In a recent incident amid the ongoing competition between Melbourne breakfast radio shows, Pete Deppeler, a staffer from KIIS FM's "The Kyle and Jackie O Show," defaced a bronze statue of Fox FM's Brendan Fevola at Flinders Street Station. On Tuesday, Deppeler placed a KIIS FM t-shirt over the statue, engaging in a promotional stunt which he humorously defended by claiming he had enough t-shirts to continue all day if necessary.
Despite Deppeler's light-hearted approach, KIIS FM host Kyle Sandilands criticized the act on-air, labeling Deppeler a troublemaker and calling his actions childish. Co-host Jackie O also echoed Sandilands' sentiment, suggesting that the stunt showed immaturity.
This event takes place against a backdrop of fierce rivalry between "The Kyle and Jackie O Show," which launched in Melbourne on April 29 after dominating the Sydney breakfast radio scene, and "Fifi, Fev and Nick" of Fox FM, a successful show since 2014. There have been ongoing accusations and observations from listeners about the shows increasingly mirroring each other’s marketing tactics, including similar shifts in the prize amounts of their respective games to attract listeners.