle explained: ‘Jackie, I did mention this sort of to you the other week. Remember? I said, ‘Oh, Sonia [Kruger] wanted me to come on Australia’s Got Talent because they’re doing the ‘challenges and champions’.’

‘And you were like, ‘Oh, but The Masked Singer’s On.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah’. But I wouldn’t do it. I’d never do it to you. There’s no way I’d go up against you…”, he continued. 

Kyle explained that he’d initially denied the offer to appear on Australia’s Got Talent, unless Channel Seven doubled his already ‘generous’ paycheck. 

When Channel Seven agreed to his terms, Kyle decided to accept the offer. 

‘I forgot to tell you,’ he said apologetically adding: ‘I’m going on, but not as a full time judge, just a one-off. A guest judge. ‘ 

Jackie took the news in good humour, joking that Sonia will ‘suffer’ on-set, because Kyle always demands that the temperature should be ‘like an ice box’. 

‘Oh I hate that! Sonia laughed.    

Australia’s Got Talent: Challengers & Champions will feature judges Sonia Kruger, Olympia  Valance, Shane Jacobson and Manu Feildel. 

Ricki-Lee Coulter will return as the show’s host.