For weeks, listeners of Mix94.5’s breakfast show Pete & Kymba with Ben Cousins were left wondering, where’s Kymba?
No social media updates. No on-air sign-off. Just sudden silence.
Now, Kymba Cahill has returned to the mic and, in an exclusive conversation for Mediaweek’s Newsmakers podcast, she opens up about the toll of online bullying and the decision to step away from a job she deeply loves.
Stepping back to survive
Cahill reveals that her absence was driven by intense, targeted online abuse, mostly from women, which left her mentally drained and emotionally exhausted.
“It was relentless,” she says. “It came from nowhere. And it was really hurtful.”
Despite a long career built on supporting and championing women, Cahill says the nature of the attacks, accusing her of being inauthentic, cut deeper than she anticipated. “I’ve always tried to use my platform to empower women. So for that to be turned back on me? It was devastating.”
When the show must go on… without you
Even with a supportive team and years of experience, returning wasn’t easy.
“The studio’s always been our safe space,” she says. “But it was hard to be away for so long, knowing Pete was carrying so much alone.”
She credits co-host Pete Curulli for not just holding the fort, but for standing by her publicly and privately. “When I came back, he wrapped his arms around me and said, ‘I’ve got you.’ And he meant it.”
In a world where professional boundaries are often misinterpreted, Cahill also highlights the importance of showcasing strong, platonic friendships between men and women in media. “It’s not suspicious. It’s support. And people need to see that.”
Free speech, frequency, and finding your footing
At the heart of Cahill’s story is a broader reckoning with online culture, how easily people weaponise platforms and how often women bear the brunt of digital aggression.
“We all have a right to our opinion,” she says. “But just because you can say something doesn’t mean you should.”
Even after years in media, navigating difficult conversations both on-air and behind the scenes, she says this experience was unlike anything she’d faced.
“You try to block it out, but it still finds a way under your skin,” she admits. “The world’s different now. Everyone’s walking around on edge. And it’s getting harder to find a space where you can feel confident to take up the room you’ve earned.”
Why the conversation isn’t over
Cahill’s return isn’t just a personal reset, it’s an invitation to have the conversations many still avoid. She wants listeners and industry peers to understand the realities behind the headlines, the toll of staying silent, and the value of speaking up anyway.
And that’s exactly what she does on Newsmakers.
“I want people to know: I wasn’t OK. And I had to step back to get better.”
To hear Kymba’s full story, tune in to the latest episode of Mediaweek’s Newsmakers podcast right here
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