Nova’s Susie O’Neill opens up about overcoming her self-doubt as a radio presenter

Nova’s breakfast show has won 10 out of 13 radio surveys since Susie O’Neill joined the line-up full-time, but the swimming champion has revealed the doubts that almost led to her quitting.

Unwitting radio golden girl Susie O’Neill has opened up about overcoming the self-doubt that left her wanting to quit radio out of a fear she didn’t belong.

Nova 106.9’s breakfast show, which the Queensland swimming champion co-hosts, on Tuesday recorded their third consecutive ratings win in the final survey of 2020, which saw them jump a resounding 2.4 points clear of their nearest rival, Triple M.

It was the biggest winning margin in Brisbane’s breakfast radio wars in two years and means Nova has won 10 of the 13 radio surveys since O’Neill joined the show full time in 2019 – alongside long-time co-hosts Ash Bradnam, David “Luttsy” Lutteral and Kip Wightman – after five years of part-time presenting.

Susie O'Neill at The Calile Hotel. Picture: Tara Croser.

But O’Neill admits it has taken her years to feel confident in the role, having felt she “didn’t belong” on radio and could never match the success she achieved in swimming.

“I felt like I shouldn’t be there,” O’Neill said.

“There have been quite a few times where I have wanted to quit over the seven years, a lot, especially in the early days.”

“Sometimes I thought it’d be easier to not do anything else because whatever else I do in life feels like it’s never going to be as good as my swimming career, so it’s hard to try other things because you always feel like you’ll never actually be very good.”

“Quite a few times I’d be like ‘I don’t want to do it anymore’, but they keep talking me around to keep going and I have less and less of those moments.”

She added: “They were saying ‘Just be yourself, you can’t be anyone else’. But I’m thinking, ‘Well, what if no one likes who I am?’”

Nova 106.9 breakfast show presenters Ash, Kip, Luttsy and Susie.

The 47-year-old Olympic gold medallist credited her friendship with her co-hosts, having known Bradnam and Lutteral as sport reporters since she was 20, in helping her feel supported.

“I never would have imagined (being on radio). I didn’t really speak much when I swam. But the boys just make me feel really comfortable,” she said.

“I always feel really supported, and I know it sounds cliche, but you know they’re not going to throw you under the bus or if you make a mistake they hide it, so it’s a really good atmosphere in the room and we’re really good friends.”

Despite the success of the show, O’Neill said she still didn’t think of herself as a “radio person” and was often surprised by the response she received from listeners.

“I just feel like we’re chatting. Every time a TV camera comes in because we’ve done well I think ‘Oh no, there’s someone listening’,” she said.

“I forget in the room that people are actually listening to our show.”

Nova ended the year as Brisbane’s most listened to station ahead of Triple M while Nova’s drive show with new addition Joel Creasey was also a clear winner.