Kyle Sandilands Shares Why He’s Hesitant to Attend John Laws’ Funeral

Kyle Sandilands has revealed whether he will attend the state funeral of iconic broadcaster John Laws.

The radio icon died on Sunday, aged 90, after a stellar 71-year career behind the microphone.

Radio station 2GB reported on Wednesday that a state funeral would be held for Laws at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney on November 19.

Speaking about the funeral on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Wednesday, Kyle said that he was reluctant to attend, despite counting Laws as a friend.

The conversation started when Kyle was discussing offers to appear on various TV shows to discuss Laws’ passing. 

‘I saw other people do it, and that’s fine,’ Kyle said.

‘I just thought, “It’s not about me…”‘ he continued. ‘It’s too sad for me. I’m not into that.’

Turning his attention to the upcoming funeral, Kyle also revealed a hesitation to attend.

‘I love John Laws. I may go to the funeral, but sometimes I choose not to go,’ said Kyle. 

Explaining his reasoning, the radio titan said he was ‘turned off’ by the ‘intrusive’ aspect of such a high-profile funeral, something he learned when farewelling his father Peter in 2016.

‘I remember my dad’s funeral, that really turned me off funerals because there was paparazzi there because he was my father,’ Kyle said.

‘I just felt it was very intrusive and I didn’t like the spectacle of it all.’

Co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson added: ‘I rethink when you’re at your most vulnerable… just to have someone photographing you it just feels like, “Really?”‘

Kyle agreed, pointing to the pictures of a ‘devastated’ Laws at the funeral of his wife Caroline in 2020.

‘Even seeing pictures of John Laws when he was at his wife’s funeral, and he was devastated – standing there with a cane,’ Kyle said.

‘You could just tell he was devastated. I was looking at those photos yesterday and I thought: ‘No one’s got any privacy in life any more.

‘I might go, I don’t know.’            

In a video shared to The Kyle and Jackie O Show Instagram on Tuesday, Kyle could be seen fighting back tears, remembering Laws as a ‘good friend’.

‘He was very funny and a lot more caring than people gave him credit for,’ Kyle began his tribute on the KIIS FM breakfast show on Monday.

He added that his mother had cried when he told her the sad news that the media veteran had passed away.

Kyle went on to recall how he had first encountered Laws four decades ago when he was a panel operator in Townsville.

‘He was a great mentor because when I first started in radio, I was pushing buttons for his ad breaks,’ he said, adding he was only 16 at the time.

‘I ended up being mates with him, we’d have dinner, we’d have lunch.’

Kyle also shared how Laws accused him of ‘imitating’ his style. Like Laws, Kyle used a golden microphone in the studio, and just like his mentor, he enjoyed driving a Rolls–Royce.

The radio star continued: ‘I remember the first time we got him on the show,’ [and Laws had] said: ”You’re just copying me” and I said: ”You inspire me.”‘

Kyle could be seen choking up as he recalled one touching moment with Laws when the radio legend had dubbed him ‘the last of the radio cowboys’.

‘After you, who is there?’ Laws told him.

Laws, who retired last year after 71 years in radio, appeared regularly on The Kyle and Jackie O Show over the years.

Regarded as one of Australia’s most powerful talkback hosts, Laws rose to become one of the country’s most well-known and highest–paid media personalities.

He is understood to have been in end-of-life care in recent months, and he leaves behind five children.

Laws began his career in AM radio back in 1953 at 3BO in Bendigo, and his unique style earned the broadcaster the nickname ‘The Golden Tonsils’.

He was inducted into the Australian Radio Hall of Fame in 2003 and received an ARIA lifetime achievement award in 2008.