About O'Neil:  
 

O'Neil Nair is the host of the award winning prime time Breakfast Express show, every weekday morning on Lotus FM. 
Winner: Best Breakfast Show Presenter at the Liberty Radio Awards 2019. Winner: Best Documentary on Radio for 1860: Remembering our Forefathers for the Breakfast Express at the Liberty Radio Awards 2019.Nominated: Best Breakfast Show at the Liberty Radio Awards 2019.

As a multi-talented radio and television presenter, I am a familiar voice on the station, having previously hosted, arguably the most successful weekday morning show in the history of Lotus FM - O'Neil in the Morning, as well as The Connection and Morning Masala shows over the weekend.In my 20 years of radio experience, I have successfully carved my niche in the media industry and also managed to scribe a path into the highly competitive print media industry.

I am a firm believer of the adage “Matha Pitha Guru Deivam” which has assisted me in achieving success while balancing my time between family, spirituality, and career. One of the mantras I live by is ‘’Keep the Passion” which motivates me to live life to the fullest, making indelible memories to last a lifetime.

Experience & Progression: 

 

• From my teenage years, I found a passion for radio, becoming a big fan of one of the few black voices on the radio at the time. This presented a huge motivation to get behind the microphone. I started my radio career in the year 1998 and haven't looked back.
• As host of O'Neil in the Morning, I conducted the first radio broadcast live from India for the African Continent in 2007, subsequently changing the style of Prime-Time Radio on the station. I also hosted the successful weekend shows, The Connection and Morning Masala. 
• I presently host the award-winning primetime Breakfast Express Show. It’s quick, punchy, entertaining and just what you need to get your morning on track. The Express team railroads through your weekday mornings from 07h00 to 10h00.
• Promising fast-paced and captivating radio, the show is co-hosted by the ever-bubbly, “girl-next-door”, Shaastra Nagesar and produced by award-winning media specialist, Yashika Ramautar.

Accomplishments:


 

• In my tenure at Lotus FM, I have taken radio to new heights, broadcasting from all corners of the globe, whether it be from the pinnacle of the Moses Mabhida Stadium, seconds before diving off the Big Rush Jump or coming to listeners live from the depths of underwater, amidst like-minded predators in Ushaka’s shark tank.
• I relished the opportunity to break into the visual media platform, hosting SABC Sport and Supersport TV shows. I also presented specialised television documentaries for SABC TV and MNet.
• I was also a presenter during the 2010 Soccer World cup and ICC World Cup 2011 as well as the IPL.
• It was an absolute honour to be acknowledged by my peers in the competitive radio industry and voted Best Breakfast Show Presenter at the Liberty Radio Awards 2019.
• The Breakfast Express also scooped the Best Documentary for 1860: Remembering our Forefathers, and the show was also nominated for Best Breakfast Show at the Liberty Radio Awards 2019.
• Some of my favourite radio moments are the many CSI campaigns that I conducted, including the "Save Renuka Sunflower Fund Drive" and collecting school fees through listener donations for learners at Lotus Primary in Chatsworth.
• In 2018, the Breakfast Express team spent our 67 minutes (well 3 hours) at the Ekujabuleni Children's Home in Pietermaritzburg, where we opened our hearts and wallets to bring each child a gift bag of food, toiletries, and goodies (a total of 46 gift bags were made by the team).
• The Breakfast Express' care and reach are not limited to just South Africa – when we heard about the devastating floods in Kerala India we appealed to our listeners to help through a non-profit organisation, raising much-needed funds for the destitute, which was kicked off with donations of our own.