NOVA radio host and Olympic breaks down on air after making a huge announcement: ‘I will be forever grateful’
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In a moment that left listeners and colleagues alike in a state of surprise, Susie O'Neill, the beloved NOVA radio host and Olympic swimming legend, made an emotional on-air announcement that she would be hanging up her headphones for good.
After over a decade of brightening the mornings of Brisbane's NOVA 106.9 listeners, O'Neill, affectionately known as 'Madame Butterfly’, revealed her decision to step away from the microphone 'with a very heavy heart’.
The 51-year-old former Olympian broke down in tears during the Friday morning episode of the breakfast show she co-hosted with Ash Bradnam and David 'Luttsy' Lutteral—Ash, Luttsy and Susie O’Neill.
O'Neill, a staple of the show since 2013, expressed her gratitude to her co-hosts for welcoming her into the world of radio.
‘(Thanks) to Ash and Luttsy for bringing me into your world and life a bit over 10 years ago now, when I pretty much had nothing going on in my life, to be honest,’ O’Neill said.
‘I joked that it saved my life at the time.’
‘You were both so supportive of me. I was horrible at radio, and I’d be upset and say, “I can’t do it,” and you’d say, “No, just keep going, just keep going”.’
‘For a lot of the time, it has been more than just a job,’ O’Neill added.
‘I actually do have some hard times in my life, even though it seems like I live a pretty good life, but when I’ve had really hard times, I’ve known that I can come in here, just be myself and be present and enjoy it.’
The transition from Olympic pools to radio booths is no small feat, and O'Neill's journey has been remarkable.
Known for her incredible achievements in swimming, including eight Olympic medals, she took on a new challenge in the media industry and quickly became a household name for her warm and engaging on-air personality.
‘NOVA has been amazing to me—a huge shout out to all of you who helped me navigate my way from the very beginning of my radio career, I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to front such an awesome show,’ O’Neill said.
‘Both on and off air, it’s been a privilege and honour to learn a whole new set of skills and for people to get to know me beyond the sporting world.’
‘And to our listeners, you are who I am going to miss the most—I’ve loved my time with you, and nothing pleases me more than when one of you comes up and recounts a story I have shared on air.’
‘You are the reason we get up at the crack of dawn, so thank you for the hundreds of wonderful memories.’
The announcement of her departure was met with heartfelt tributes from her colleagues.
Lutteral described the past decade with O'Neill as a 'wild adventure' and an experience he will cherish forever.
‘It’s been an incredible experience becoming great mates with Susie over the last decade,” Lutteral said.
‘A wild adventure, to say the very least and an opportunity I’ll cherish forever. While I’ll obviously miss seeing her every day, I also can’t wait to see the next chapters of her life.’
‘I know whatever is next for Suse is going to be fantastic. We will no doubt stay in touch, but at the very least, I will see her lighting the cauldron at Brisbane Stadium in 2032.’
‘Susie is an enormous talent who, alongside Ash and Luttsy, has built a unique connection with the Brisbane audience for over a decade. Seeing her transform from medal winner to consistent ratings winner has been an absolute pleasure, and Susie will always be a part of the NOVA family,’ NOVA Entertainment's CEO, Peter Charlton, said.
Meanwhile, Bradnam said working with O'Neill was a ‘privilege’.
‘As a cadet sports journalist at 4BC in the mid-1990s, I had the privilege of first interviewing Susie,’ he recalled.
‘Her unique combination of shyness, resilience, candour and her quirky nature immediately impressed me, establishing her as my favourite swimmer.’
‘When Susie later joined our radio team, she brought these same qualities to her on-air presence. Our audience quickly embraced her genuine charm, much as I had years earlier.’
‘Over the past 11 years I have watched on as Susie has developed into an outstanding broadcaster, an experience that has been one of the highlights of my career,’ Bradnam added.
‘We have shared countless moments of laughter and created lasting memories. As Susie kicks off the next phase of her career, I am filled with pride in her accomplishments and excited to witness her future endeavours.’
As O'Neill prepares for her final show on November 28, the end of the radio ratings year, the station and its listeners are left to anticipate the new breakfast show lineup for 2025.
How has Susie’s voice been a part of your life? What will you miss most about her broadcasts? Let us know in the comments below!
After over a decade of brightening the mornings of Brisbane's NOVA 106.9 listeners, O'Neill, affectionately known as 'Madame Butterfly’, revealed her decision to step away from the microphone 'with a very heavy heart’.
The 51-year-old former Olympian broke down in tears during the Friday morning episode of the breakfast show she co-hosted with Ash Bradnam and David 'Luttsy' Lutteral—Ash, Luttsy and Susie O’Neill.
O'Neill, a staple of the show since 2013, expressed her gratitude to her co-hosts for welcoming her into the world of radio.
Susie O’Neill announced her departure from NOVA after over a decade in radio. Credit: @ashluttsyandsusieoneill / Instagram
‘(Thanks) to Ash and Luttsy for bringing me into your world and life a bit over 10 years ago now, when I pretty much had nothing going on in my life, to be honest,’ O’Neill said.
‘I joked that it saved my life at the time.’
‘You were both so supportive of me. I was horrible at radio, and I’d be upset and say, “I can’t do it,” and you’d say, “No, just keep going, just keep going”.’
‘For a lot of the time, it has been more than just a job,’ O’Neill added.
‘I actually do have some hard times in my life, even though it seems like I live a pretty good life, but when I’ve had really hard times, I’ve known that I can come in here, just be myself and be present and enjoy it.’
The transition from Olympic pools to radio booths is no small feat, and O'Neill's journey has been remarkable.
Known for her incredible achievements in swimming, including eight Olympic medals, she took on a new challenge in the media industry and quickly became a household name for her warm and engaging on-air personality.
‘NOVA has been amazing to me—a huge shout out to all of you who helped me navigate my way from the very beginning of my radio career, I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to front such an awesome show,’ O’Neill said.
‘Both on and off air, it’s been a privilege and honour to learn a whole new set of skills and for people to get to know me beyond the sporting world.’
‘And to our listeners, you are who I am going to miss the most—I’ve loved my time with you, and nothing pleases me more than when one of you comes up and recounts a story I have shared on air.’
‘You are the reason we get up at the crack of dawn, so thank you for the hundreds of wonderful memories.’
O’Neill broke down on air as she bid farewell to her listeners of the show. Credit: Ash, Luttsy, & Susie / Facebook
The announcement of her departure was met with heartfelt tributes from her colleagues.
Lutteral described the past decade with O'Neill as a 'wild adventure' and an experience he will cherish forever.
‘It’s been an incredible experience becoming great mates with Susie over the last decade,” Lutteral said.
‘A wild adventure, to say the very least and an opportunity I’ll cherish forever. While I’ll obviously miss seeing her every day, I also can’t wait to see the next chapters of her life.’
‘I know whatever is next for Suse is going to be fantastic. We will no doubt stay in touch, but at the very least, I will see her lighting the cauldron at Brisbane Stadium in 2032.’
‘Susie is an enormous talent who, alongside Ash and Luttsy, has built a unique connection with the Brisbane audience for over a decade. Seeing her transform from medal winner to consistent ratings winner has been an absolute pleasure, and Susie will always be a part of the NOVA family,’ NOVA Entertainment's CEO, Peter Charlton, said.
Meanwhile, Bradnam said working with O'Neill was a ‘privilege’.
‘As a cadet sports journalist at 4BC in the mid-1990s, I had the privilege of first interviewing Susie,’ he recalled.
‘Her unique combination of shyness, resilience, candour and her quirky nature immediately impressed me, establishing her as my favourite swimmer.’
‘When Susie later joined our radio team, she brought these same qualities to her on-air presence. Our audience quickly embraced her genuine charm, much as I had years earlier.’
‘Over the past 11 years I have watched on as Susie has developed into an outstanding broadcaster, an experience that has been one of the highlights of my career,’ Bradnam added.
‘We have shared countless moments of laughter and created lasting memories. As Susie kicks off the next phase of her career, I am filled with pride in her accomplishments and excited to witness her future endeavours.’
As O'Neill prepares for her final show on November 28, the end of the radio ratings year, the station and its listeners are left to anticipate the new breakfast show lineup for 2025.
