So it will be Ducko, now just known as Nick, who is joining the Nova 106.9 team in Brisbane in 2026. Nikki Osborne also departs the breakfast show which is No 1 in the city, with Susie O’Neill returning to replace her. But Nikki, in the same fashion as Susie when she left late 2024, remains with Nova and will host national network shows across next year.
There will be no Ash Bradnam who wrapped up unexpectedly two decades with the station last Friday. That decision, of which there appears to be a bigger story, has been unpopular with listeners.
Susie O’Neill said of her return:
“It was a hard decision to step away from the breakfast show at the end of 2024, and I’m grateful that I’ve been able to dabble in projects this past year with the extended NOVA family. But now, I’m really looking forward to starting this next chapter.
I’ve really missed the energy of live radio, and I’ve most definitely missed connecting with listeners. I’ve always believed early mornings are the best time of day and I can’t wait to be back on air in Brisbane with Nova Breakfast.”
Susie has this year been co-presenting survey break breakfast alongside Nova stablemates Matt Baseley and Mel Tracina, who is also now the host of Big Brother.
Nikki Osborne said:
“I’ve loved everything about breakfast radio except for ridiculously early starts. I’m so proud I can say that in my first year we took the number one breakfast show title, and the cherry on top is that next year I get to work with NOVA on some exciting projects and most importantly, have a sleep-in now and then.”
Nick Allen-Ducat, formerly known as Ducko, joins Nova Brisbane after six years doing Hit Breakfast in Newcastle. He said of his return to Brisbane and the station that started his radio journey:
“It’s such a privilege to have this opportunity to work on the best breakfast show in the business, in my hometown, with the people who first sparked my love for radio. I know how much fun these guys are, and it still feels surreal that I’ll be joining them on air next year!
Nova is in my DNA, and coming back truly feels like a ‘coming home’ moment. Getting to do the thing you’ve always wanted to do is a dream come true. I can’t wait to return to Brisbane, and neither can my wife. My parents live in Brisbane, my wife’s parents live in Brisbane, and we feel blessed that our daughter now gets to grow up in our hometown.”
And, David ‘Luttsy’ Lutteral added:
“Nick is someone I’ve always respected who understands the importance of authentic radio, so it’s great to have him home. I don’t think Brisbane has ever had the energy it possesses right now. We all have a sense of pride and excitement for what lies ahead that is unprecedented. That’s a tempting proposition for Nova in 2026 and one we intend to grasp.
I deeply cherish my friendship with Susie and what she has already achieved and can’t wait to be part of her next chapter. To do breakfast radio with an Olympic legend in an Olympic city is mind blowing for me and that’s a journey our listeners will join us on. So, it’s fresh yet familiar for me, and I promise it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Luttsy has been part of Nova’s various breakfast iterations since the station launched in Brisbane 20 years ago.
Nikki’s final breakfast show is on next Friday December 12. Nick, Luttsy & Susie O’Neill will air weekdays from 6am on Nova 106.9 in Brisbane from Monday, January 19, 2026.