Kelly Nestor, a veteran Australian television and radio newsreader, has made a public appeal for work with Adelaide’s ABC station, saying she can no longer wait to return to the airwaves after a recent family tragedy.
In a Facebook post that has drawn hundreds of reactions, Nestor, 57, described the loss of her younger brother, Royce, and recalled her mother’s rapid cancer death at the same age. "Dear Universe," she wrote, "This is me on the day of my 57th birthday, the same age as my own mother was diagnosed with a rapid cancer that saw her dead in 12 months, and only weeks after my only sibling, my beloved younger brother Royce died. So you'll excuse me for running out of patience waiting for you to do the job for me. Now I'm just blatantly asking for a job with 891 ABC Adelaide broadcasting on the wireless." She added, "I don't want to wait any longer or keep doing things that don't bring me joy. Help me #southaustralia. I need you."
Nestor has worked across Australia's broadcast landscape, including roles at Network 10's newsdesk, Sky News and stints with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. She rose to prominence in South Australia after being named to what she called a "unicorn" role with Channel Nine’s Adelaide news team in the early 2000s, a position that saw strong ratings and elevated her profile in the state.
Two years into that role, Nestor was replaced by Kate Collins. She left Nine more than a decade ago and made a reported return to the airwaves in 2023, filling in for ABC Adelaide host Sonya Feldhoff for two weeks on the station’s Afternoons talkback program. She told the Gold Coast Bulletin that audience response to the temporary return had been "unbelievable," with producers noting unusually strong positive feedback.
Since posting her appeal this month, Nestor’s message has been met with encouragement from listeners and former viewers calling on 891 ABC Adelaide to give her an on-air role. Comments on her post praised her voice and connection with South Australian audiences, with one correspondent writing, "We want and need to hear this gorgeous human's voice," and another urging the station to "get this girl back on air."
ABC Adelaide has not publicly responded to Nestor’s post. The station operates as part of the national ABC network and hosts a mix of locally produced programs and networked content. Jobs at public broadcasters are subject to internal recruitment processes and editorial considerations.
Nestor’s request comes amid a broader, often public conversation in Australia about opportunities for experienced broadcasters to transition between television and radio, and about the ways local audiences respond when familiar presenters seek to return to regional markets. Nestor’s supporters cited her regional profile and past audience connection as reasons she could re-establish a presence on Adelaide radio.
Nestor’s public appeal follows the personal losses she described in her post. She framed the request as a next step toward work that brings her joy and as an appeal to the South Australian community to advocate on her behalf. Her social media message concluded with a direct plea to listeners and to 891 ABC Adelaide.
No further announcements from Nestor or ABC Adelaide have been reported since the post.