Christian Liam O'Connell (born 7 April 1973 in Winchester, Hampshire) is an Australian-based British radio disc jockey (DJ), television host, writer and comedian.
He is currently the host of The Christian O'Connell Show, airing on weekday mornings across the Gold Network including Gold 104.3 in Melbourne, Gold 101.7 in Sydney on the FM band, and Gold DAB+ in Adelaide and Brisbane, as well as Gold 80s in Perth. A nightly hour of the program is broadcast airs from 6 pm to 7 pm on Gold 104.3 in Melbourne, Gold 101.7 in Sydney, Cruise 1323 in Adelaide and Gold 96FM in Perth.
O'Connell's first job was as a dustman in Winchester at the age of 16 in the Christmas holidays. O'Connell started on 2CR Radio in Bournemouth in 1998. He later moved to Juice FM in Liverpool in 2000. He formerly hosted BBC Radio 5 Live's weekend sports game show Fighting Talk from 2004 to 2006 and the 2013–14 season, the other presenters being BBC Football Commentator Jonathan Pearce and This Morning presenter Matt Johnson.
O'Connell hosted the Breakfast Show on indie music station XFM London from January 2001 to October 2005. While at XFM, O'Connell ran a song writing competition amongst listeners to pen an England team anthem for UEFA Euro 2004. The result was Born In England, which was recorded with the assistance of acts including Supergrass, The Libertines and Delays, as well as Bernard Butler and Northern Irish actor James Nesbitt. Released under the band name "Twisted X", the song reached Number 9 on the UK Singles Chart.
O'Connell joined the Virgin Radio team making his first broadcast on 23 January 2006. He celebrated his 10th year at Virgin (changed in September 2008 to Absolute) by giving his listeners free tins of food.
He has performed three sold-out tours of the International Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Festival in 2013, 2014, and 2015. He hosted the MacMillan Cancer comedy show at the London Palladium in 2016 and the Stand Up to Cancer show at the London Palladium in November 2017. He hosted the Q Awards between 2013 and 2017.
In February 2018, O'Connell announced that he would leave Absolute Radio and emigrate to Australia to host the Gold 104.3 breakfast programme in Melbourne. He did his last broadcast of the UK's The Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show on 18 May 2018, before starting the new show on 4 June 2018, featuring his long-running quiz "Yay or Neigh".
In April 2020, ARN announced that The Christian O'Connell Show would be syndicated across the country from 27 April, airing for one hour from 7–8 pm on weeknights on Gold 104.3 in Melbourne, Gold 101.7 in Sydney, KIIS 97.3 in Brisbane, Mix 102.3 in Adelaide and 96FM in Perth.
In November 2023, ARN announced that it had renewed O'Connell's contract until 2029.
In August 2025, it was announced that The Christian O'Connell Show would become Australia's first national commercial radio breakfast programme in 2026, broadcasting live across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. The show airs weekdays from 6am till 9am in Melbourne on Gold 104.3, Sydney on Gold 101.7, Brisbane on Gold DAB+, Adelaide on Gold DAB+, and in Perth on Gold 80s DAB+.
The Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show, 2CR FM, Bournemouth (1998 – January 2000)
The Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show, Juice FM, Liverpool (January 2000 – January 2001)
The Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show, XFM London, (January 2001 – October 2005)
The Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show, Virgin Radio, United Kingdom (January 2006 – September 2008)
The Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show, Absolute Radio, United Kingdom (September 2008 – May 2018)
The Christian O'Connell Show, Gold Network, Melbourne, Australia (June 2018 – present, Gold 104.3 Melbourne) • (January 2026 – present, National)
The Christian O'Connell Show (Highlights), Gold 104.3 Melbourne, Gold 101.7 Sydney, Cruise 1323 Adelaide and Gold 96FM Perth. (April 2020 – present)
James Nesbitt, another friend of O'Connell's, has appeared before he moved to Virgin Radio, with a guest appearance on O'Connell's XFM show in 2004.