This article was first published in 2021 and has been republished following the news of Kyle Sandilands' termination from his radio show with Jackie O Henderson.

When Kyle Sandilands was a child, his mother packed up their belongings during the middle of the night and moved them out of their family home. It was the final straw.

For years, Sandilands had watched as his father would get into fits of alcohol-induced rage and take it out on his mother. In his words, it was shocking and violent.

During the next few years, Sandilands and his mother moved from flat to flat in an attempt to get away from his father. Sandilands attended 13 different primary schools.

Watch: Kyle Sandilands talked about his mental health on Kyle & Jackie O. Post continues after video.

In an exclusive interview with Mamamia's No Filter podcast, the radio host recalled that when his mother met her next husband, things got better — but he still wasn't safe.

"When she got onto the next husband, he was nice to her, but he was a bit more violent to me and my brother. But I didn't care," he said.

"I would rather be whipped every day by the stepfather, as long as she was alright. So I still really remember that as a kid, like not even caring that I was getting whipped, for nothing for next to nothing, too. I wasn't even a bad kid.

"He was 30 years older than my mother as well. Maybe that's got something to do with my age difference," he said.

One night, when Sandilands was a teenager, he hosted a party for his school friends while his mother and stepfather were out of town. When they came home unexpectedly in the middle of the night, his stepfather told to leave and that he was never welcome back.

Sandilands left on his bike, terrified, eventually finding shelter in the only place he felt safe: behind the local supermarket. He stayed there for months, homeless, living on a loaf of bread and a carton of milk a day.

Listen to Mia Freedman's interview with Kyle Sandilands here. Post continues after audio.

Sandilands childhood influenced his entire adult life.

During his interview with Mia Freedman, Sandilands explained that it was witnessing the abuse towards his mother that shaped the person he is in relationships today.

"I'm very soft with women. I believe it's because I watched my mum live a torturous life," he shared.

"So I am a little bit more sensitive. I couldn't stand seeing her screaming or crying or being injured. That was very difficult. I witnessed all of that and I was too small to do anything. I physically tried to stop it many times, but I got injured myself."

For over 10 years, Sandilands was in a relationship with and then married to pop singer Tamara Jaber. Two years after their relationship ended in 2010, Sandilands started dating model Imogen Anthony. They were together for five years.

"I like being in a relationship. Something about that makes me feel safe. I don't know whether it's some leftover rubbish from childhood or what? But I like it," he said.

Sandilands also shared that it was because of the way he was treated as a child, that he was unsure whether he wanted any of his own. However, that changed with former communications manager, Tegan Kynaston. The couple welcomed their son, Otto, in August 2022, and got married in April 2023.

"I'm a big believer, coming from a broken childhood, that you've both got to really dedicate your life [to your children]," he said. "You've got to not be selfish. You've got to not let that kid come second; that's just not an option.

"I was the kid that came second and lived in a drain, lived behind a shopping centre, lived behind the petrol station.

"So that's me with chicks. Like a protective, young terrified kid watching mum deal with horrific situations to the guy that knows he wants to be in a relationship."

---

If you have experienced domestic violence, support is available. Please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). It doesn’t matter where you live, they will take your call and, if need be, refer you to a service closer to home.

---

Feature image: Getty and Mamamia.