July 11, 2025 • 10 mins
Aaron Bennett is the founder of Shout Radio, a station that began 12 years ago as a fun side project and has since grown into a full-fledged professional broadcaster. Starting with nothing more than a few records, a mic, and some dodgy jokes, Aaron has steered the station through the ups and downs of running a media outlet — from technical hiccups to major milestones.
His passion for radio and natural talent for engaging an audience helped shape Shout Radio’s unique identity. Aaron believes strongly in the power of broadcasting to entertain, inform, and connect people, and he’s spent years developing the station into something he's proud to stand behind.
Now celebrating more than twelve years on air, Aaron continues to push the station forward with a focus on quality output, great music, and fresh content — all delivered with a healthy dose of humour and personality.Highlights from Toby Gribben's Friday afternoon show on Shout Radio. Featuring chat with top showbiz guests. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
His passion for radio and natural talent for engaging an audience helped shape Shout Radio’s unique identity. Aaron believes strongly in the power of broadcasting to entertain, inform, and connect people, and he’s spent years developing the station into something he's proud to stand behind.
Now celebrating more than twelve years on air, Aaron continues to push the station forward with a focus on quality output, great music, and fresh content — all delivered with a healthy dose of humour and personality.Highlights from Toby Gribben's Friday afternoon show on Shout Radio. Featuring chat with top showbiz guests. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Thank God It's Toby Highlights, the podcast version
of my radio show. We've got a cracking interview coming
up for you, and remember, if you want the full
unfeltered chaos, you can catch Thank God It's Toby Live
every Friday afternoon from three on Shout Radio. But enough
(00:22):
of the plugging. Let's get on with the interview stand weekend, right,
thank God It's Toby. There are days when you're hungry
for McDonald's. Then there are days when you're Big Arch
hungry for McDonald's. You'll get to know the difference new
(00:43):
Big Arch for Big McDonald's Hunger until the ninth of
September from eleven am, subject to availability. A cast recommends podcasts.
We love the Red Raw podcast, Rob Herferin and Laumanny,
your one stop shot for everything about life. I think
of you every time I'm in the bat wrong. You
(01:05):
mocked me every time the bad I think your face
mocking me because I have to turn over on to
me niece and get up like a heifer every single
time I feel mocked. It's pretty simple. If it goes on,
it goes in. The Red Raw podcast, available every Monday
wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
A cast is home to the world's best podcasts, including
the Blind Boy Podcast, Ready to Be Real with Sheila
Show Again, and the one You're listening to right Now.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Aaron Bennett is a radio obsessive who started Shout Radio
twelve years ago as a hobby and somehow turns it
into a full blown radio station without burning the place down.
And Aaron is on the line of us here from
Shout Radio HQ. Good afternoon, sir.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Good afternoon TIMEBA.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Now did you do you ever imagine when you started
Shout Radio that it would still be going strong in
twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I didn't. I didn't think it will get this far,
but I'm so glad it did.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
I once kept you going when things have got tough
or when you've thought about packing it all in.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
It's a people that make the station, that keep me going,
with such a good team of people. We come from
all walks of life, all different ages. Yeah, it's it's
the people that have kept me going and the buzz
of it.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
And if you could go back to twenty thirteen and
give twenty thirteen Aaron a bit of advice before launching
Shout Radio, what would it be besides, don't do it.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Stay strong, don't give up. You're gonna make it, and
we did.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Now, this coming Sunday is the big birthday itself, so
what can we expect from the birthday celebrations and particularly
this marathon Shaw that's apparently happening on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
It's going to be twenty four hours of live chaos,
absolute live chaos. We have a running order from twelve
noon right the way through till twelve noon the next day.
There's going to be heaps of guests, including yourself. Oh yeah,
you're coming all the way down from will you Bonnie
(03:24):
Scotland am I? Oh I yes. Solo will have to
iron his kilt for you. So as well as Toby,
there are other people that are coming and joining in
in the fun. There's going to be music, music, music.
I'm sure Toby's got loads of stuff planned. We're having
a barbecue at our HQ, which is going to be
(03:45):
really good fun. Soolo is going to be on the grill,
so he's going to be cooking like no tomorrow and
it should be really good.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
You've said you've got a running order here. Who's drawn
the short shot to go first? You and me so
we'll be right there, Brendan Earl. At twelve o'clock we
shall Who do you think is the most likely to
fall asleep on here apart from you?
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Jim? Well, I mean he is pretty old, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
I mean you could die. Actually there's a chance of that.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Oh I hope. No, it's too much paperwork.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Yeah that is true. Now, are there any special guest
plan during the show other than presenters, or any special features?
Or are you just winging it as usual?
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Oh no, we're just winging it as we normally do.
We'll go with the flow.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
What do you hope the floor mates look like?
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I'm hoping it's going to go well with loads of
good music and chatter and we've got all. I've got
one feature. We are going to do the blue profile,
Oh of course, the blue per file, the dreaded blue pifile,
and I've got loads of them for this year.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Yes, there seems to be more and more every year.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Growing up laughing at your ranus.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
There's nothing wrong with my Anis still life like that?
Speaker 2 (05:01):
I don't know. I've not seen it and I don't
want to.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
We both know that's not true. Now, if you could
steal one presenter from any radio station in the UK
to join Shout Radio. Who would you poach?
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Could it be somebody that's either dead or alive.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Let's go alive, let's stay within the realms of possibility.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
The realms of reality. It would be Pham Cotton.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Oh that's a bit left of field there, she's all right. Yeah.
The only trouble is she's a bit limited because doesn't
she have really bad anxiety? So she can't do live radio.
She has to pre record it all.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I don't know. I have absolutely no idea.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Well, it's a little bit of insider or gossip there.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
But if it was somebody that was that you know,
is unfortunately no longer with that, the two I would
have on would be Steve Wright and Terry Wogan. He
was he was a veteran of radio.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
I could have guessed those two. But yes, they probably
would have fit the station quite.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Well, especially Kerry Rogan.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Absolutely. Now what does this mailstone of twelve years of
it Shot Radio mean to you?
Speaker 2 (06:14):
It means the world to me. I mean I started
this off, I'd never thought it would get this far.
I thought, oh, you know, Shout Radio might get to
five years, it might get to ten years. I never
ever thought it would get to twelve. So it means
the world to me, and it makes me so proud
(06:35):
of what I have achieved and what I have come
through to get this far. It's been a hell ride.
We've had all sorts of bumps in the road, and
we've had all sorts of problems, but we've managed to
stick through them and we've managed to keep on going.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Does it feel like it's been twelve years or does
it feel a lot shorter or a lot longer?
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Now? It only seems three or four years we've been going,
But twelve years is one heck of an achievement.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
It is insane because it's nearly halfway to twenty five,
which is like the silver anniversary. So who knows we
could be here in twenty thirty eight, imagine and celebrating
our twenty fifth.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Oh flipping neck, I'll be ancient by then.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
You already are, aren't you, cheeky.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
I'll be in my sixties by then, yes, and you'll
be in your forties.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
So excuse me, I will not well.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Twenty years time.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Thirteen years time, and we're twenty five.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Oh, thirteen years time, thirteen years time. Yeah, yeah, you'll
be in your thirties still, Yes, so at least you'll
still have your youth, that is very true. Hopefully you'll
still be looking as good as you do now. Absolutely
with the goatee. Now, whether the goaty lasts, we don't know.
But yeah, I mean, I mean the silver Jubilee is
(07:54):
going to be another really big milestone for the station
because ten years was on milestone.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Yeah, I think we stand a better chance of making
it to our silver, do you believe than a certain
Charles does.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
With this clown with Camilla's underwear.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Yes, just for your information, I think the goatee will
be going by tomorrow because I've got a big thing
tomorrow where I don't want to look scruffy. You know.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Oh, so you're going to shave the goat you off?
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Yes, I'm afraid. So it has actually been off since
the last time you saw it, but then it's back again.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
You just look weird, to be honest, with a goatee,
I just look weird. Absolutely, no comment. It makes me
wonder how far we will have got in the next
thirteen years, I know. Definitely. One of the things we
are mega aiming for is dab yes and getting on
DAB is something that we really really want to do well.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
The Shout Radio twelfth Birthday Marathon show all kicks off
at twelve pm this coming Sunday. And in the means,
when's the next time we can hear you on show
radio You on Friday Night Lives don eight at nine.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yes, I will be, and then I'll be back on
Sunday and then every weekday afternoon from four.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Well, we're not gonna say goodbye completely yet because you're
gonna come back after the next song to introduce the
mini desk. But yeah, many thanks for coming on today,
and we will have a lot of fun on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
I'm sure we're gonna have a get go in a half.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Fridays for celebration, good times and relaxations. So turn the
radio up and just listen. Listen. If you've got that
Fridday feeling, You'll soon be Dad saying on the clay,
and I'll be because of your host, Tommy Gram I
guess some brillianasics. Fantastic, Tommy is terrific. Spaeture is a classic.
(09:50):
So let's reach now bids and start now weekend right.
Thank god it's Toby
Welcome to Thank God It's Toby Highlights, the podcast version
of my radio show. We've got a cracking interview coming
up for you, and remember, if you want the full
unfeltered chaos, you can catch Thank God It's Toby Live
every Friday afternoon from three on Shout Radio. But enough
(00:22):
of the plugging. Let's get on with the interview stand weekend, right,
thank God It's Toby. There are days when you're hungry
for McDonald's. Then there are days when you're Big Arch
hungry for McDonald's. You'll get to know the difference new
(00:43):
Big Arch for Big McDonald's Hunger until the ninth of
September from eleven am, subject to availability. A cast recommends podcasts.
We love the Red Raw podcast, Rob Herferin and Laumanny,
your one stop shot for everything about life. I think
of you every time I'm in the bat wrong. You
(01:05):
mocked me every time the bad I think your face
mocking me because I have to turn over on to
me niece and get up like a heifer every single
time I feel mocked. It's pretty simple. If it goes on,
it goes in. The Red Raw podcast, available every Monday
wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
A cast is home to the world's best podcasts, including
the Blind Boy Podcast, Ready to Be Real with Sheila
Show Again, and the one You're listening to right Now.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Aaron Bennett is a radio obsessive who started Shout Radio
twelve years ago as a hobby and somehow turns it
into a full blown radio station without burning the place down.
And Aaron is on the line of us here from
Shout Radio HQ. Good afternoon, sir.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Good afternoon TIMEBA.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Now did you do you ever imagine when you started
Shout Radio that it would still be going strong in
twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I didn't. I didn't think it will get this far,
but I'm so glad it did.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
I once kept you going when things have got tough
or when you've thought about packing it all in.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
It's a people that make the station, that keep me going,
with such a good team of people. We come from
all walks of life, all different ages. Yeah, it's it's
the people that have kept me going and the buzz
of it.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
And if you could go back to twenty thirteen and
give twenty thirteen Aaron a bit of advice before launching
Shout Radio, what would it be besides, don't do it.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Stay strong, don't give up. You're gonna make it, and
we did.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Now, this coming Sunday is the big birthday itself, so
what can we expect from the birthday celebrations and particularly
this marathon Shaw that's apparently happening on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
It's going to be twenty four hours of live chaos,
absolute live chaos. We have a running order from twelve
noon right the way through till twelve noon the next day.
There's going to be heaps of guests, including yourself. Oh yeah,
you're coming all the way down from will you Bonnie
(03:24):
Scotland am I? Oh I yes. Solo will have to
iron his kilt for you. So as well as Toby,
there are other people that are coming and joining in
in the fun. There's going to be music, music, music.
I'm sure Toby's got loads of stuff planned. We're having
a barbecue at our HQ, which is going to be
(03:45):
really good fun. Soolo is going to be on the grill,
so he's going to be cooking like no tomorrow and
it should be really good.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
You've said you've got a running order here. Who's drawn
the short shot to go first? You and me so
we'll be right there, Brendan Earl. At twelve o'clock we
shall Who do you think is the most likely to
fall asleep on here apart from you?
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Jim? Well, I mean he is pretty old, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
I mean you could die. Actually there's a chance of that.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Oh I hope. No, it's too much paperwork.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Yeah that is true. Now, are there any special guest
plan during the show other than presenters, or any special features?
Or are you just winging it as usual?
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Oh no, we're just winging it as we normally do.
We'll go with the flow.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
What do you hope the floor mates look like?
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I'm hoping it's going to go well with loads of
good music and chatter and we've got all. I've got
one feature. We are going to do the blue profile,
Oh of course, the blue per file, the dreaded blue pifile,
and I've got loads of them for this year.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Yes, there seems to be more and more every year.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Growing up laughing at your ranus.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
There's nothing wrong with my Anis still life like that?
Speaker 2 (05:01):
I don't know. I've not seen it and I don't
want to.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
We both know that's not true. Now, if you could
steal one presenter from any radio station in the UK
to join Shout Radio. Who would you poach?
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Could it be somebody that's either dead or alive.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Let's go alive, let's stay within the realms of possibility.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
The realms of reality. It would be Pham Cotton.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Oh that's a bit left of field there, she's all right. Yeah.
The only trouble is she's a bit limited because doesn't
she have really bad anxiety? So she can't do live radio.
She has to pre record it all.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I don't know. I have absolutely no idea.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Well, it's a little bit of insider or gossip there.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
But if it was somebody that was that you know,
is unfortunately no longer with that, the two I would
have on would be Steve Wright and Terry Wogan. He
was he was a veteran of radio.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
I could have guessed those two. But yes, they probably
would have fit the station quite.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Well, especially Kerry Rogan.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Absolutely. Now what does this mailstone of twelve years of
it Shot Radio mean to you?
Speaker 2 (06:14):
It means the world to me. I mean I started
this off, I'd never thought it would get this far.
I thought, oh, you know, Shout Radio might get to
five years, it might get to ten years. I never
ever thought it would get to twelve. So it means
the world to me, and it makes me so proud
(06:35):
of what I have achieved and what I have come
through to get this far. It's been a hell ride.
We've had all sorts of bumps in the road, and
we've had all sorts of problems, but we've managed to
stick through them and we've managed to keep on going.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Does it feel like it's been twelve years or does
it feel a lot shorter or a lot longer?
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Now? It only seems three or four years we've been going,
But twelve years is one heck of an achievement.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
It is insane because it's nearly halfway to twenty five,
which is like the silver anniversary. So who knows we
could be here in twenty thirty eight, imagine and celebrating
our twenty fifth.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Oh flipping neck, I'll be ancient by then.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
You already are, aren't you, cheeky.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
I'll be in my sixties by then, yes, and you'll
be in your forties.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
So excuse me, I will not well.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Twenty years time.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Thirteen years time, and we're twenty five.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Oh, thirteen years time, thirteen years time. Yeah, yeah, you'll
be in your thirties still, Yes, so at least you'll
still have your youth, that is very true. Hopefully you'll
still be looking as good as you do now. Absolutely
with the goatee. Now, whether the goaty lasts, we don't know.
But yeah, I mean, I mean the silver Jubilee is
(07:54):
going to be another really big milestone for the station
because ten years was on milestone.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Yeah, I think we stand a better chance of making
it to our silver, do you believe than a certain
Charles does.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
With this clown with Camilla's underwear.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Yes, just for your information, I think the goatee will
be going by tomorrow because I've got a big thing
tomorrow where I don't want to look scruffy. You know.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Oh, so you're going to shave the goat you off?
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Yes, I'm afraid. So it has actually been off since
the last time you saw it, but then it's back again.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
You just look weird, to be honest, with a goatee,
I just look weird. Absolutely, no comment. It makes me
wonder how far we will have got in the next
thirteen years, I know. Definitely. One of the things we
are mega aiming for is dab yes and getting on
DAB is something that we really really want to do well.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
The Shout Radio twelfth Birthday Marathon show all kicks off
at twelve pm this coming Sunday. And in the means,
when's the next time we can hear you on show
radio You on Friday Night Lives don eight at nine.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yes, I will be, and then I'll be back on
Sunday and then every weekday afternoon from four.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Well, we're not gonna say goodbye completely yet because you're
gonna come back after the next song to introduce the
mini desk. But yeah, many thanks for coming on today,
and we will have a lot of fun on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
I'm sure we're gonna have a get go in a half.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Fridays for celebration, good times and relaxations. So turn the
radio up and just listen. Listen. If you've got that
Fridday feeling, You'll soon be Dad saying on the clay,
and I'll be because of your host, Tommy Gram I
guess some brillianasics. Fantastic, Tommy is terrific. Spaeture is a classic.
(09:50):
So let's reach now bids and start now weekend right.
Thank god it's Toby
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