"Thank goodness, congratulations - you've settled the case with the main player."
That was how the news that shock jock Kyle Sandilands reached an agreement with his former employer, ARN Media, was welcomed by Federal Court Justice Angus Stewart.
But any visions of leaving the radio stoush behind were dashed as Sandilands' former co-star Jackie "O" Henderson showed no appetite for avoiding trial.
Neither star appeared in court on Thursday as Henderson's barrister indicated it was all systems go in her client's high-profile legal dispute over the termination of her record-breaking contract.
Henderson claims she was unlawfully sacked from her $100 million hosting gig on KIIS FM earlier this year and is expected to give evidence of subsequent damage to her health and wellbeing.
ARN - the owner of KIIS FM - previously told the court Henderson sent the station a letter in February claiming her co-host had engaged in "persistent and relentless bullying" against her over about six months.
The radio hosts' highly public bust-up moved into the legal arena after an exchange between the star pair in February, when Sandilands accused his co-host of being "off with the fairies".
The on-air comments prompted Henderson to say she could no longer work with her contentious colleague.
ARN claims both hosts are liable for the loss of the company's key advertising revenue because they breached their contract and made the future of their breakfast show untenable.
The central issue in the legal dispute is determining who at ARN was responsible for making the decision to sack Henderson after she said she could no longer work with her controversial co-star, her barrister said.
"We do not know who (ARN) say the decision makers were," Vanja Bulut said.
Henderson's agent Gemma O'Neill was in court to hear the case would continue.
Henderson and ARN are still working towards a trial set to start on October 12, although the radio company was forced to cover the costs Henderson amassed for a cross-claim it has now dropped after her co-host settled his half of the dispute.
Sandilands said on Wednesday evening he was relieved to have reached an end to the legal fight with his former employer.
In an ASX announcement on Wednesday, ARN media said it would pay Sandilands $12 million, with $3 million payable as soon as July.
Sandilands said he was relieved to put the ordeal behind him when approached by reporters outside his home.
"It's quite daunting to have that hanging over your head," he said.
"I could have dragged it on for like a year and a half."
Sandilands said his team was confident of a legal victory had he pressed on, but he now hopes to use his free time investing in his next project.
"It means I can get back to work rather than annoying my wife. I'm just happy to get out of here in the morning and back to work," he said.
"I'm just building my own platform ... I don't care if it's hugely successful or it just keeps the people that were retrenched employed."
That project may be buoyed by the $1.5 million in advertising services on ARN's partner platforms that he is owed under the settlement.
In exchange, however, the radio network will be entitled to a 19.9 per cent share of any new venture for three years.
Sandilands will also be prohibited from engaging with any of ARN's direct competitors for up to nine months from the settlement date.
"This agreement brings certainty for ARN and resolves the legal dispute," ARN chief executive officer Michael Stephenson said.
Both presenters were seeking the full payout of the remainder of their 10-year, $100 million contracts signed at the end of 2023.
