Susie O’Neill has cemented her status as one of Australia’s swimming greats, earning the nickname Madame Butterfly.
Throughout her career, she won eight Olympic and 16 Commonwealth medals and 43 other international medals in the pool.
Now, she’s swapping swimming for Dancing with the Stars.
Read more about her life below.
Who is Susie O’Neill’s husband?
She married Cliff Fairley, who is an ophthalmologist, in 1998, and they have been smitten ever since.
For Valentine’s Day in 2018, she even released a pop song called My Heart Goes Boom, which documents their love story.
They met at her brother’s 21st birthday, and in the song, she said she saw her true love from “across the room”.
“And my heart went boom, the stars were flying across the room. And I knew from the very start, that we would never part… cos my heart went boom,” the lyrics say.
Speaking to our sister publication Woman’s Day in 2023, she said the secret to their marriage was simple.
“Enjoying one another’s company is a good start! It’s important to work as a team with lots of give and take, and never being afraid to afford each other a bit of space,” she said.
For more than 20 years, the couple has been heavily involved with the Fred Hollows Foundation, which aims to eliminate avoidable blindness and improve the health of Indigenous Australians.
Does Susie O’Neill have kids?
Susie and Cliff are the proud parents of Alix and Bill.
For her daughter’s 21st birthday in May, the Olympic swimmer shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram.
“Our beautiful daughter Alix is 21! What a journey! We are so proud of you Alix! Love you 🥰,” she wrote.
Their son Bill is 19.
While her children are her whole world, she has been candid about her experiences with post-natal depression.
“It was the hardest period of my life – I had an overwhelming sense of sadness after both births,” she told Woman’s Day in 2023.
“I’d see other mums loving the whole process, and I found parenthood infinitely more challenging than training and winning gold medals.
“I ignored my mental health for a long time, until I eventually gave in and got the help I needed.”
Her children are her biggest supporters and even came to see her rehearse for Dancing with the Stars.
“I was way more nervous hitting the dance floor than I ever was diving off the blocks in an Olympic final,” she told the publication.
“The kids and Cliff came to a couple of rehearsals, and it was Alix who offered this piece of advice, ‘Mum, can you soften your face a bit – instead of looking like someone’s got a gun to your head!’ Let’s just say it was the right choice my parents made to take me to swimming lessons as a kid and not ballet classes!”
Why did Susie O’Neill leave radio?
Before she hit the dance floor, Susie worked at Nova in Brisbane.
She initially joined the network in 2013 as a casual sports presenter, where she joined David Lutteral, Ashley Bradnam and Kip Wightman. Six years later, she became a co-host.
But in 2024, she announced “with a heavy heart”, that it was time to leave.
“For a lot of the time it has been more than just a job,” she said.
“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.”
At the time, she said she was not sure why she was leaving, but knew it was the right thing to do.
“I think turning 50 last year I realised I’m at a whole new stage in my life,” she said. “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.”
What is Susie O’Neill doing now?
While she announced her departure from the Brisbane show, she has stayed at Nova as a guest presenter.
She also joined the Nova Podcast Network, where she hosts Mel & Matty with Susie O’Neill.
Susie is also a passionate surfer and marathon runner.
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