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Activist pressure targets Kyle Sandilands on Australian Idol; Ben Roberts-Smith series announced

13 April 20262 articles from 2 sources

Consensus Summary

Activist group Mad F---ing Witches (MFW) is escalating pressure on Seven Network to remove Kyle Sandilands as a judge on *Australian Idol* for 2027, using advertiser boycotts similar to tactics that forced his departure from ARN’s KIIS breakfast show. Sandilands, who earns $1 million annually for nine seasons on *Idol* without pay rises, is suing ARN for $85 million over his terminated radio contract. Seven Network has not confirmed Sandilands’ future on the show, citing ongoing plans post-grand finale. Meanwhile, Southern Cross Austereo, ARN’s parent company, now owns Seven, adding complexity to the situation. Separately, Screen Australia has funded a five-part series *The Big Soldier*, loosely inspired by the Ben Roberts-Smith war crimes case, though details remain vague. Both articles also reference MFW’s past success in pressuring broadcasters, including Marty Sheargold’s 2025 exit from Triple M over controversial comments.

✓ Verified by 2+ sources

Key details reported by multiple sources:

  • Mad F---ing Witches (MFW) is lobbying Seven Network advertisers to drop Australian Idol over Kyle Sandilands' continued role as a judge, aiming to remove him for 2027.
  • Kyle Sandilands is suing ARN (Southern Cross Austereo) in the Federal Court for $85 million over his terminated KIIS breakfast show contract.
  • Sandilands has been on *Australian Idol* for nine seasons: five on Network Ten and four on Seven Network.
  • Sandilands claims his *Australian Idol* salary has been $1 million per year for all nine seasons, with no pay rises, as stated in a January 2026 interview.
  • Southern Cross Austereo (ARN) became the new owner of Seven Network in 2026.
  • Former Triple M host Marty Sheargold left his breakfast show in February 2025 after MFW pressured advertisers over his comments about the Matildas and endometriosis.
  • Screen Australia has funded a five-part series titled *The Big Soldier*, inspired by the Ben Roberts-Smith war crimes case, with a synopsis describing a decorated soldier suing a journalist and facing reputational fallout.
  • The *Australian Idol* 2026 grand finale aired on April 13 and 14, 2026 (Monday and Tuesday).

Points of Difference

Details reported by only one source:

Sydney Morning Herald
  • Sandilands said in January: 'I have never even had a pay rise ... That is very good money. I said to Marcia [Hines], “You have been paid more than you deserve for decades.”'
  • The article mentions a 'Ben Roberts-Smith saga inspires taxpayer-backed series' section before the Opera gala, with no direct contradiction in The Age.
  • The Opera gala at Sofitel Melbourne marking Victorian Opera’s 21st anniversary is only mentioned in SMH, with details like Countess Zofia Krasicki von Siecin attending and performances by Antoinette Halloran, Rachael Joyce, and others.
The Age
  • The headline includes the phrase 'Four mortgages and a million-dollar gig' (not present in SMH).
  • The Age explicitly states the grand finale is on 'tonight (Monday, April 13) and Tuesday' (SMH does not specify the exact date in the headline).
  • The Age includes a line about 'Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights.' at the end, which appears to be editorial boilerplate.

Contradictions

Conflicting information between sources:

  • SMH states Sandilands is 'gone from the airwaves – for now, at least' (implying he is currently off radio), while The Age does not explicitly confirm his current radio status beyond 'for now, at least'.
  • The Age’s headline includes 'Four mortgages and a million-dollar gig,' which SMH does not mention, suggesting a possible financial detail discrepancy not cross-verified.
  • SMH mentions 'endometriosis' as a topic of Marty Sheargold’s controversial comments, while The Age refers to it as 'endometriosis' but also includes 'disparaging comments about the Matildas,' which aligns but lacks a direct contradiction.

Source Articles

SMH

Push to dump Kyle Sandilands from Seven’s Idol

The activist group Mad F---ing Witches has set its sights on the Seven Network’s advertisers in a push to get Sandilands dumped from Australian Idol.

13 April 2026
THEAGE

Four mortgages and a million-dollar gig: The push to dump Kyle Sandilands from Seven’s Idol

Controversial broadcaster Kyle Sandilands’ problems continue to mount with activists mobilising against his lucrative TV role on Australian Idol.

13 April 2026