Radio king Kyle Sandilands has seemingly found a new political crush, showering newly elected Liberal leader Sussan Ley with praise during a live interview.

Radio star Kyle Sandilands has thrown his weight behind new Liberal leader Sussan Ley during a live interview on Friday morning – despite his close friendship with PM Anthony Albanese.

The 53-year-old shock jock was joined by co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, 50, in welcoming Ley to The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

“Congratulations on being the first female leader of the Liberal Party,” Henderson said, before Kyle chimed in with: “I love that. And you know what? You’re a real powerhouse of a woman.”

Radio king Kyle Sandilands has showered newly elected Liberal leader Sussan Ley with praise during a live interview. Picture: Supplied
Jackie agreed, adding: “Yeah, you don’t mess with you. You’ve got a colourful history.”

“Now that sounds like she was a bikie’s moll, Jackie,” Kyle quipped.

“No, sorry- colourful’s the wrong word. But interesting. There’s a lot to you,”  Jackie clarified.

Ley, unfazed by the banter, responded warmly: “I appreciate your thoughts, and there’s a lot to me, and there’s a lot to the Australian community, and there’s a lot of hard work to do.

“And I’m so determined to get out there and do exactly that.”

Sussan Ley is the first woman to lead the federal Liberal Party and the most senior female in the party’s 80-year existence. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman
Clearly impressed, Sandilands rattled off Ley’s resume with enthusiasm.

“You know what I love about Sussan? She was a commercial pilot. Her father was an MI6 spy. She grew up… was it in South Africa? You lived in Dubai. You lived in England. You were a world traveller. You’ve done a lot.”

While Ley didn’t grow up in South Africa, she did have a diverse upbringing.

Born in Nigeria in 1961 to a British intelligence officer, she spent her early years in the UAE and England before her family settled in Australia.

At 13, she found herself on a hobby farm in Toowoomba before relocating again to Canberra.

Sussan Ley prepares to pilot herself out of the Capital and back to her home town of Albury in her federal electorate of Farrer, NSW on March 28, 2014. Picture: NCA
Before entering politics in 2001, she juggled motherhood with jobs as an air traffic controller, pilot, stock musterer and shearers’ cook.

“I worked really hard to learn how to fly,” she said, revealing she took on three jobs to make it happen.

“No one around me thought I could do it… but I did. I qualified.”

But commercial aviation didn’t pan out.

“I didn’t think the travelling public was ready for a woman in the left-hand seat of the big jet,” she explained, so she turned to aerial mustering, describing it as “flying very small planes very close to the ground in western Queensland.”

That time, she said, gave her deep respect for those working under the hot sun- something she carries into politics today.

Before entering politics in 2001, Ley juggled motherhood with jobs as an air traffic controller, pilot, stock musterer and shearers’ cook. Picture: Facebook/ Sussan Ley MP
Asked about her infamous name change- from Susan to Sussan- Ley chuckled.

“I made an offhand remark to a journalist and it kind of took off,” she said, seemingly referring to her 2015 interview with The Australian.

“The real reason is, I was rebellious in my youth… I just added the extra ‘S’ and annoyed my family.

“I certainly didn’t think I’d end up as leader of the opposition- or even a politician. It was a rebellious teenage decision.”

When Jackie asked whether she always felt destined for something bigger, Ley said she wasn’t sure, but she knew Australia was where she was meant to be.

“As a migrant here in my teens, I really had come to the best country in the world,” she said.

Sussan Ley shared these pictures of her family from Mother’s Day, 2025. Picture: Supplied
“It’s a migrant story, a mum’s story, a small business story, a modern Australian story.”

She said she’s focused on speaking directly to families and women across the country.

“It’s hard balancing work, family, children, childcare, the trip to work, looking after your elderly parents and then worrying about your mortgage,” she said.

“…There’s really an agenda there for us to fight for on their behalf.”

As the interview wrapped, Kyle offered his final endorsement: “I can’t wait to meet you face to face. Good luck with everything.”

Despite his long-time bromance with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who attended his 2023 wedding, Kyle made it clear he leans blue.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attends the wedding of Kyle Sandilands, pictured holding Kyle’s son, Otto on April 29, 2003. Picture: X
“You know, quietly, just so you know- I met (former opposition leader) Peter Dutton about this, too. He was a bit nervous I was an Albo fan,” he admitted.

“And I am friends with Albo. He came to my wedding, I’ve been to his house and s***.

“But really, I’m too wealthy to like Labor. I am a Liberal guy.”

Ley laughed: “Well, you know what Kyle- I had a friendly chat with Albo on Wednesday. If there’s another wedding coming up, maybe we can all sit at the same table.”