Kyle and Jackie O move to Melbourne: Insider claims axed KIIS FM host Lauren Phillips ‘irritated’ listeners by name-dropping Hollywood friends like Chris Hemsworth and Matt Damon

• READ MORE: Kyle Sandilands splurges $13million on a new mansion in Vaucluse

EXCLUSIVE 

Newly axed radio presenter Lauren Phillips’ fondness for name-dropping her Hollywood friends rubbed listeners the wrong way, an industry insider has claimed.

The well-placed source spoke out overnight after Phillips’ KIIS FM Melbourne breakfast show Jase and Lauren – which she co-hosts with Jason Hawkins and Clint Stanaway – was dumped by parent company ARN to make way for a syndicated broadcast of Sydney’s ultra-popular Kyle and Jackie O, as part of a $200million deal.

While her fondness for discussing her A-list social circle wasn’t a factor in the show being axed, the insider told Daily Mail Australia she had long been ruffling feathers behind the scenes.

Phillips, 41, couldn’t seem to stop talking about her famous mates like Matt Damon, Elsa Pataky and Chris Hemsworth, they claimed – and her casual Hollywood name-drops supposedly rubbed some listeners and industry bigwigs the wrong way.

‘Jase is a really good talent and people have warmed to him over the years but Lauren Phillips is more of a socialite,’ the radio insider said.

‘She is glamorous and hangs out with famous people. That doesn’t make for good radio.’

Newly axed radio presenter Lauren Phillips’ fondness for name-dropping her Hollywood friends rubbed listeners the wrong way, an industry insider has claimed. (Pictured from left: Phillips, her fiancé Paul O’Brien, Luciana Barroso and Matt Damon at Derby Day this year)

While her fondness for discussing her A-list mates was not a factor in her show being axed, the insider told Daily Mail Australia she had long been ruffling feathers behind the scenes. (Pictured from left: Luciana Barroso – the wife of Matt Damon – with Phillips, Elsa Pataky, Chris Hemsworth, Gabriella Brooks and Liam Hemsworth at a charity gala in Sydney in June 2021)

Phillips, 41, couldn’t seem to stop talking about her famous mates like Matt Damon, Elsa Pataky and Chris Hemsworth, the source claimed – and her casual Hollywood name-drops supposedly rubbed some listeners and industry bigwigs the wrong way. (Pictured: Hemsworth surprising Phillips on air when she was a weather presenter for Weekend Today in September 2020)

The source added: ‘It helps with a good name-drop, but after a while even that becomes tired. Irritating, in fact.’ 

They went on to claim ‘the radio gig was more of a flex’ for Phillips, and losing the coveted breakfast gig would primarily be ‘a hit to the ego’.

When contacted for comment on Wednesday night, an ARN spokesperson said there was ‘no truth’ to claims Phillips’ name-dropping was ever an issue.

Phillips is often spotted attending red carpet events and partying with the Hemsworth family and their wider circle of Hollywood friends – the most noteworthy being Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso.

Her social media accounts are filled with pictures of her A-list mates, whose names she likes to bring up on her Melbourne brekky show. 

The well-placed source spoke out overnight after Phillips’ KIIS FM Melbourne breakfast show Jase and Lauren – which she co-hosts with Jason Hawkins and Clint Stanaway – was dumped by parent company ARN to make way for a syndicated broadcast of Sydney’s ultra-popular Kyle and Jackie O, as part of a $200m deal. (Pictured: Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson)

Phillips is often spotted attending red carpet events and partying with the Hemsworths and their circle of Hollywood friends – including Matt Damon (right) and his wife Luciana Barroso 

Phillips was a guest at the Hemsworths’ famous ‘white party’ in May 2021, which was attended by a Who’s Who of the elite Byron Bay set comprising Australian and U.S. celebrities who live either full- or part-time in the coastal NSW town. (Pictured: the guest pose for a group photo)

Phillips is seen centre left, with Elsa Pataky (left) and Luciana Barroso (centre right)

She donned a white wig for the ‘white party’, which was famously described as ‘peak Byron’

Phillips was a co-host of Jase and Lauren, alongside Jason Hawkins, for three-and-a-half years 

Flowers were delivered to Phillips’ home in Melbourne on the day her radio show was cancelled. Phillips has said it was a ‘business decision’ to end the Jase and Lauren show, and being replaced by Kyle and Jackie O was not how she imagined bowing out

Phillips was spotted hanging out with Damon and Hemsworth brothers Chris and Liam back in June when they threw a wild party in Mykonos, Greece. 

She and her fiancé Paul O’Brien – a private jet tycoon whose business caters to celebrities – danced the night away poolside alongside a Who’s Who of Hollywood, including Liam’s model girlfriend Gabriella Brooks and TV host Michele Merkin.

Only recently, Phillips spoke on air about Damon and Barroso’s unplanned appearance at Derby Day in Melbourne.

The Bourne Identity star and his wife had attended the Lexus Marquee as a guest of Phillips and O’Brien at Flemington Racecourse. 

After creating quite a buzz at the racing event, Phillips seized the opportunity to gloat over her friendship with the A-list actor. 

Phillips (centre left with her left hand in the air) was seen hanging with Damon and Hemsworth brothers Chris and Liam back in June when they threw a wild party in Mykonos, Greece 

Days later, she recounted more race-day anecdotes with Damon and his wife on air, and revealed she also spent time with Chris Hemsworth’s wife Elsa Pataky.

She heaped praise on Damon, describing him as a down-to-earth guy who always has time for his fans.

‘A lot of people came [up] to him. But no, he’s a great sport. He’s happy to chat to anyone that wants to chat to him,’ Phillips said of the Oscar winner. 

She went on to say she spent the entire day with Damon and Barroso, described them as her ‘guests’, and boasted of taking them on a tour of Melbourne.

The group dined at one of the city’s most exclusive restaurants, Gimlet, and visited a karaoke bar, she said. 

The radio personality’s chronic name-dropping became a point of contention with SEN radio boss Craig Hutchison earlier this week when she defended Damon against reports he had been paid to attend the Melbourne Cup Carnival. 

Recently, Phillips spoke on air about Damon and Barroso’s unplanned appearance at Derby Day in Melbourne, where they were joined by the likes of Elsa Pataky and Pia and Patrick Whitesell 

Hutchison had speculated on The Sounding Board podcast that Damon had been a paid guest.

According to Hutchison, Phillips later texted his co-host Damian Barrett to inform him Damon ‘wasn’t paid a cent’ and told the media executive to ‘shut the beep up’. 

Hutchison has since hit back at Phillips on his podcast, reminding her she is not the first person to have a famous friend, nor does she have to do ‘PR’ for her mates.

‘You’re not the first person to have a famous friend – yeah, we know you know Matt Damon. Well done, congratulations, you know a famous person,’ he said.

She went on to say she spent the entire day with Damon and Barroso, described them as her ‘guests’, and boasted of taking them on a tour of Melbourne. (Phillips is pictured in the Birdcage at Flemington Racecourse with Pataky, left, and Barroso, right)

After creating quite a buzz at Flemington, Phillips (left) seized the opportunity to discuss her day at the races on air 

The radio personality’s chronic name-dropping became a point of contention with SEN radio boss Craig Hutchison (pictured) earlier this week when she defended Damon against reports he had been paid to attend the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Hutchison reminded Phillips she is not the first person to have a famous friend, nor does she have to do ‘PR’ for her mates

‘You don’t need to reach out and remind us, as if you’re the PR flak defending whether he was or wasn’t paid,’ he added, before suggesting Phillips was desperate to be associated with Hollywood types.

‘Yeah, I know you’re in the shot, of course you’re in the shot, you don’t miss any shots,’ he said, referring to photographs of Phillips with Damon, Hemsworth, Pataky and actress Pia Whitesell in The Birdcage at Flemington.

Whitesell, formerly Pia Miller, is the wife of Hollywood talent agent Patrick Whitesell, another American power player who attended the races this year.

Phillips was introduced to Damon by the Hemsworths several years ago and together they make up the elite Byron Bay set of Australian and U.S. celebrities who live either full- or part-time in the coastal NSW town.

READ MORE: Jackie ‘O’s mum reflects on her daughter’s meteoric rise from ‘making coffee in a tinpot shed’ to multi-millionaire radio star – after she inks 10 year deal

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