Managed Sonny-Hannah v.2 Audio.txt
English (US)

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Hey, Sonny J. Hello. But you've had a really interesting career. So this is what today is about. We're going to dig into it. You could tell Simon was quite excited. Alicia at the time was like breath of fresh air, all that sort of stuff. You had the whole jargon, didn't you? We really did. Quintessentially British was another probe that we had.

It is so competitive. It's a very small industry. I know you saying it earlier about politics in music. It's kind of every industry and entertainment, I think has the same for sure. I remember being told, you know, in order for someone to come up, someone has to come out. And I was like, wow, okay. It's a really different way of doing things.

I was sleeping in the TV room at capital for an hour, and then waking up and then doing the breakfast show. There was a time when I was doing five days a week overnights, five days a week breakfast, sleeping an hour in between all of them. And my boss at the time, Greg, said to me, we've got to stop this. Do you want to be part of the breakfast show?

And I was like, what's the day? Danielle and I, we went on a night out once and we were just like, should we just give it a go? Wait, so you went on a night out and thought, let's make a baby. We were just like, should we just see what happens? So we all know how that night and it.

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we drunk. Yeah, of course we were.

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Welcome back to another episode of my podcast. And today I have a very special guest because I am part of his Stan fan club, his Sunny Jane. Hello. Hello. I thought I was never going to get the call up. I'm going to be honest. No, you must know I'm not your biggest fan. I literally think you're fantastic. Well, yeah.

Thank you. I do appreciate that. I'm a big fan of you guys as well. No, you know that. It's been really nice. Like, how long have you roughly been managed by us now? I think our initial conversation was the start of this year, the start of 2025. Um, I think it was, what, January? We first started talking and then signed in March.

I want to say. Yeah. No, it was really, um, like a little process. I remember I remember having the conversation with the girls who obviously got to meet with Sunny Day, and everyone was so excited, but you've had a really interesting career, so this is what today is about. Yeah. We're going to dig into it.

Yeah. It's weird when you say that because when I look back like it's been, I've not had a proper job.

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Like when I'm on anyone else, I always say like, oh, like, how long have you been doing this for? And I'm like, I've not since the age of 17. I've not really my job before what I first started doing, I was behind a bar at 17. Different roles back then. Different roles. Different roles? Yeah. Couldn't get away with that now?

No. So you started on Britain's Got Talent? Yes. So there was two. There was three of us that met at college. Um, and we were at a performing arts college, and we were the three in our year that just we were into performing arts. We weren't like dancers. Yeah, yeah. So we all ended up just missing, like, auditions for the shows that were like, dancing.

I mean, like, it's like you're never going to get that part that's. Don't even bother. Just go off and do something else. We just all thought we would bring instruments in one day. And we were like, my play. I played the ukulele. Did you actually. As you do. Um. And we just end up writing songs together and just doing that sort of thing.

And then we were like, guys, are we in a band? Um, and it just naturally happened from there. We just thought, oh, let's just see what happens with this. We were gigging, just doing rubbish gigs. We did like a couple of gigs where people would bring like, bins out on stage while we were doing performance. You know, all that sort of stuff.

Um, and we got approached because we were putting YouTube videos out. Just doing covers. I think there was one in particular that was Ed Sheeran, and it was when he first released A-Team, the A-Team, and we were like, we got to do a cover of it. Like, if any song feels like us right now, is that. Um, so we put a cover out of it online, and then we got approached by Ben at ITV, who was like a producer for Britain's Got Talent.

He was like, do you want to do it? And we were like, no, no, don't want to do it. We're too cool. What do you mean want to do Britain's Got Talent? We just sang the A-Team on YouTube. Which are you talking to? And then I remember we sat in Eddie's mum's living room and we're like, guys, this is quite a big opportunity.

Um, and we then were like, look, if we do it, why don't we do it and sing our own songs? Like, no one's ever done that before. So then we went back to Ben, the producer at the time, and we were like, look, we've really discussed whether we want to do this or not. We're not totally sure, but we thought if we were going to make the best of this situation for us because we're we're cool.

That's what we thought at the time. I thought I seen pictures of you around that time. Yeah. I don't know if I'd use the word cool, but you were, like, the epitome of what a boy band member would look like. It was giving One Direction when they first started. Yeah, I'd say. I think the thing that worked for us was that we're all quite unique in our own way.

Like there was three of us. You know, he had such a soulful voice. He was the slut. We were all the singers, but he was the singer. He was. So he would just wow people with his beautiful vocals. Um, Eddie was the rugged one with the beard, And I was the clean cut one with the shaved hair and like, do you know what I mean?

I don't know. It was just one of those sort of. It just felt like it worked because we're all so unique and different. And we went back to Ben at the time and we're like, we'll do it if we can sing our own songs. And it was like, no one's really done that before. Like, I'll put an ask in. And then we ended up being able to do it.

We auditioned for it. We wrote the song called lovesick, and it was our audition song for Britain's Got Talent. No one had ever, at the time, performed their own music on Britain's Got Talent or X-Factor. Yeah, and it was only the X factor after we did it, that Lucy Spragg came on to sing her own song, and it was just it felt like a movement of all these people that they're trying to get now are sort of a bit cooler and less manufactured.

And even though it still felt manufactured for those sort of shows, it was, I don't know, a bit of a movement at the time. Mhm. How did you come up with the name Loveable Rogues? Well, is it because you all felt lovable and bit roguish? You know what? What is a good name for a bat? I don't know. Wham! Someone sat in a meeting and went, I've got it.

Wham! It's true. I don't know what. It doesn't make sense. Yeah, it's weird because I don't know what my band name would be. No, we came up with some absolute, like, shooters. I'm going to be honest. They were like ChatGPT then either because I think I would ChatGPT it now. Really? Yeah, yeah, it's definitely a good option to do now, but at the time we were just like, what makes a good band name?

We just got to choose one and stick with it. And we really liked Only Fools and Horses, where everyone would refer to Del Boy as a loveable rogue. So the character of him, he was so lovable, yet he had a little bit of something to him, a little hustle to him. We ended up sticking with that. I like that, and I like the backstory to it.

Yeah. But obviously, um, I'm going to let you kind of do this with Grace when you have her on your podcast. Yeah, but Grace, who GK Barrie is a, was a big fan of the loveable rogue. So you didn't know that until I told you. Not at all. I didn't realize it at all. A big fan. A big fan. I'm going to let you have that full exclusive on how big a fan she was for your pod.

But she was a big fan. Yeah. Is that weird to hear that now? A little bit? Yeah. Like, because she wasn't gay Barry back then? No. Of course. It's just funny because she must have been a big enough fan for. I think we ended up blocking her. Yeah, I think so. Yeah. Fan stalker. I'm not sure, but, yeah, I'd like to think she wouldn't stalk, but maybe unsure.

I will fact check the stalking. We'll have to remove the restraining order on her first so she can come and do my podcast. Exactly. So tell me about the process. For anyone who doesn't know or have ever been on a show like BGT or X-Factor, what is that process? Because I know some people have to audition before they get to the main auditions, but you obviously got approached and then you went through the process.

Yeah, we were really late to the party on the whole series. It was one of those where they were like, do you want to do it? We made a Long song and dance out of it. Not literally, but it was a case of we don't know, we're not sure. And then they said, look, if you want to do it next week, there's an audition in Wales.

Um, there's a slot available if you want it. So then we made the decision. We would do it and we actually went straight to the judges. And I don't think that's a normal scenario. I think people do go through producers and whatever first film tapes. Um, but we went straight to the judges and it just went quite well for us.

Like you could tell, Simon was quite excited. Alisha at the time was like, you guys are like, you're a bit different. A breath of fresh air, all that sort of stuff. Um, you had the whole jargon, didn't you? We really did. Quintessentially British was another trope that we had. So on the CV it is on the CV, it's on my Instagram by it's not, um, but yeah, it was.

I can see how you get swept up in it. It is a whirlwind. I mean, we were just discussing before I was 17 when I went on that show and we came off of it, um, we came fourth. We lost to a dog.

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That's a bit of a blow. A very talented dog. Pudsey a Pudsey. I do remember Pudsey. Yeah. He was a talented dog. Was. Because he's not here anymore.

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What happens when you mess with me?

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I'm joking. Love, Pudsey. Love Pudsey. Dave. May he rest. But that's going to go on my gravestone. Lost to a dog. Yeah. Um. That's great. I quite like that. If you're going to lose to anything, a dog is quite up there. Yeah. Fair enough. And I love dogs. So yeah, you've got dogs as well. Got two dogs. Yeah, yeah.

It's fine to lose to a dog. Yeah, I'm happy with that. Um, yes, it was half a million and prize at the time, so I would have been happy with that. But I think actually some things happen for a reason. Because a 17 year old boy with half 1 million pounds sounds like a recipe for disaster. It would have been. Oh, yeah.

So you wouldn't be where you are now. So it all worked out. It's true. It's very, very true and very, very grateful. But yeah, we came off, we came fourth on that show. And then I was 17 at the time. And there was. We would sign to this like, um, live agent that were like, boys, you're on the road for a week, so just pack your bags for a week.

You're going to go do a load of, like, personal appearances and butchie for a festival, this or that, whatever. And we're like, cool. It's packed our bags for a week and then while we're on the road, they were like, oh, we booked another whatever gig. So we ended up staying on the road for about a month. You know, I was like, what about my pants?

I'm going to buy some new pants. So I got my mom to watch him. Um, it was just a whirlwind, like I was 17 and there was this whole discussion whether I should be doing club gigs or not because obviously, you know, you'd be over 18 of the gigs. But then I just happened to turn 18 that month. Afterwards it was fine.

Um, but it is a whirlwind, man. Like we came off and we were just. Yeah, we signed to Psycho Simon, Kaos record label, and we were like, we're going to be the next One Direction. Like, this is it. Like, you know, I can't see it going any other way. At the time they had Little Mix, they had One Direction, they had all these massive names, and we were like, we're the ones.

We're next guys. in our hats together. Yeah. Um, but the problem was, is that there was a guy called Sonny Takhar who was like, Simon Cole's right hand man at the time. And when they dropped us from psycho, they were like, we've learned from you. And I was like, fucking brilliant. Cheers. Glad I was the learning curve.

But what it was is because no one else had gone on to those shows before and sung their own songs. They didn't know what the the format of that was. I mean, in hindsight, we should have come off Britain's Got Talent and sung the song that we sang in our audition, which was lovesick, and then, um, released it straight away because we were going to unis and they were singing the songs back to us.

We were like, this is it. But because they didn't. They've never done that before. They were trying to work out what it was. And for instance, the next Britain's Got Talent, there was a girl called Gabs who went on, who came second, and she sang this song called lighters. It went to number one. Yeah. And that was the difference, because they learned from us that if you go on that show and sing that song in the audition, that's the people will love that and then straight away come off the show, release that track.

But at the time they'd never done it, so they didn't know. So you got you guys sort of walks for others to run behind you in that sense. Annoyingly, yeah. Yeah, but someone's got to do it. Someone's gotta do it. Someone's gotta do it. So when you say it was a whirlwind, obviously you were like 17, 18 year old lads.

Was like the fans crazy. Like, was it that sort of vibe? A little bit, yeah. Like it wasn't. Don't get wrong. It wasn't One Direction like level. It was just we would go anywhere and it was chaos. It was it. It felt like there was just something that was swept underneath us. And I think it was the whole psycho thing, the Simon cow thing.

It was the excitement of everyone didn't know where we were going. Yeah. Little did they know that five minutes later, you know.

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We had our five minutes, but it was. Yeah, it was one of those exciting moments where everyone just felt like they had to be part of this thing. That was us because we went on this show, sung around songs, signed to Simon Cow. It was like, this is going to be beautiful. Little did we know that it would take a year to release a song.

And the politics. You know, any industry that was that. And, um, we got a top ten. It just didn't go number one. And I think in Psychos and Simon cows eyes, that was to them a bit like, what are we going to do with the next. So unfortunately after that we got dropped. So sorry to hear that, but you have had a pivot.

Have you ever had like a crazy fan experience? So like one one that's ever stuck out being like, that was mental a little like a little bit. There's been a lot like always mad when came off the show. And I'd go shopping in Bluewater with my mum, for instance, and, you know, there'd be people following me around Bluewater at the time as mentor.

There was one girl in particular I can't remember her name. She was became a like an actual stalker. And I think that was a moment for me where I was like, this is actually affecting my personal life, where she found out where I lived. And you were really young too, so it would have been a completely different thing to now of how you would handle something.

Absolutely. Like this girl found out where I lived and that to me, like I'm a homebody. Like I love being at home. And what I did as my career was separate, you know, and that felt to me like a bit of a violation. And I think it was actually one of the scariest moments that I was like, this girl found out where I lived.

She followed me and my mom to go shopping one day, and I don't know what she wanted. It was really weird. Well, maybe. Yeah, maybe. I mean, I just got a pair of eyes, isn't she?

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But she. It's the fact that Luke, the producer in the corner, is just laughing at that. He knows he's got pair of eyes. I know, um, yeah. I don't know what she wanted. It was just to me, that was frightening part. It was like one of those moments. I was like, oh, this is the bad part of it. You know, this person found out where I lived and followed me, and it just felt uncomfortable.

But other than that, there was nothing mad. Like, we just had a great time. Sounds like it. And, you know, I was telling you this on the phone the other day that for Grace's birthday, she thought that her partner was bringing back the lovable rogues for one night only for her birthday. Yeah, and she was so sad that that didn't happen.

I told you we were both having a little giggle, but she was actually really sad about it. So maybe one day we'll do, like, a Make-A-Wish vibe for her. For her? Yeah. Like, maybe one day we could. Maybe she needs a Make-A-Wish to show the lovable rogues. Yes. Okay. I think so. To be fair, I did always say in the back of my head, like I'm done with music because the music industry was mad.

But if I was ever to get back together, it would be for something like a charity or something like that. So if she was to donate a lot of money to charity, then maybe absolutely I could. We could make that happen for sure. Get your purse out. Grace. Um, I want to talk about the fact that you did a pivot that I haven't really seen many others do, which is?

You went on to radio. Yeah. What was that transition from musician to radio presenter and, like, how did that sort of come about? So for me, it was We did so many gigs. You know, we were very fortunate enough to play Wembley Stadium for capital. Um, we were like the breaking artists of the year. We came out from underneath the stage like NSYNC.

It was unbelievable. And when they get brought up on a lift, it was like crouch and then stand up. We were one of those guys. We were like, oh, I would love to do that. Yeah, I did it. It was on my bucket list and I did it. So we came out of Wembley Stadium, and I remember being interviewed backstage, and I just remember thinking, this seems like so much fun.

If I wasn't doing what I'm doing now, I'd love to be doing this. And I always remembered that in the back of my head. And I think actually something the most important thing that I've ever picked up in this industry is obviously, I don't know, you're very good at this networking. It was it was, it was that was a classic case of me

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work in a room a little bit and, you know, wow, in, I guess, the people that were in charge of capital, there was a guy called Mike at the time who used to get new people in for capital for demos and all that sort of stuff, and I remember just speaking to him backstage and just said, look, you know, we don't know what's gonna happen, whatever.

But I would love to be doing this. You know, it looks like a really good, fun job. And I didn't speak to him for about a year or so afterwards. And then, you know, lo and behold, we got dropped all that sort of stuff. And I was like, oh, I'm going to see if that mikes number works. I might text him and see if I can come in for a demo.

And it did. And I was like, oh, great. And then he just basically got me in, did a demo and he said, look, you're right, but you need to go away and get experience. So then I sort of went away to do local radio for a year and then came back. Oh good. Just hit the mic. Do you think coming radio would you.

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Thank God. Rule 101. Don't hit the mic. Um, yeah, I went away, did local radio for a bit and then came back to him. And then thankfully at the time they were looking for a new presenter and I just happened to be right place, right time, which was really handy. Yeah. Because I think, you know, from working Talking with radio for a little bit.

Now, obviously we have people across radio one and Capital. Obviously we speak to about you and Ezra who does like cover. Yes. And it is so competitive. It's a very small industry. It's a very like everyone knows everything that's going on. It's a very different dynamic. And I think I know you're saying it earlier about politics in music.

It's kind of every industry and entertainment I think has the same issue. And, and I remember being told, you know, in order for someone to come up, someone has to come out. And I was like, wow, okay. It's a really different way of doing things. So when you started with capital, what was your first role there?

So my first role was overnights, so I used to do one till four in the morning, but I didn't know. So just to explain that I first started doing that, they sent me for a couple of weeks to the South Coast to just do a couple of weeks on air, see how you get on. It was still overnight, still live. It was just like, if you mess up, yeah, you're in the South Coast.

No one, you know, no one really hear you. Um, and then I was doing that for a little bit. And then there was this talk of this new breakfast show coming to Capitol, and I ended up demoing for it. They were just trying everyone to demo for this new breakfast show, and it was with Roman Kemp and Vic Cope at the time.

Um, and I said, do you want a demo for it? I was like, of course I do. So I started demoing for it. They were like, oh, this is this. This works like this sounds quite good. I was like, whatever. Still doing overnights. And then the breakfast show started with Roman and Vic, so I was like, I didn't get that. Whatever.

And then there was chats around because they liked me so much at the time. Would I be up for doing a couple of days here and there where they send me out as like a street boy, you know, going into town and would you know what I mean? Vox pop. Yeah. No street.

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I'm quite the opposite. I'm a street boy. Um, yeah. To just go do vox pops in London. You know, Wimbledon was on and this that whatever. Would you go up? You'd be up for doing it. And I was like, yeah, of course. It was a breakfast show. Of course it was. And then it was probably like once a week they used me and then it became twice a week, but then it was like I was still doing overnights.

I was doing one till four in the morning and then six till ten doing breakfast show. Because when did you sleep? Well, this is it. So this is where graft comes in because I was doing one till four in the morning, and then I was sleeping in the TV room at capital for an hour and then waking up and then doing the breakfast show, and I did it for there was a, there was a time when I was doing five days a week overnights, five days a week breakfast, sleeping an hour in between all of them.

And my boss at the time, Greg, said to me, we've got to stop this. Do you want to be part of the breakfast show? And I was like, oh, custody. So then that was the moment where it was like, right, you're not on overnights anymore. You're now on Capital Breakfast. And that was the London show at the time. And then it went national.

Yeah. And then I did it for six years. So that was six years for a m as it's crazy because I remember seeing your face plastered around like all the billboards. And we as an agency, we weren't really big then. So I think for me it was a full circle when you came over to us. But how did you find the breakfast show?

Obviously, I know people who've done the breakfast show and it is their description is always, if you do the breakfast show. You have to love radio and the medium because you don't have the same social life. You're getting up at like 4 a.m. to come. What did you start at four or did you have to get up at four?

I got up at four, start at six. So. But it's hard then. That's not a natural time for people to wake up. No. And do you now struggle to wake up at a normal time or did you just bounce back? I bounced back I yeah, I went from doing breakfast to the complete opposite. You know, when I left the breakfast show, I then was lucky enough to have a bit of time off like a month in between and then go straight into doing the Late Show, which is the complete opposite time of the day.

Yeah, but I did just go back to I didn't wake up at 4 a.m. or 5 a.m.. Why did you leave the breakfast show? So I left the breakfast show because Roman told me. Which you. I mean, this is news to people who I work with. But he knew he was leaving. Basically, he knew he was contract was up. He knew he wasn't going to renew it.

And he basically said to me,

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you need to leave. Which is when my contract was up, do it because I'm not going to be here for another year. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. And it was one of those decisions where I was like, oh, hang on. But what if they get someone new and then I stay on the breakfast show? Or what if. Do you know what I mean? It was one of those moments and I just thought, I have to jump.

Yeah, because he gave me the heads up, which I'm so pleased I did, because it reminded me of why I got into radio in the first place, which was to become a solo presenter. And to do that, it's just that I got swept up in this breakfast thing that happened, which went really well because most people's dream job in radio.

So it's interesting that you got the dream job quite quickly. Yeah. And then you realize. Actually, I want to be so low because I guess it was probably more Roman. Show what it was. Yeah. You know, and then he had his two co-hosts, for sure. So now it's like Sonny J's show. Yeah. And I think that's what excites me.

And it's like, you know, there's no one else to bounce off of now. Whatever radio I make is down to me and my producer, and it's like, we. I want to put out great stuff. You know, I enjoy doing radio, and I remember moments from growing up, what those moments where the. I was excited by when I went to school. You know that listen, between home and school, what excited me and it was music passion.

I would never forget Johnny Vaughan in the morning and introducing me to Gnarls Barkley. Crazy. And what could I remember that song? Yeah, and I went to school and I was singing it all day and I was like, I can't remember who the guy was called. What is his name now was something I couldn't remember how it went, but that to me was a pivotal moment of something that someone introduced me to new music.

And I was like, this is great. And now now I'm that person for someone else, you know? Which is really nice. Yeah. What did. What radio did you use to listen to when you were growing up? So growing up was capital. I listened to Chris Tarrant, um, Johnny Vaughn, Dave Berry. But then also, I remember Dave Berry back in the day, Ricky Melvin and Charlie man.

Yeah, that's what I used to listen to for me. They were especially doing the breakfast show with Roman and Vic. Definitely an example of what a great breakfast show could be. They weren't, you know, um, they didn't have the massive billboards everywhere. They were just because they had such a good connection and were so likable or lovable.

Um,

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they were just so relatable. Well, don't just baby laugh. Carry on. They were just so relatable. And they were the perfect example of a good chemistry and radio. And everyone will always try and recreate what Ricky and Melvin Charlie still have, because it's rare that you can put three people in a room together especially, you know, you see loads of people being tried to put together to make a connection.

Strangers? Yeah, they are a perfect example of what a trio on a breakfast show should be. Yeah. And I think obviously me and you have experienced that in the last sort of year of people being put together. Yeah. And like things we've watched happen. Do you think there is an opportunity for that to be recreated in radio as it stands?

I always think there's definitely room for that to be really created. Yeah, for sure. It's just you've got you can't these big companies bank on just being able to go. They will go together. They're big names. It doesn't work like that that there has to be. I don't know. I can't even tell you what it is that it really worked.

I'd say a good example for Roman, Sean and myself. It really worked for us as a breakfast show because I used to listen to your breakfast show. Yeah, I loved your breakfast show. It just worked. And it. You know, we did demo with a load of other people because Sean came in and replaced Vic, and we did try with loads of people, but there was something about Shahn at the time and still is now, because she still does it.

That just felt for us, just warm and brought Rohman and I together more. And it just it when it works, it works, you know, and you can't always recreate it. But I think people just think they can put anyone together and go, yeah, that's going to work. But actually the longevity of it doesn't. You know, one of the things I love about radio is people know your voice more than you.

And so it's like a weird level of celebrity because it's not, you know, a movie star in the same way. But people will know your voice before they and then they'll go, oh, wait, I know, I don't know, and it's trying to put it all together. Obviously you had your you had have done TV too, because you did Dancing on Ice.

Yeah. How did you find that an experience. Like it was an experience like I went on there, not ice. I never knew how to ice skate and then came off of it and was ice skating backwards, which is mental. It's, um, do you think when you came off of it, people then recognized you, I guess, with global as a different power because like I said, I see on the side of busses, big billboards.

So I think with global they do a big thing with their breakfast show where you do know faces and you feel like you know them as people. Yeah, I think I was really lucky at the time it came around during Covid. I got a phone call on a Friday to ask if I wanted to go to audition for it on the Monday. Yeah. And I was like, out of all the shows, I just don't think that's the one that I'm going to be, you know, worth doing.

It's to me, it's a big ask. And I thought, you know what? As the whole of my career that I ever have, I've gone, let's just go do it. And then if anything comes of it, we can always say no. That's what I've always in my head. That's always what I say. You know, go do a good job at something. And if they want you, then that's a great position to be in or not a great one.

You've got to make a decision. But it's still if people want you, then it's great. It's better to say no then to have not tried. It would annoy me more for not trying. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And then I did go for it and ended up. Yeah. They said they wanted me to do it, but at the time I was doing the breakfast show.

So it was during Covid where everyone was staying at home. I was lucky enough to be able to go to work in the morning on radio and then leave and then go to do a bit of ice skating for a while. And then I can't believe I want it. I know you did. No, I can't actually. I actually, Jason Donovan have someone at you. What?

00:27:42.470 — 00:32:01.849
Wait, can you do you like the jumps? And did you lift people? Yeah. Lift it. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Did it. Oh, I mean, I've not been since. I've not been since. I couldn't tell if I could throw around Danielle on the ice rink anymore. I think it'd be her worst nightmare. Yeah. So let's go on to that. So people, like I said, people really feel that they know you when they guess they do.

Right. Yeah. You are welcoming, welcomed into someone's home every day, which is such a, like, a privilege, right? Yeah. And like I said, it's a very intimate medium radio. So for you, it must have been a really lovely experience for people to watch you become a dad. Yeah. Fall in love. And I would love to kind of speak to you a little bit more about that.

And how did you meet Danielle? So Danielle and I have a mutual friend, which is incredible because I know obviously a lot of people meet online nowadays or whatever, or in person. I should be anti that, you know, online for me personally. Yeah. Like for me, I did join like a couple of things. Everyone has came of it but nothing came.

Like I just don't know how you can meet someone based on a text like that to me was mental. It's all like a picture. Yeah. Like. Anyway, I got set up on a date with, um, Danielle from a mutual friend. Someone who I used to go to college with, who she knew as well. And he messaged me and was like, you guys would get on really well, like, definitely go on a date together.

So I messaged her in September, started chatting, then she aired me for a month. She hired me, ghosted me, whatever you want to call it. And then I put a bit of graft in in December towards the end of the year, and I was like, I'm going to go on a date with this guy in January. And which who goes on a date in January?

I did that. Yeah. Did she? All right. Well, maybe you shouldn't. And if it works, it does. It does. No one's got anything to do in January. It's because you were finished the Christmas holidays. Everyone feels refreshed, and you're like, you know what? I'll give something a try that I wouldn't usually.

Yes. You know, you anti dating before that. I wasn't anti dating like before Danielle. I was in a long relationship before that. And then I was dating here and there. But I wasn't anti it. I just, I was so focused because at the time in January I knew that I was starting my new late show. Yeah. So I was so focused on that and I was like trying to, you know, go to the gym.

I was just trying to focus on me. And then it just so happens that Danielle entered my life as well, and it didn't feel like she was taken away from what I wanted to do. It just felt like she was there. She was doing her own thing and I was doing mine. You know, I speak quite openly about this on LinkedIn of how important it is.

If you are someone who's very driven and successful and the importance of finding a partner who helps lift you for sure, for your in your experience, what does that look like to you? What is it about Danielle that really stood out to you as helping you grow in your career? I think it's a good question. I've been part of a relationship.

I've been in a relationship where I've had the opposite, where I felt like I was giving more and doing a lot, and I felt like there was moments where because the person I was once with, you know, was also trying to do something not similar industry, but, you know, she was trying to do music and I was trying to I was already doing radio and all that sort of stuff.

I think that becomes like this bit of, I don't know, not competition, but because it's not, but it just felt like, I don't know, I can't explain it. I think your partner needs to be your biggest fan and vice versa. If he doesn't feel like that, it feels off. Totally. And with Danielle, like I said, she came around at a time when I was truly just focusing on myself.

She was focusing on herself, and we just went on this date to see if it, you know, anything would come of it. And it did. And even after that, you know, months after, it still felt like I could focus on me. She could focus on her. And I think it's just being supportive without being too involved. I don't know.

No, I think it's true. I really like. For me, I can only speak for me personally and watching. I guess some of my friends who I think have really successful relationships and have really amazing, um, careers is they have their life, their partner has their life, and they have a life together. Totally. And I think it's important to have your own separation to it as well.

Especially when it comes to work. But you know, I know there's obviously things where that might not be the same. Do you think the fact that Danielle was working in entertainment in a different way? She was. She's an influencer. Yeah. Helps with that because she understands the pressures but in a different way.

Yeah, I think so. I think

00:32:02.970 — 00:34:01.850
I think it would be harder if I met someone who would be in a 9 to 5 and didn't understand my industry, didn't understand that I had to go out on a Thursday night before I had to go do my radio show, because I had to network or I had to. Like, there's I think there's always moments where you go, I have to leave my house to go do this, because I think it might be beneficial in the long run.

Yeah, that's not only money, that's investing time to potentially earn money. Um, and Danielle understands that because she does it too. She's one of the best networkers who has kept a portfolio of peers that still send her work, still send her products, still send. Like I heard you get to break those down.

Oh. The boxes. Yeah, yeah. The amount of products we get sent to the house is unbearable. But it's her job and I support her in it and I'll moan at her about it. But unbearable is crazy. But we get them here, we get them here. Our recycling bin has to get changed like it used to be weekly. No, it's not like that.

But my. I have to go to the recycling point. Mine doesn't fit in the boxes. The bins. I have to actually physically go to take the boxes because there's too many. But it's a lovely problem to have, first of all, problems and all that. But that is her job and I support her in that. And even if I have a little moan about the boxes that don't get flattened, you should flatten your boxes if you get some.

It sounds like you've really, uh, it's quite personal, you know, like when it really, like, hits different, it does hit different. But listen, I support her so much because, you know, she's incredible at what she does. But then also I get to see her be a mum and to she I don't know that, you know, you're saying how you have different things and then you come together.

I now make conscious choices of jobs and work that I get, and everything always has to be worth me leaving my house and leaving my child and leaving my, you know, the love of my life. It has to be worth it. Yeah, to leave the house now, where before I'd be like, well, I'm. I'm off, I'm off. I'm going to do this. That.

Now I pick and choose based on what feels like home to me.

00:34:02.970 — 00:34:57.860
Speaking of that, you became a dad. Yeah. And you have the most beautiful baby girl that day. I would love you to tell us about that experience and tell us about the experience of becoming a dad and how, like you said, you make conscious decisions, how it affected your work life. And I guess, like even down to I know your jobs changed slightly because obviously social media is a big thing, but we work with baby brands for you, which is very different to what you would have done before.

Yeah. Um, I mean, best experience ever. Having highly recommend to others. Highly recommend. Yeah. I mean, look, if you're lucky enough to be able to. Absolutely. I mean, Daniel and I, it was one of those. We went on a night out once and we were just like, should we just see. She would just give it a go. Wait, so you went on a night out and thought, let's make a baby.

We were just like, should we just see? See what happens? So we all know how that night ended.

00:34:59.220 — 00:36:17.790
We'll just see what happens. And then, like, were you drunk? Yeah. Of course we were. Customer. But then it was the best thing that we did. And that's a crazy, crazy way of making a baby, by the way. It is. I like it all. So great. Great. Great way of doing it. Um, yeah. We just thought we'd see what happened. Obviously the inevitable.

It works, baby. Yeah. It works. That's nice. I'm so glad that worked out. But just. It's such a different experience. And it's such an. I've. I've always imagined success to me, in my eyes, is having a family. Really? I never felt that way. But but that's fine. But now I think I do. But I think when I was younger and I'm guessing when you were young, you may have felt the same as I did of money, fame.

Well, I wouldn't say fame, but like you had lovable rogues, I think. Yeah, I think because I did that so young in my eyes. My next thing that I saw as success was just like, I just. I always imagined success like, oh, when I'm older, I'd love a nice house, like a nice car, you know, a family, like going home from whatever job I had, as long as I had that, that felt to me like as long as I've got family, that's all that matters, because I've just always had family around.

Um, that to me was just, I don't know, that's success to me. And

00:36:18.950 — 00:40:31.480
I have that now. So it is one of those things for me where jobs do come through, where I'm like, oh, is it worth leaving the house for this? Do you know what I mean? Yeah. But for the brands who want to work for Sonny, he will leave the house. Uh, I will leave the house. Of course I will leave. I mean, look, listen, the reason why I was so excited when I first met Hld, and I cherish and Tom and you was because I had my radio job.

My radio job was there to me. How the industry goes now. TV jobs, they come about, but they're not there for everyone, right? So you've got to you've got to do something else. What is it? And I know and everyone else knows, and I know you discuss it a lot. Digital world is rapidly taking over what TV is. They say it's going to be worth like $1 trillion next year.

Yeah, and I believe it because, you know, although we're all watching, for instance, I'm a celeb or this or whatever, it's like the kids, kids aren't watching that, they're watching YouTube and they're doing this and they're streaming whatever. There was something that excited me about you guys that I thought, you are in this world, and I want to be in that.

And, you know, since joining you, I mean, God, we've we've signed a Pampers deal and and I never thought about nappies luckily. Uh, but, you know, we are open to it should you need that in the future. Yeah. Of course. Absolutely. I think, um, like I said, it's something that we really excited about signing you as well because like I said, we'd never had a radio DJ before and it was a different way of commercializing.

And I have to say, global are great as well as like part of their commercial team. And how I know your direct managers pitch you out is probably very different to how it would have been a little while ago, because now it's like you're a dad D&D fluent ser. Almost. Yeah. And, you know, there was a video of you and your daughter that did go viral, didn't it?

Yeah, it was pretty mad. Yeah, well, it was you two together, but. So I just there's certain moments when you got a little one and you're like, oh, you're being cute today. Some might just like film. You know, it wasn't even to put up online. It was just she was being so cute. And I was like, can I have a cuddle?

And she would cuddle me. So I thought, oh, let me film it and see if she does it again. So I said, oh, can I, can I have a hug? I think I said to her in the video and she just, you know, I think she was nine months at the time and she just put her arms out to me and she just squeezed me and it was like it was. I'm so pleased I captured it, but I didn't capture it to put it up online.

And then I thought, oh, that's quite a cute video and let's just put it up online. And he went mental. I'm still getting like likes on it now. It went on Loose Women. Yeah I remember seeing it on Loose Women. Yeah. And I think it was because Grace was maybe on the panel that day too. And I was actually there and I was like, oh, look, there's sunny.

Yeah. And it was just I think definitely my, um, what I put out online has changed, and I'm not great at putting stuff out online. I'm not I don't know, I'm not. I think you're actually pretty good, but I'm good because I live with someone who does that for a living. Yeah, but I actually don't. I could do more and I know I could, but the things that I put out now are just like, oh, that's cute.

Or I want to show people what I'm proud of, you know? But I guess that's Instagram anyway, isn't it? And we get a whole conversation about that. But I think that kind of leads me into your podcast, because people really invest in you in Danielle's life. You know, creating a family together. And it's I think people really invest in especially digital for people when they know that person.

And like, you already have this really intimate medium, and now you're going onto social media and you're letting people into your home life. So we started this year love Us list. Yeah. Let's discuss that podcast and the fact that it really took off. It's, um, really, really well. And it's just how am I gonna summarize it?

It's used to moaning each other really a little bit, or Danielle moaning at you. Well, it feels like more Danielle moaning than me. I really enjoy it, and I like to share those clips of people and be like, see, you're the issue. Yeah, well, this is it. And we believe that everyone in a relationship has a list on each other, you know?

And oh, yeah, they're not they're not like deal breakers. They're just little things that when you live with someone that just annoy you. Like, you know, I moaned at Danielle for leaving her slippers. Just she just leaves them in front of doors or she leaves the fridge open. Some little thing. She's a fridge open.

She leaves the fridge open. She left the fridge open. Right.

00:40:33.640 — 00:41:02.200
It wasn't long enough for it to be right. But, Danielle, we left the fridge open. Fine. She went to do something else. I went, Danielle, you've left the fridge open again. The next day she comes at me and she's like this chicken. It's frozen in the fridge. And I'm like, well, yeah, because you keep leaving the freaking door open.

And what happens is that it overcompensated and it starts freezing it, I think. I'm not too sure it's actually not. That's true in my head. That makes sense. But we all have yours. It's too cold to make up

00:41:03.800 — 00:41:27.920
for it. It's too high. Yeah. The other day, I froze everything too. And I was like, who the fuck has been touching my fridge? And then I was like, God, everything's frozen. I can't eat anything. I was defrosting like my milkshake. I was like, oh, I was really upset about it. Upset me? Yeah, yeah, I was upset.

And I was literally, like, defrosting it for ages. And then it was off. Because you can't defrost a milkshake like that. You can't. No you shouldn't. No, it's not recommended. Not. I had a bit off.

00:41:29.120 — 00:44:51.740
Well no, that's the thing. That's why we did the podcast because we were like, everyone's got it. We're not doing anything groundbreaking. But actually, isn't it nice to have a little escape? Isn't it nice to listen to someone that moans about their partner as much as you moan about yours? Like it's just it's therapy for us.

If anything, we. She mentioned stuff about me. She's like, oh, you don't do this, you don't do that. I'll tell you what, when I get home, I'll make sure I bloody do it. And then suddenly our relationships change. I'll tell you what. Give it a year. She'll have nothing to moan about. Then what? Are we going to change the podcast then?

I think we change it to. We break all those down. And then suddenly I start doing them again. We'll see like well we'll see. He's gone back to a typical man. Yeah, exactly. So I asked you before you got here. Yeah. For five quick five questions to ask me. Yeah. Did you do it? I have, yeah, but I almost want, like, a detailed answer.

I don't want it to be too quick because I actually genuinely like tonight. Okay, fine. Okay. So I want to know your best manager moment to date, which could be any obviously anything as big or as little one from when I worked at different management. Okay. Before I started my own and one now. Yeah. So the one before was I put Demi Rose when I smashed Demi Rose.

Oh, for S6 management doesn't exist anymore on the biggest billboard in Times Square for her PLT deal. And I was like 21. And I was just so excited. Yeah. And that I always remember being like, oh. And I remember I put that in the contract. So it felt like even bigger deal. Yeah. Because you you would you were that that was you.

It was me. It was originally part of the deal. And I was like, I want that. And I just, I remember being really cocky about it too. I was like, yeah, I'm gonna fucking do that. And I did. And the second one was probably going to Australia last year with great for having her in the jungle and being the first TikToker to do it.

Yeah, that for me was like a real like this is where I know I want to be taking talent. This is my passion, is taking breaking barriers of what we can achieve in this industry. And I met some incredible people like other agencies, I learned so much and I still have friends from like now, like international MC Saatchi and, you know, hearing their experiences and they're like, I love learning.

Yeah. And I found that whole experience. I found it really hard to watch it this year because I missed last year, and I didn't realize I was going on like the best trips of my life last year. And yeah, I learned so much. And even like, uh, working with the ITV team that high up. And it's just it was incredible.

So probably those two okay. I've had loads by the way. Of course it's hard to pinpoint, but the the grace thing as an example, is when I spoke about us going on Brixworth talent and like sort of paid in the way for other people. That's what you did with Grace. Yeah. So you've actually stuck like, you know, Angry Ginge this year, going on to I'm a celeb who my mum hasn't got a clue about.

Yeah, but does she like him. Yeah. But that's the difference of how TV's going now isn't it. You know, to get new audience. And I do think Grace kind of opened the doors for someone like Ginger to come in, for sure, but that's not. Yeah. So I think yeah. Which I think is really special. And I think angry Ginger is great.

And there's so many digital creators, by the way, who deserves to be in that position too. Yeah. So it was it was nice to achieve that, especially because she was in the lineup to do it the year before and we didn't get it. So we went through the disappointment of not getting it, of course, to getting it that time though.

That time, wasn't it? Yeah. I obviously have to ask you about your worst,

00:44:53.540 — 00:45:01.860
but you can talk about or do want to talk about that is in like not your worst is in oh, this is the worst thing that's ever happened to me in my career. But I guess the worst is in like,

00:45:03.060 — 00:45:24.260
I wish it would have went that way like that. You can talk about when people have left that I it didn't feel like both parties wanted to leave. I found I find that difficult. Okay. I, I think there's never been anything that's horrific that's happened like touch word. Yeah. Got me um, I think

00:45:25.620 — 00:46:59.590
yeah. I think there's been time where people have left and I'm really sad. Or if I feel like I can't achieve for someone what I wanted. I say that quite harshly. I think, yeah, everyone's got horror stories. But in terms of feeling, my worst is those moments of being like, okay, what could I have done differently?

Why is this not worked out? Um, but they're all learning moments, so fine. And there's some horror ones too, that I can ever tell you. But yeah. Not Mike anyway. Am I right? I'll tell you after. If you were to. If you were to be the top of your game in any other entertainment part of the industry. So whether it's an actor or a singer, what would it be?

And who and who is doing what you would like to be doing now, whether it be acting, singing, whatever. It's actually not anything like that. Okay. I would love to be like the head honcho of, like ITV. Like, if I was to do all I always when I was young, I wanted to be like the next Anna Wintour. So my goals were never to be in front of the camera.

To be honest, it was always to be like the most powerful person in a room. And like Anna Wintour just embodied that. And then, you know, when you go, um, like Kevin Legault, when he walks into a room, everyone's like a bit scared, and they know he's like the big boss. And I just think, yeah, like I've always wanted to have, like, big dick energy.

Yeah. So I think probably one of I think now that's what I would do, okay. If I felt the power I don't want to lose that. No, don't lose it. I'll keep it going for the rest of us. Like a reality TV star. But that's not me. And I think people think I would want that. No, I'm too counselor.

00:47:01.070 — 00:49:48.680
I'm just. Damn. Well, we'll see what gets cut out of this. I'll let you know how comfortable you are. Um, if you were to manage anyone that is like, I'm going to say, like, A-list and bring them into another world. Who would it be and what would you make them do? Oh, that's a good question. Um, you know what? It's not like the obvious I think I'd really want to do, like, uh, Michelle Obama.

Okay. And have it be the face of, like, big fashion brands. Yeah, but that's cool. I think people would dig that. Yeah. Like, I would love to, like, take something really big in politics, like Kamala Harris. Complete different world. Take them into a different world. It's like this juxtaposition. And I actually think if they do something like that, people find them really like relatable.

But, um, I understand what they don't. Um, but I think if I had to like if that was like the scenario, that's what I would do, okay. Because I just think it'd be so iconic. Like, you know, you have a Michelle Obama or a mac lipstick range. That would be cool. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Or, like presidential shadow schemes?

Yeah. Like presidential ruby red. Like something like that. You know, something that is just so out of the box. Yeah. That's what I always wanted to do, is, like, create different opportunities that people don't feel like. Makes sense until it happens. And then the obvious question I always think you've always got goals for the next year.

What's your like your bucket list to tick off next year that you haven't already done? Whether it be for any one that you manage, it doesn't matter who it is I guess for management because I really want to help co-produce shows with my talent. Okay. And whether that's anyone on the agency, I think I would love to be part of that.

We produce it together with one team because I think I'm really big believer in that. That's what I want to start doing, is putting more into the IP of what our talent are doing and be part of those journeys, and it's a learning experience. I've never done it. I would love to do that. I think that would be really cool.

I also want to break America, but I think I still got a little while. I don't think that'll be a next year thing either. I never know, never know. But this guy on somewhere, there we go. Do you know what our favorite British loveable rogue. And with that. Oh, that was stinky. I know I loved it. And with that, I'm going to end the podcast.

Thank you so much for coming on. I've so enjoyed this conversation. Yeah. Do we have to finish? We might have the most fun. We have to. You're not paying your electricity bills. Can we not keep them on for an extra long? Well, thank you for coming on. Always a pleasure. Thanks for the call up. And if you ever need someone again, absolutely.

Come next year, I want to, like, let's go over us again and see where we're at. Well thank you. If you like this episode, please don't forget to like, comment and subscribe. Hit the bell, get the notifications and I'll see you next week. Thank you. Make sure you hit the bell five stars or Hannah will troll you.

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