The KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O Show host has revealed she has ‘had a lot of growth’ in the last 12 months since she released her memoir.

Jackie ‘O’ Henderson revealed last year she attended rehab in late 2022, now she’s opened up about the addiction one year on. Photo: Instagram/kyleandjackieo and jackieo_official

Jackie ‘O’ Henderson surprised listeners last year when she announced on The Kyle and Jackie O Show that she had attended rehab in 2022 for drug and alcohol addiction. The radio host has now looked back on the last 12 months, revealing she has “had a lot of growth” since then.

The 50-year-old made the emotional announcement live on air last year, revealing she battled an addiction to painkillers, sleeping pills and alcohol. Jackie said her addiction began when she was struggling after her split from Lee Henderson, with whom she shares 14-year-old daughter, Kitty.

The radio host admitted that the reaction from the Australian public was unexpected, describing the last 12 months as a “shedding that final skin”.

“It didn’t happen like I thought it would,” she told T Australia: The New York Times Style Magazine.

“I thought [addiction] would be the one thing that’s attached to my name from that point on, but it doesn’t seem to be the case.”

The host explained that she thought there might be some stigma when people saw “a weak spot” and might want to call her an “ex-junkie or a drug addict”.

“Maybe people saw that I wasn’t ashamed, so they say other things instead,” she said.

Jackie with her 14-year-old daughter, Kitty. Photo: Instagram/jackieo_official

Jackie opened up about the “dark place” she was in during the height of her addiction.

“I look back on [my addiction] and think, it was such a dark place. I would never, ever want to go back to that. I’ve really been lucky in the sense that I haven’t had any wobbly moments.”

The host said that despite sometimes wishing she could enjoy a couple of glasses of Champagne with friends every now and then, she enjoys living a sober life.

“I think when you’re in good company and you’re enjoying yourself, you realise you actually don’t need [alcohol], surprisingly,” the mum-of-one added.

Jackie ‘O’ Henderson’s addiction and recovery

Jackie said she was taking around 10-12 Stilnox sleeping pills and 24 Panadeine Forte a day at the height of her addiction.

Listeners, and even Jackie’s co-host, Kyle Sandilands, thought the host was taking time off their radio show in 2022 due to long Covid.

Kyle said he “had no idea” about her struggles after Jackie told him that only her closest family and her best friend and manager, Gemma O’Neill, knew.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jackie O (@jackieo_official)

Jackie shared the revelation ahead of the release of her memoir, The Whole Truth, last year.

All proceeds from the book went to Odyssey House Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre, which provides “life-changing support to individuals seeking treatment but who are struggling financially”.