Who is Nikki Osborne? The comedian behind Anthony Albanese’s antics on her Bush Deep podcast

Nikki Osborne may become a household name after the Prime Minister’s antics on her show, but that doesn’t mean she’s new to the spotlight.

The comedian, actor and writer — who now calls herself Bush Barbie — was discovered by Eddie McGuire while working in the Australian acting industry, which led to her breakthrough as the host of Channel Nine’s late-night interactive quiz show Quizmania in 2006.

The Queenslander, 44, gained a cult following for her quick-witted ad-libbing when the phone lines dropped during the show.

She was subsequently headhunted by Mick Molloy to star on his Nine Network show The Nation and in the sketch comedy series Kinne.

Osborne was well-known on the stand-up circuit, particularly her 2018 autobiographical show On The Spectrum, which intended to highlight the positives of parenting a child with autism following her son’s diagnosis.

It triggered a debate about whether some topics should be off-limits in comedy and resulted in her being dropped from speaking at a disability expo.

In late 2021, Osborne was heavily criticised after posting a controversial meme on social media that seemed to compare COVID-19 vaccine mandates to sexual assault. The meme featured an image of convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein and actress Lindsay Lohan with the text “The original No Jab, No Job”.

In 2024, Osborne joined the Nova 106.9 Brisbane breakfast team as part of the Ash, Luttsy & Nikki Osborne Show, which she left at the end of 2025 due to a gruelling commute and health concerns.

However, she has remained with the Nova Entertainment network to host a sketch comedy podcast called Bush Deep, launched in May, where she unconventionally interviews high-profile figures as her alter ego “Bushie”.

In the wake of Albo’s backlash, Osborne said on Instagram: “Love him or hate him, this episode is bloody hilarious and a moment in political history because it was a massive risk for him.”

“I was not censored. They didn’t ask for approval of the edit. They just let me in, do the craziest political interview ever, then leave with comedy gold.”

Osborne’s other TV appearances include Hughesy We Have a Problem, I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here in 2020 and Dancing With The Stars in 2024 where she came fourth.