Kate Langbroek says her relationship with David Hughes changed when she discovered his salary.

Kate Langbroek and Dave Hughes worked together for 18 years.

The much loved comedians made Australians laugh for almost two decades during their drive-time radio show, Hughesy and Kate.

Then in 2019, Langbroek left the popular Hit Network show to spend more time with her family. They relocated to Bologna, Italy, before returning to Melbourne in 2021 during the pandemic. 

On Thursday night's episode of The Project, the 57-year-old spoke about the time she discovered Hughes was getting paid 40 per cent more than her. 

The pair didn't talk about money for years. When they finally discussed it, it changed their working relationship for good. 

“Hughesy and I did a radio show together for 18 years and had never ever discussed what we got paid,” Langbroek told the panel. 

“It turned out he was getting paid 40 per cent more than I was. This was the Hughesy and Kate show that we had made together and didn’t exist without us.

“Show business is not a standard situation, but we did a radio show together for 18 years. It changed our relationship when we talked about money, and I then left.”

The mum-of-three said she feels like women are "punished" for needing more flexible working conditions. 

LISTEN: Why Kate Langbroek decided to blow up her life. Story continues below. 

Last night, Langbroek compared the breakdown of her working relationship with Hughes to a "divorce". 

"Apart from my husband, he was the most significant man in my life. And it has been like a marriage, and now like a divorce." 

However, today Langbroek explained that her comments were taken out of context due to time constraints on the show. 

"Because of time constraints, and not having planned what I was going to say, some important things didn’t get said by me: that this was when we were doing drive on KIIS; three years before I left to live in Italy (so my dumb joke ‘and then I left him” was simply that.)," she said. 

"Nor did I explain that when he found out, Hughesy was mortified - properly shocked - and immediately sought to rectify the situation. (I had already procured parity for myself, by the way, but his instincts were so honourable he offered instantly to take a pay cut). He also vowed that from that point on, we would always negotiate together on the show we had built together, and we did, the following year, when we moved to SCA. Knowing that we could speak freely about our negotiations, and that we were treated as true equals at our new radio network was the best." 

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A post shared by Kate Langbroek (@katelangbroek)

Langbroek said that her and Hughesy are still very close friends. 

"The fact is, I am not estranged from David William Hughes. I never have been; not even when we have been apart. And I don’t think I ever could be. We have created great times, and navigated terrible times, where he did not falter. I know him. I adore him. I love his wife, Holly, and his kids. I respect him. I trust him. He is a brilliant comedian, with the mind of a philosopher. Also, women can tell when a man doesn’t consider us equal, and this guy is not that - with me or any woman." 

Feature image: Instagram. 

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