This article is more than 11 months old

This article is more than 11 months old

Kyle Sandilands has made an unprecedented eight-minute apology at the top of his popular radio show after offending religious groups by saying the Virgin Mary was a liar who got “chock-a-blocked” behind a camel shed.

The co-host of FM radio’s Kyle & Jackie O Show has apologised for offensive remarks before, but Monday’s live to air mea culpa was longer and more prominent than any in his history on air.

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The live video follows two earlier apologies for the religious outburst on 19 September, which has prompted death threats and protests outside the Sydney studios of ARN, owners of broadcaster KIIS FM.

“I thought Mary was his [Jesus Christ’s] girlfriend but apparently it was the mother,” Sandilands said 10 days ago. “And the mother lied obviously and told everyone ‘Nah I got pregnant by a magical ghost’. Bullshit. You might believe everything that’s written down 2,000 years ago to be absolutely accurate and good on you ... you’re dumb. Dumb as dog shit.”

The comments came a day before Kyle and Jackie O went for a week-long commercial radio survey-break but the furore has refused to die down while they’ve been off air.

Sandilands came back from his break on Monday at 6am, broadcasting from LA, and apologised profusely at the beginning of the show. The apology was replayed at 8am. Sandilands confirmed he would not be giving up his job over the incident.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Poster for the interfaith protest over Kyle Sandilands’ comments about the Virgin Mary. Photograph: Supplied

“Am I going to quit?” he said. “No. Am I going to get fired? No. Am I sorry? Absolutely I’m sorry.”

It’s been 10 years since Sandilands apologised for a notorious segment which involved a 14-year-old girl taking a lie detector test and being asked about her sex life. After she blurted out that she’d been raped Sandilands asked if that had been her only experience.

For that incident he lost his job as a judge on Ten’s Australian Idol and, after lengthy investigations by the media watchdog, special conditions were introduced at his then station 2Day FM to ensure nothing of the sort happened again.

Sandilands said on Monday he knew the level of anger was high because his mobile number had been leaked and he had spoken to hundreds of listeners who were furious.

“Truly from the bottom of my heart, never do I want to make someone so angry that they don’t want to listen to the show, neither do I want them to be so enraged that they are threatening to kill people over something I’ve said,” he said.

“I believe everyone has their right to their own opinion,” Sandilands said this morning.

“I never intended to purposely upset anyone. Obviously I have upset people, and I am sorry for it. There’s nothing else I can do.”

Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo) ‘I am sorry’ - Kyle issues an apology on air. pic.twitter.com/zq4QynF52X

Jackie O Henderson, who had laughed along with Sandilands’ remarks, also apologised.

But a group of interfaith protesters representing Christians and Muslims outside KIIS FM in Sydney’s Macquarie Park were not satisfied and said they wanted a personal apology from Sandilands.

ARN has also apologised.

“We echo Kyle’s statement and unreservedly apologise for any offence that may have been caused. When this content ran, we immediately recognised that it wasn’t appropriate for distribution and it was removed immediately,” said the spokesperson.

The attorney general, Christian Porter, responded to calls for Sandilands to face some sanction for his comments by saying the government’s religious discrimination bill is not intended to protect people from hearing speech which might offend or insult their religious sensibilities.

“The religious discrimination bill is designed to protect people from discrimination in a variety of circumstances, like in getting a job and entering public premises or being served at a counter,” he said.

“It is not designed to protect people from hearing inflammatory things from FM shock jocks – that type of protection would start to look like a law against blasphemy, which would be a big step backwards for free speech.”