It was announced today that Nova 106.9 Brisbane breakfast radio host and Olympic legend, Susie O’Neill will be departing the Ash, Luttsy and Susie O’Neill breakfast show.
After more than 10 years co-hosting Nova’s flagship breakfast show, Susie confirmed on-air this morning that she has decided to step down.
“I do this with a very heavy heart, this decision wasn’t easy. Ash and Luttsy are like brothers to me, they brought me into their world a little over a decade ago and they have always been my biggest supporters. We have formed an incredible bond over the years, which made this decision even harder. I’m proud to call them my friends, as I am the entire Nova breaky team,” said O’Neill.
“It’s hard for me to articulate exactly why I’m leaving. I think turning 50 last year I realised I’m at a whole new stage in my life. Our kids have grown up and I just feel the next chapter will see me pursue other goals, both professionally and personally.
“I feel like I want to get back to the grassroots of sport, and to involve myself more in the wider community. And while it’s going to be an emotional final day on November 28 saying goodbye to everyone, including our listeners, I do know whatever this next chapter brings, that my Nova family won’t be far away.
“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.
“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 recount 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.”
Susie’s on-air colleagues, Ash Bradnam and David “Luttsy” Lutteral have shared a studio with Susie since she joined the station as a casual sports reporter in 2013.
Bradnam said, “As a cadet sports journalist at 4BC in the mid 1990s, I had the privilege of first interviewing Susie. 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. 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 endeavors.
Lutteral added, “It’s been an incredible experience becoming great mates with Susie over the last decade. A wild adventure to say the very least and an opportunity I’ll cherish forever. Whilst 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.”
Talking to O’Neill’s future, Nova Network’s Group Programming Director, Brendan Taylor said, “Susie has been an integral part of the Nova Brisbane broadcasting family for 11 years, so we fully support Susie’s decision to switch off the alarm and step away from the breakfast shift. We’re also really excited about what’s next for Susie. She’s a supremely talented broadcaster who brings excellence to everything she does, so we hope to continue to work with Susie in 2025 and beyond.”
NOVA Entertainment’s CEO, Peter Charlton, added, “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.”
O’Neill will present her final Nova 106.9 breakfast show on Thursday, November 28. Nova 106.9’s breakfast show lineup for 2025 will be announced in due course.
