Jackie O Henderson and her manager Gemma O’Neill are still on speaking terms despite the pressures of a $100 million lawsuit and persistent rumours of their relationship breaking down.
News.com.au understands reports that the best friends, who also maintain a manager-client relationship, are no longer speaking are “bulls**t”. Jackie and O’Neill dined together as recently as Sunday night, and they’ve also been spotted visiting Jackie’s legal team together in Sydney’s CBD.
Despite claims from a slew of radio insiders that the pair have fallen out - which have been circulated privately and in some cases have even made headlines - news.com.au understands they are in daily communication.
Jackie and Gemma: A Close Friendship
Jackie and Gemma don’t just work together, they are also close mates. Several insiders have claimed they’ve fallen out … but that is not the case. One of the reasons so-called insiders are so convinced of a rift between the pair is because of O’Neill’s financial circumstances. It was revealed previously by news.com.au that O’Neill’s talent management business, Gemmie Agency, went into voluntary liquidation last year with over $500,000 owing to the Australian Taxation Office.
Although Jackie didn’t have a stake in the business - unlike the pair’s joint venture Besties - many have claimed the agency’s struggles contributed to a rift between her and Gemma, but news.com.au has been told this is not the case.
Challenges Ahead
While the pair remain a united front, it’s undeniable there are a multitude of challenges for their relationship to withstand over the next few months. Gemma is Jackie’s manager and long-term mate. The pair work together but they’re also close mates.
Jackie and Gemma have a long and rich history. The pair are best friends in real life, hence the name of their joint events business venture, Besties. It is also understood that Gemma was integral in helping Jackie broker her original $10 million-a-year, 10-year deal with ARN. Unfortunately, she was also in the meeting with the broadcaster that led to Jackie’s lucrative contract being torn up.
Jackie’s now contesting that termination and her legal team is arguing that she has a right to a safe workplace. While ARN is arguing the broadcaster had the right to terminate her contract after she allegedly said she “cannot” continue with Kyle Sandilands.
Kyle and Jackie’s now-infamous on-air spat on February 20th saw Jackie take days off work before she was terminated. Two weeks later, Kyle was terminated for “serious misconduct”. The Kyle and Jackie O Show, which was number one in Sydney but struggling in Melbourne, was also scrapped. Both Kyle and Jackie are running separate legal cases against the broadcaster.
United Front in Public
Jackie and Gemma are very much on speaking terms. Jackie-O turned up at Gemma’s Meghan event to show support. Despite Jackie being currently unemployed, Gemma is still acting as her manager, but at this point, she’s primarily overseeing the legal fallout. In fact, now the talent manager is spending her days working alongside Jackie’s legal team to help build their case against ARN.
News.com.au understands that in less than three weeks, Gemma will be fronting up to court for yet another case management hearing on June 18th. She turned up at Federal Court in April while Jackie stayed home, as the radio star is not required to attend.
Although Jackie has mostly gone to ground since her termination, she was seen at Australian Fashion Week supporting her close mate Pip Edwards, and she also appeared at Gemma’s fireside chat with Meghan Markle in April. It is also understood Jackie has been quietly supporting Gemma behind the scenes after she opened up about suffering a miscarriage in April.
