A Beautiful Mess - Aaron Roach Bridgeman - Television host #283

Transformational Journeys with Aaron Roach Bridgeman: From Troubled Teen to TV Screen

In this episode of the Us People Podcast, host Savia Rocks gets into a heartfelt conversation with Aaron Roach Bridgeman, a TV presenter, documentary maker, spoken word poet, and behaviour specialist. Aaron shares his journey from a troubled youth to a respected TV personality, highlighting the power of perseverance, cultural heritage, and the influential figures who saw potential in him. Throughout the episode, Aaron discusses his transformative experiences, the struggles and rewards of his career, and the importance of legacy, compassion, and authenticity. Listeners will be inspired by Aaron's candid reflections on identity, success, and his drive to pave the way for future generations.

00:00 Welcome to the New Season
00:55 Introducing Aaron Roach Bridgeman
02:03 A Conversation on Energy and Balance
03:31 Aaron's Background and Upbringing
08:27 Defining Self and Authenticity
16:57 Journey into TV Presenting
21:15 Inspirational Figures and Teachers
28:06 Proudest Achievements
32:02 Reflecting on Judgment and Creativity
34:20 Inspirational Quotes and Their Impact
36:41 Defining Success and Personal Fulfilment
39:20 Soundtrack of Life: Influential Songs
42:45 Desert Island Companions: Presidents, Activists, and Musicians
49:18 Understanding Legacy and Its Importance
52:48 Final Thoughts and Where to Find 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aroachbridgeman?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

"Aaron, your voice on the us people podcast reminded us that every glorious imperfect moment is a thread in a larger, brighter universe. Thank you for showing us that being a beautiful mess is precisely where we find our true, radiant humanity."- Savia Rocks

"In all our tangled fragments, we are a beautiful mess shining not in spite of the chaos, but because the chaos reveals our worth and makes us brilliantly, unapologetically real." - Savia Rocks

Transcript

A Beautiful Mess - Aaron Roach Bridgeman - Television host #283

Savia Rocks: [00:00:00] Hey guys, and welcome to another season of the Us People Podcast. I'm your host, Savia Rocks, and in this season, we uncover the remarkable power of genuine compassion and insightful vision. This season we're here to show the world that we as individuals are the brand, regardless of misconceptions. Join us as we go deep into the inspiring journeys of our guests.

Each one a testament to the impact and influence of kindness and creativity. Don't just take my word for it. Hear their stories, feel their passion, and discover the transformative potential within our soul. So stay tuned as we shine a light on the truth that connects us and inspires change.

Aaron Bridgeman: Hey, my name is Aaron Roach Bridgeman. I'm a TV presenter, documentary maker, [00:01:00] spoken word poet, and a behavior specialist, and I am here on the US People Podcast with Savio Rocks.

Savia Rocks: Hey guys. Welcome to another episode of the Yes People Podcast. I'm your host, Avi Rocks, and today I am humbled to have Aaron here with me who is a TV presenter, a very chilled out one right now, which I'm actually, no, it's nice. It's actually really nice to have someone who's really chilled that. Aaron, I wanna thank you so much for taking your time to come on the Yes People Podcast.

How are you? 

Aaron Bridgeman: I am. Well, thank you. I'm well, give thanks. You know, give thanks always. Um, I'm well man. Like, you know, things could be so much better, but the things could also be so much worse, so let's just be thankful for, for where we are, man. [00:02:00] How are you? Thank 

Savia Rocks: you. I'm really well, I think. Even before we started recording, when we spoke about frustration, you know there are days when you do feel abundantly frustrated.

It's true. It's so true. And, and your mind is telling you to do one thing and your body's telling you to do another. But I always oh hundred percent. Oh yeah. But I always believe in the concept of inhaling and exhaling and just letting that energy out. 'cause I'm a big firm believer of energy. And, um, how you transfer that energy.

So even if something or someone is trying to transfer the negative energy towards you, Aaron, I think it's once you, they try to bounce that on you, you have to decide how you want to use that energy and what you wanna do with it. So you can either let it bounce on you in a bad way, or you can turn around and say, no.

I'm gonna use that energy, filter it out, and take out the bad and use the rest of it for some good. So [00:03:00] that's how I'm feeling today. I like that. 

Aaron Bridgeman: I like that. That sounds to me like you had a testing day. I had a very, but you chose, yeah. You chose balance, you chose equilibrium. 

Savia Rocks: I definitely chose that today.

Which, you know, I always say to everyone, we all gonna go for it. And. Just don't let our people's opinions or mental thoughts corrupt your feeling of who you are. A hundred percent. So, no, so definitely. So Aaron, my first question for you is I would love to know more about you, 'cause I've, you know, listened to you speaking before, but I'm, I wanna get more into who you are as a person.

So, could I kindly ask you to tell me about your background, where you grew up, and how that influenced you? To be the person who you are today? 

Aaron Bridgeman: Yeah. Well, um, to take it back back, my background is, [00:04:00] um, Barbados and Dominica. Um, I spent a lot of time in Barbados growing up. Um, so I was, uh. Literally in Barbados, probably every single year.

Wow. For months at a time. For maybe the first, I would say maybe. Mm, maybe the first. At least 14, 15 years of my life. Um, and then I started to move towards, you know, like wanting to see the rest of the world and mm-hmm. You know, going, you know, and trying to be rebellious and all the rest of it. But I was raised in, um, in northwest London.

Um, I'm from a area called Hal. Yes, I know you in northwest London. Mm-hmm. Um, I guess the reputation of the area. Precedes itself. I went to school in Halden, 

Savia Rocks: so I can't say anything. No way. Yeah. Where did you go? [00:05:00] Convent? Yes, I, I did.

Aaron Bridgeman: Yeah. My sister went convent. No, no, no. Sorry. My sister went to the primary school convent. Yes. The one next door, and then she went see them. Yeah. Yeah, the secondary school that I went to, but um, yeah. Um, and so yeah, man raised in the ends, man, like, um, and in terms of what it done for me in terms, so I think firstly my cultural heritage shaped me in many ways.

Um, it created a sense of pride in me. It gave me a sense of understanding of where I'm from, especially being, you know, a child of. Well, I say immigrant parents, but one immigrant parent because my mom is also from Barbados and Dominica, but she was born here, but then went to school in Barbados and Dominica.

But my mom is very English. If if it's to her speech, she will, she, she, she's, she's very English. But, um, you know, being the children of immigrant, um, [00:06:00] parents or grandparents for some people, my grandparents weren't in this country. Um, I think sometimes being here, you know, it can be a, it can be a. It can be a.

A challenging identity because you know that you originate from somewhere else. You're trying to assimilate, assimilate into here as well. But sometimes through that, through those, through that dicho that, that dichotomy of of difference. Um, it can sometimes create a challenging identity for a lot of young black children, but I think me having that strong beige heritage as well as my Dominique heritage as well, but I did spend much more time in Barbados.

It gave me a sense of identity, gave me a sense of, um, understanding who I am and when I would go back there, I knew I was going to see in my family. Yes. And in terms of the area that I was from, I think. It being a very dangerous and notorious area. It gave me a hardening. It gave me an understanding [00:07:00] of grit.

It gave me an understanding of real life. It gave me an understanding of struggle, but it also gave me an understanding of community. And then once again as well, that identity of being from there gave me a sense of pride. It gave me something to represent it, put a little bit of a battery in my back so that when my career, when my life.

And eventually career started to go different in terms of heading towards a, I guess, a more reputable place. It gave me something to represent. It gave me some, it gave me a, a people to represent. It gave me, um, uh, a, a, a determination because, you know, being from the kind of place that I'm from, they don't expect you to go on and do.

That's true some of the things that God, God has blessed me to be able to do. So, you know. Yeah, I think where I'm from and what my background is and my heritage, both, both, uh, culturally and uh, locally have made me the person that I am and [00:08:00] it's really given me the battery in my back to try and push on towards.

Whatever it is that I'm pushing towards, you know, I mean, um, it's something positive. Building myself as a, 

Savia Rocks: it is something positive for sure. 

Aaron Bridgeman: Sometimes you're like, what I doing? 

Savia Rocks: That 

Aaron Bridgeman: was me today, but yeah. Yeah. 

Savia Rocks: No, I definitely understand it. So I'm gonna get a little bit deeper into that. So I'm gonna ask you, Aaron, can you define yourself as a person but also.

Who do you see when you look in the mirror? On the flip side of that question, has there ever been a time where you have looked in the mirror, Aaron, and not recognized a person staring back at you? How did you manage to go from a person that you might not have liked the reflection of to becoming a person that you felt had purpose and being the way that you wanted to?

Aaron Bridgeman: Yeah, that's [00:09:00] hard. Okay, so, um. To define my per myself as a person. Firstly, I would say, I dunno. Um, I think I'm someone, I'm probably someone who can. Too much. Like, I think my friends say that as well. Like I get quite emotionally invested in especially issues that affect my own people. Um, I do see this race as a race that is supposed to be one of a no man is left behind.

So, so maybe sometimes I focus more on the diaspora or I focus more on the. You know, the US as opposed to the me. Um, but that's me. I see it in my mom as well. So I know it's something that's genetically in me. It's, it's something that I've inherited. My mom. My mom is the same way. Um, so I think I'm a selfless person.

Um, I think [00:10:00] that selflessness has, has allowed me to keep humility. Yes, I agree. Um, I, I don't, I'm not really. I'm not away with myself and you know, I'm not believing in my own hype. I'm not like, you know, I'm, I'm, um, I'm very much still who I always, always was. But I think that links back into your question about looking into the mirror and seeing someone.

Different to, uh, who you thought or you think you are. And I think that came with when I stepped into mainstream television. Like when I stepped into mainstream television, I understood now that I'm speaking from a perspective of, um,

a, a, a national perspective, I was talking to a national audience and so. I had to, well, in my head I had to understand that [00:11:00] how I present myself, both verbally and even physically, yes. Had to be representative of something that was more universal. Yes, I understand. And so it wasn't so much a mirror, but I remember, uh, my first documentary that came out on Channel five, which was a massive thing for me, such a proud moment.

I did like a whole. Um, evening, like a launch event, um, in Faringdon. Yes. And like invited everyone to come and watch the documentary with me live as it came out. Very proud moment. Um, uh. And sorry to get to the point, um, we were watching it and then I remember there was a part of the documentary when the voiceover came, when one of my guys was next to me, he was like, yo, whose voice is that?

Um, I'm like, yeah, that's, that was like, yeah, that's, that's my voice. He is like, who, when you, when you, when you speak, when you don't [00:12:00] speak like that, you know what I mean? And so the reason I say that is because I realized that I was. You know, I wasn't pretending because, you know, IIII can be quite eloquent.

Yeah. Obviously when I'm with my friends, my, my tone is a lot more, uh, you know, colloquial. Yes, I understand. So to speak. You get me? Yes. Um, but I also understood that. You know, the colloquialisms of Northwest London will not be understood by someone in the rural areas of Oh yeah. Um, the Hebrides in Scotland.

Oh yeah. And these are gonna be people, the people that are watching as well. So to link it back to your question, when I stepped into mainstream TV and starting doing appearances and doing these TV shows, I think there was a time when I was watching and I was like, that voice. Is not my authentic voice.

Yes. But I understood that that voice was playing a purpose. There was a bigger picture or a wider picture that was beyond me. Like everything that I've done [00:13:00] has been beyond me. Like those documentaries were not about me. I was a conduit. I was communicating something. To a wider audience from a more authentic tone a, an experiential perspective.

And so me making sure that I speak in as clear as way a clear in as clearer way as possible was not so much me, not being the person who I am, it was serving a purpose. But I think there were times when I was like, raw, am I cooling a bit here? By, by by doing this, am I, you know, am I. Am I not being, um, myself, but I was being myself, but I was just being a well spoken version of myself, myself.

And I think the bigger picture was, is that a lot of stuff that was, that I was covering, which was a lot of issues about young people, violence, crime, uh, inner city areas, um, uh, you know, uh, [00:14:00] drugs. Um, a lot of these narratives and stories that were told were told from a sensationalized and. Very much a demonizing perspective.

My whole thing was I'm gonna give you an authentic voice who's come from it and not justify what happens, but give you the genealogy to it, give you the understanding of how, when, what, you know what I mean? Not just, oh, look at these kids who are doing that. No, but look at these kids that have done that, but what's happened?

How did they get there? What are the issues that is affecting them? And. You know, telling that story from a more offensive perspective. And so yeah, that's what it was for me. I think at times I was like, raw. I feel like, am I, am I playing the sellout? But I knew that there was a bigger. Um, a bigger goal here, a bigger representation, and I hope, and I hope that that was received and understood by most, I feel like it was, but I hope it, I hope it's understood for what it was.

Savia Rocks: I think you [00:15:00] actually even shocked some of your friends by the way that you articulated yourself. Within the documentary, sometimes our friends have a certain perception of how we are, because we're more with them. We are a certain way. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But then when we, you know, go into our modes, which we do have modes, and I think everybody has them, where we go into different modes of how we are present, our songwriter, it doesn't matter what you do, doctor, it doesn't matter.

You go into this creative work mode that allows you to be a different type of person, not in a bad way. It is just the way that you feel represents what you need to show. And I think we all have that, Aaron. I think we abundantly all have that, which is, which is a really good way. And I was also gonna say to you at the same time, it's good to have people like ourselves on TV because it shows people that they have someone A to have to look up to, and B, someone actually looks [00:16:00] like me.

That's on TV a hundred percent. That's very important. That's yes. Yes. And I'm sure when you were younger, we might not have seen a lot of us on tv, so we might not have had this massive big representation. But now, because we are more on TV and we have podcasts, we have TV presenters like yourself doing great things, it gives of the other generation who are coming up and even older generations, a more open-minded perspective.

To understand that it can be done and them coming down from where they were, whether it's the wind rush or wherever it might be, was not in vain. And I always say that it doesn't matter where you come from, it doesn't matter your culture. We all can have a chance. It's just about people who have the power to be open, be able to open those doors and allow us through with our determination as well.

So it's good that you've decided, look, you wanna do this. Which leads me, actually to my next question in the, [00:17:00] in the terminology of Aaron, what made you decide to be, I think I know the answer, but what made you decide to be a TV presenter? There are some things that I've picked up from you already, especially when it comes to the emotional side of you, for example.

You say you are emotionally invested in what you do, which is abundantly. It's a beautiful thing to have emotions, especially from a man's perspective. But please do tell me the reason why you decided to go into TV and how you use your emotions to articulate what you do and how you do that. 

Aaron Bridgeman: Um, if I'm really honest with you, I didn't, I didn't choose it.

It was chosen for me by like, yes. Um, I said that the other day. Some of the a Yeah. But, but it was chosen for me by some of the amazing people that I had around me. Like when I came out of university, um, [00:18:00] I ended up meeting, uh, you know, when I, when you come out of uni, you're trying to really work your Yes.

You know, especially as a creative, you're trying to work. Okay. Work your way through this. And how do I do something now? And I, I met some people. So firstly I met, um, some guys that were doing a short film, and then I met the, I met the guy who was, um, filming it. Um, he said that there was something in the way that I speak Yes.

Um, that he just, he just, um, resonated with and he said he wanted to do something with me. Um. Where maybe I presented something even. And the funniest thing is I met him as an actor. I was acting in this short film. It was me and Arnold Ochen, actually, Arnold Ochen, who's a massive actor now. He just, just finished doing, um, the series of Tom Hardy and Helen Miran, you know, um, mob Land.

Yes. Um, on, I think it's an Apple tv. Um, it was me and him in the short film, but the guy wanted to do something with me and we started doing like a, um, a [00:19:00] news flash. Used to film it in Brixton. Um, and then, um, through him I also met, no, not through him, but around that time. I also met, um, a group of, uh, young ladies, um, who were doing their own events.

Um, and I used to host an event for them, and then they, uh. We sat me down one day and said to me, look, we want to manage you as your management team. And I was like, if you like, if you wanna waste your time, that's fine. Aw. You know what I mean? Don't 

Savia Rocks: say it like that. 

Aaron Bridgeman: And then they got me booked by another Irish lady who was putting on an open mic show who ended up kind of.

Taking me, taking it upon herself to work behind the scenes for me. And then did, did an application for me on my behalf to SBTV, to become a presenter for them. And I ended up getting selected for that competition. So all of these people around me were seeing things in me [00:20:00] that I didn't see in myself. Yes, but I, I allowed them.

To guide me or I allowed them to bring me towards opportunity. And when they put me in the face of opportunity, like God had my back and I was just, I was this, I was just knocking these opportunities out at the park. I think it was just a young fearlessness, the young having nothing to lose. You like. And um, so that is how presenting kind of came about because it wasn't really my plan.

I didn't want to be on camera in that way, to be honest. Um, I didn't wanna present. I wanted to be a journalist. 

Podcast Music : Okay. 

Aaron Bridgeman: That was my, that was my aim coming out of uni. I wanted to be a journalist. I did some work experiences with like some quite well-known establishments, like the Times Newspaper, um, uh, total Film Magazine, another magazine called Start Your Business Magazine, who also had a TV station.

Um, and. Yeah, [00:21:00] man, the rest is history. Thank God for those amazing people who had faith in me more than I had in myself. Um, they really helped me to, uh, go on a path that I didn't even really have for myself initially, 

Savia Rocks: who have been some of the most inspirational people in your life. It's, it's the reason why I asked, I kind of asked this question from a different perspective.

There are teachers. Wow. Sometimes you go to school and they can be a teacher who sees a potential in you that nobody else sees. Usually when people ask that question, it's just a generic question of who are your inspirations? But I always like to go deeper into those modes because there are people in our life, like you said, who see things in us that we don't see in ourselves.

But there are also teachers who see things in us, Aaron, that we don't see in ourselves. Has there ever been anyone in education? 'cause [00:22:00] education is important in every form. In every way. And you don't just learn education in schools. You learn it just by living, you know? So is there anyone that you would like to highlight who has helped you?

Aaron Bridgeman: Yeah, man. Um, big up. Mr. Garner. I like that. Mr. Ella. I hope he's still alive. I hope he's still alive. Mr. Allen Garner, like, um, he. I was bad. You might not believe this or not, but I was a bad liquid youth, so I was a liquid bad breed. And so I wasn't, I wasn't, um, it got to the point where I wasn't even allowed in classes, no more in school.

Mm-hmm. Yeah. I was in and out classes, and so I would sometimes find myself. Dashed out of a class roaming the, um, corridor was going behind people's room, um, classroom doors where I knew they were, I'm doing like signs through the window like, yo, you see me? And so at some point I would find myself towards Mr.

Garner's room and I'd be like, [00:23:00] yo, sir. Like, oh, I've been dashed out again, kind of thing. And Mr. Like, yeah, it's fine. You sit down there. He would like, have me in his room and then he would like. Talk to me and stuff. And then he would do stuff like, he had to go and do like lunchtime duty, but he would leave me with the keys to his room and just say, look, when you're, when you're ready to leave, just look it up and you can come and gimme the keys.

And I'm like, raw, I'm supposed to be this bad you, and you're leaving me with all your possessions and everything in your room. But it's like he knew, it's like he knew there. Honoring me and he knew that our relationship was different. So I would never disrespect his T Yes. So I would tidy up. I would tidy up, and then I would go and like lock his door and I'd go and give him his key.

You know what I mean? And I remember one day as well, he's like, oh, Aaron, come here. And he took me to his window. As I'm looking out the window, I realized his window overlooks onto this area that we had just on the outskirts of our school park where we used to go and um, do certain activities. And I was like.

Oh my God. And he just looked at me like to say, mm-hmm. Like, yeah, I, I know what you're [00:24:00] doing. You know what I mean? But he's so true. He's not gonna say nothing. Right. He just showed me. So let me know that he knows. So therefore you should stop kind of tea. You know what I mean? So I was like, I just kind of like looked at him and I was just like, okay, say no more, sir.

Like, you know what I mean? And I remember I tried to get his email address to email him and I did actually email him like plenty, quite a few years ago now. And I was just saying like, thank you. And he was like, oh, you haven't gotta affect me for nothing like you do you, whatever you did, you did this. So, but this is before I was doing what I'm doing now as a career.

Yeah. I would love to know what he thinks now. I would have to get in contact with him 'cause like, you know, someone like him. So there was him. Um, there's also another teacher, well called Mr. Ringwood, but his, um, his, his motivation came different. He, he made me feel comfortable. Comfortable to express myself poetically.

Yeah, right. He was like an English teacher for me. And um, so I would start to like, show him my poetry and stuff. 'cause I was always writing poetry secretly, but no one knew. So I give him, I give him a [00:25:00] shout out as well. And apart, apart from him, he was actually a Canadian, like a French Canadian. Um, I think he might move back to Canada, actually.

Um, and apart from him in university there was a lecturer called, uh, professor Louise Brown who, um, I think I just, I I just, she was, she was, yeah, man, I, her, her module was just so interesting. And her openness and her way of speak. She was a good orator as well. Like she was, I just, I just found her very interesting and I found what she was teaching me very interesting and I just, something about it just had me.

Enthralled, you know, sometimes in, I dunno if you went to uni, but yeah, sometimes in uni, like some of the lecturers you might have, just like, sometimes you fall asleep, you know, like, let's be honest, sometimes you fall asleep. Let's be real. Come on, let's not lie about it's true. Sometimes you fall [00:26:00] asleep.

Um, but, but Louise Brown, she had a way of like, I was just, I was locked in and it's interesting because. After leaving uni, like her daughters got in contact with me and up until this day I still have contact with her daughters on social media and stuff and things. And so yeah, those, those people. And in terms of professionally, someone that I really feel inspired by is, um, JB Fox.

Savia Rocks: Okay. Because, 

Aaron Bridgeman: um. Jamie Fox is what they call a multi hyphenate. Yes. Like, um, he, he is really a multi talent and he's been able to use those multi talents and, uh, express and be rewarded and awarded for, uh, for those skills at the highest level. Yeah. And something that. I had from very young is that I felt like there were [00:27:00] multiple abilities that I had.

Mm-hmm. But, but in this, in the industry, when I first started, they would try to like, kind of cut that down and say, yeah, but what do you do? What's your main thing? Um, but someone like Jamie Fox showed me that you can have multiple abilities. You can, and you can utilize and use them at the highest level.

And I just really sincerely respect that. 

Savia Rocks: See, that's why, you know, that's when you learn about yourself. You know, you can have multiple abilities and people will try and put you in a box. They often do. 

Aaron Bridgeman: Oh yeah, they do. 

Savia Rocks: Yeah. You know, and usually it's because they want to own some form of power. Over. You kind of do.

So if they put you in their box, they'd be like, okay, well you can't do this. You're not allowed to do this. We'll try and do this. But that's not true. If you have multiple abilities, Aaron, you use them all. You absolutely use them all. 

Aaron Bridgeman: Yeah. I'm trying. I'm doing that right now. It's flipping stressful. 

Savia Rocks: It's the way you say it.[00:28:00] 

You, you'll honestly get there. It just takes time. It just takes time. So the next one I wanna ask you is, what is one of the things that you are most proud of as an individual in this world?

Aaron Bridgeman: Oh,

um,

do you know what? Yeah. Um. I think on a overall level, I think I'm most proud of the turnaround because being the kind of unruly child that I was,

it could have so easily been very, very different. I understand what you, so I'm quite proud of that. Like they, um. Yeah, there [00:29:00] was a, you know, I, I used to do talk, I still do them. I do talks where I talk about my journey and I call it from, from trouble team to TV screen. 'cause it tells you the story of coming from where I came from.

Yeah. To doing what I do now. And it's, you know, it's quite interesting. There's some, there's a major. Uh, learning points on my journey. Some major trauma points as well, unfortunately. But I, I guess I'm proud of that, and especially for my parents' sake, because, um, my mom, my mom specifically, like all the embarrassment, all the coming down to school, they're like acting up.

And then now to see her son, you know, um, pursuing his dreams and something that she thought that I was absolutely crazy for trying to do, she thought I lost my mind when I told her that I'm gonna. Leave my job and try and focus my energy on pursuing this dream. 'cause you know, I, I always tell people that, you know, immigrant parents like, um, Caribbeans Africans, yes.

Mm-hmm. Even Asians, they don't believe in dreams. Like what is a dream? They believe in [00:30:00] trades. Yes. That's, you know what I mean? They believe in 

Savia Rocks: doctors, lawyers, you have meaning 

Aaron Bridgeman: skills, 

Savia Rocks: electrician. Yeah. Yeah. 

Aaron Bridgeman: So, exactly. So, um, I went against the grain and it's nice to, it's nice for her to see what it's come to and, you know.

Not have to worry about me no more. And I guess specifically the thing that I'm most proud of is my first documentary, um, one Punch Killers that was on Channel five. I'm proud of it because I was able to incorporate poetry into it. I'm proud of it 'cause I was able to perform that poetry in the estate at the bottom of my road where I grew up in Haldon and film the intro to that documentary outside my front door in Hazen, in the house that I grew up in.

And then not just that, for that show to end up becoming the second highest viewed show on Channel five, I believe at that time, yes. In that year. Um, the only thing that beat it, I believe was Celebrity Big Brother. And that's how, you know, it was a long time ago because I think Big Brother's been on about two different channels since then.

He kept me like, [00:31:00] um, so, um, yeah, that's about, that was a very. Pride filling moment that, um, that, that documentary was receiving all types of rave reviews from all different publications. It got me called into TV shows. Um, it got me called into the Houses of Common. Um, yeah, that really sparked off my journey in a, in a way that I.

I could never have predicted. 

Savia Rocks: See, this is what I love to hear when change happens. So when I throw this next question at you, you're gonna be like, oh, okay. So a lot of the time we are judged based upon how we look, how we articulate ourselves, which we've been speaking about. So if I took the word judgment out of the dictionary, Aaron and I said, you don't have to deal with any.

Judgment anymore, or it doesn't exist? What do you believe that you would've done differently in the world knowing that judgment does not exist? 

Aaron Bridgeman: Whew. That's a [00:32:00] deep one. Jesus Lord. That is a deep one. All right, so if judgment didn't exist, what would I have done differently? Yeah.

Do you know what? Mm-hmm. If judgment didn't exist, you know. I would've, I would've probably been showing my passion for performing and stuff. A lot earlier and been a lot more out there with it. Like from the fact of like when MAM was MCing and not really wanting everyone to know, we're just kind of keeping it amongst our collective.

And those that knew, that knew, because that was the mentality. Like when you come from the hood, you're not trying to be out there out there. It's like when you come from the hood, it's like it's, there's a whole way of being. Yes. Like there's a whole, there's a whole. Status quo that you need to stay within.

You're not trying to, trying to be bossy. Bossy, even though we come from a [00:33:00] place where it's like, yo, you know, man, I have this and yo check the new trainer, and yo, you see my new shade them, and you know, like, you know, like all of that, like that, that is a part of who we are. But I think personally you don't, you don't try to step out the box too much.

Yeah. So for instance, like my friends, my friends never really know that I, I wrote poetry. Until many years later when I started performing it, my friends never knew that I could sing. I could sing from a very young age, like I had. I had a little, I had a little ear for, for tone and for notes. I can, some people know that till now, that I can, that I can hold a liquidator.

They're gonna know now. 'cause in my new show I've had to do a holy of songs and stuff. But that will come, that will come in time, that will come and start of next year. Um, I would've showed that I like to perform in the way of acting. Yes, I would've Do, you know what? I would've just allowed my creative and performative self to have been a lot more out there and open from a lot earlier if there wasn't judgment, but.

Like I say, when you come from a certain place, it's like you have [00:34:00] to stay within a status quo. Like even being a, being a presenter. When I, when I first started doing this, I was worried about how I was gonna be perceived and accepted back in the kind of places that I'm from. I was so surprised when the men were really embracing and I was like, oh, oh.

Rah, this is amazing. You know, like, yeah. 

Savia Rocks: See, this is what I like. If there was one quote that represented you as a person, what quote would you choose and why would you choose that particular quote, Erin? 

Aaron Bridgeman: I think the first one is I aspire to inspire. 

Savia Rocks: I like that one. 

Aaron Bridgeman: I feel like it's very important at, and each one teach one.

Savia Rocks: Yes. I know that one very 

Aaron Bridgeman: important. Mm-hmm. We, we have to, we have to pay, we have to, we have to look after the youth them. And we have to teach them. We have to use our experiences to help them get the understanding even earlier than we did. 

Savia Rocks: Yes, that is true. 

Aaron Bridgeman: I think, I [00:35:00] think another one is, um, is gay boss.

Savia Rocks: Gay boss. I dunno if you've 

Aaron Bridgeman: heard of Gabo. 

Savia Rocks: You have to, to tell mes you gonna have to tell me this one. 

Aaron Bridgeman: Gabo. The game ain't based on sympathy. Gabo. Okay. The game ain't based on sympathy. I think it came from America, but growing up how I grew up, it's like, listen, the game ain't based on sympathy. You need to, you need to, if you're looking for.

Someone to feel sorry for you. Mm-hmm. You are wasting your time. Yeah. The game ain't based on sympathy, but that part, that, that, that one is one that's more personal. It's a, I'm a bit more, that's a bit more of my, um, my Tgy side. You get me my Tgy side, that's like a personal one. Like, you know, the game ain't based on sympathy.

And, um, so I got there. I got each one. Teach one. Yes. Inspire. Inspire. And, um, there was one more that I was gonna tell you, but um. Oh, what's the one I was gonna say, I can't remember. I think it was, um, [00:36:00] we're here for a, we're here for a good time, not a long time. You know, it's true. So, um, that, that being said, it's like, look, try to enjoy yourself.

Try not to be too hard, hard on yourself. You know, we dunno how long we've got, like my, my best friend is no longer here. You know what I mean? One of my best friends is no longer here and I haven't had him for a good few years now. Like he, I dunno if he knew that he was gonna go that early, you know what I mean?

So we're not here for a long time. So while we're here, be kind to yourself. Enjoy, try to enjoy your life, you know? 

Savia Rocks: Yeah. That she sounds really sentimental as well. I can just pick up on that. Everyone has a different definition of what success is. Some people find success in just waking up in the morning now, and some people find success passing the driving test, you know, fighting cancer.

There are so many different ways to define success, but I would love to know what, how do you [00:37:00] define success to you? 

Aaron Bridgeman: Success to me. Do, you know, I think it's changed as I've got older and my life has evolved. Yeah. Success for me, especially now is on a personal level. Um, I think I always tell, like I, I have this little phrase that I use and I say, you know.

Try and get yourself to a stage where you can make your passions, pay your pocket. Oh, yes. Yeah. So success to me in that sense then is if you can utilize what your passions are mm-hmm. Um, to pay your pocket, you know, to be your, your way of, um, of, of providing. That is success. That is phenomenal. And um, I think, uh, just to end it off, I think also being able to do for a career [00:38:00] in life what you love or what you care about is also successful.

I, I remember when I left uni Yeah. I remember saying to myself, you know what? I don't even care about money too tough. Not that I come from. Make money. But I said, I remember saying to myself, the one thing that I want out of this whole, spending four years here, like, and really pushing myself to try and achieve the one thing that I want is that I want, for whatever I do in life when I wake up, I, I can look forward to it.

I want to be able to have some enjoyment in it. Or at least have some fulfillment in it. What I didn't want is to go through all of that, just to go and get into the rat race like I was initially, to be honest and just literally working a job for the sake of working a job and for the sake of an income.

Yeah. And having no real investment in it. Yeah. Having no real passion for it. Um, so I said, listen, I just wanna find myself in a situation where I can [00:39:00] get up and enjoy what I do. And I can truthfully say that there's nothing in my life that I do now that I don't have some level of investment or enjoyment in.

And I'm hugely thankful for that. 

Savia Rocks: I think to be fair, that's enough. I think that's abundantly. That's enough. Literally. So we all know music plays a major part in all of our lives at some point, especially if you come from a West Indian background, so, oh, a hundred percent. My question for you, Erin, is if there was one song that was a soundtrack of your life, and I know it can change as time goes by, what song would that be in it?

Why would that, why would you choose that particular song? 

Aaron Bridgeman: Oh, that is. Oh, you're doing a lot there. You know, that is just, 

Savia Rocks: well, poor Aaron right now. That one, 

Aaron Bridgeman: that one there is Voy. 

Savia Rocks: I bet you when we come off [00:40:00] right. Jesus. All right. 

Aaron Bridgeman: Do you know what? 

Savia Rocks: Go on. 

Aaron Bridgeman: Okay, 

Savia Rocks: go ahead. 

Aaron Bridgeman: I would probably say it's a mixture of the two, but the artist is Sizzler.

Savia Rocks: Yes. 

Aaron Bridgeman: Yeah. 

Savia Rocks: Yep. 

Aaron Bridgeman: And. You said what comes to what? It relates to my life? Yeah. Yes, yes. Um, I think the first song is Be Strong. Mm-hmm. By Sizzler, but I also want to add Rise to the Occasion by Sizzler. 

Savia Rocks: Oh, okay. 

Aaron Bridgeman: Like, I think those two tunes, like it's the way that's talking to a person. It's almost like he feels like he's talking to a me or a younger me.

It's like on Be Strong. He's like, Hey, how you doing in a long time? I haven't seen you or be behaving. So like, oh, good behaving, citizen. Nothing comes easy. You got to work hard, I'm telling you. And it's like all them lyrics, it's like, oh yeah. It's like he was talking to a. It's like he was talking to my, to, to my [00:41:00] young soul.

You get me? It's like he's kind of gangster, but he, why he saying, now look, I hope you behaving yourself like a good behaving citizen and nothing comes easy. You gotta work hard. I'm telling you hope and pray for love because, you know what I mean? It's, it's that, that's what it is. It's like, that's what you didn't really see, but that's what you, that's what it is.

It's like there were times when I was complaining when I was a younger and I'm like, why is this not happening? Why is it happening? And it's like, yo, you gotta work hard. I'll never forget one time when I was working with a, with a director and he said to me, oh, not a director. At the time, he was an assistant producer and he was saying to me, yo.

It takes 15 years to be an overnight celebrity. You know, to be an overnight success. Sorry. Yes. To be an overnight success. He said it takes 15 years to be an overnight success. You know, it can take 20 years. I'm like raw. That really put things in perspec, in perspective for me. 'cause like I was doing it for how long?

Maybe I'm about five years. You know? I'm saying, yo, what one? Why am I not up there? Up there? He get me. But like I seen it with my friends man. Some of the people that I know, like look at Maya. I knew Maya from when she was 16 years [00:42:00] old. I'm sure Maya is like touching dirty now. Yeah. And it's only now she's, you know what I mean?

She's a national name. My girl's been grinding, my girl moved to London. From Bristol and she's been grinding, you know, and there's many other stories like that as well that I've got of people around me and people that I've grown with in this industry. And, um, in terms of rise to the occasion, rise to the occasion is just like an empowering one.

You know, since it's talking about rise to the occasion, look at yourself, you know, you're strong, you get me. It's like, no one can stop you. You get me. It's like, woo. It's like, okay, lemme not forget. Let me rise up and let me remember who I am. Yes. And so those two songs for me would be soundtracks. 

Savia Rocks: That's actually a good two to choose, actually, especially from your perspective.

So what I'm gonna do now is, Aaron, I'm gonna take you, I'm gonna put you on a desert island for 24 hours, and I'm gonna say, Aaron, you're allowed to take one president, one activist, and one musician to talk to for the full 24 hours. Who would you take and why? [00:43:00] 

Aaron Bridgeman: One president. Mm-hmm. One. 

Savia Rocks: One Activist. 

Aaron Bridgeman: One what?

One president. One 

Savia Rocks: activist, and one musician. 

Aaron Bridgeman: All right. The president I'll take is, um. Mia Motley, yes. From Barbados. Yes. Just a very powerful, incredible woman who I believe is changing global politics and also changing the perspective of females in politics. Yes, because for far too long they thought that females are too emotional to B in politics, but she's coming and shown you that she is more logical and more.

Um, foresight driven than any male politician that I've seen in, in, in my life. Yes. Um, uh, activist. Um, whew. Geez, my gosh. Um, uh,[00:44:00] 

do you know what? Yeah. Hmm.

Hmm. That's hard. 

Savia Rocks: I like the fact that you are thinking like that. Um, 

Aaron Bridgeman: yeah, that's hard. I think I'm drawn between Malcolm X mm-hmm. Marcus Garvey. 

Savia Rocks: Oh, okay. 

Aaron Bridgeman: Um. Aala. 

Savia Rocks: Ooh. You are giving us some good ones. And 

Aaron Bridgeman: Ooh. Yeah. And, and Dr. Uma.

Boy, I love Dr. Uma. You know, I love, I love Dr. Oh now. Dr. Umar, because I'm just, I'm not gonna get too much into it, but I'm loving, I'm loving that perspective that he has and I'm loving the way that he loves his people. Oh man. Especially his [00:45:00] queens. Yes. I love that. He sure does. Um, um, a Carla, because what a great mind.

And I've met a Carla, but I've never had a chance to properly sit down, have a proper conversation with him. You know, and that's something that I'm not happy about. Yeah, I really wanna, I really want to, I really want to engage on a deeper level conversation that I'm not always able to have with, you know, many that are around me.

Luckily, I've got a close friend, my, my, my brother, grace. Big up Grace. Uh, we, we have, um. Those types of conversations, Marcus Garvey. 'cause I really wanna know like what it took to have that perseverance and that strength of mine and character and ideal, um, in that time and Malcolm X because his story of going from, uh, they call bad boy to becoming, um, one [00:46:00] of the greatest.

Uh, voices. Yes. Um, for racial equality and for black empowerment that we've ever seen in histor in historical times. So different reasons, but those, I, I'd have to choose between those, I think. Yeah. It's hard. Oh, musician as well, you said? 

Savia Rocks: Yeah. Well, musician too.

Aaron Bridgeman: It'd have to be between Elvis Tupac and Bob Marley.

Just some of my favorites, to be honest. I want to really quiz the minds, especially of Bob Marley and Tupac. Elvis, I'm just a fan of, I just wanna see what he's really like. They said he liked black people. Oh, he did? I wanna find out. 

Savia Rocks: Yeah, I think he did. [00:47:00] 'cause he was really close to, I can't remember his name now.

It's gone through my head. 

Aaron Bridgeman: I think it was, was it Sammy Davis Jr. One or one of them was one. Yeah. Was one of them close to one of them? Yeah. 

Savia Rocks: He was really close to them and, and the fact that black people embraced Elvis even when he came to the neighborhood. You know? 

Aaron Bridgeman: Yeah, yeah. That's what I'm trying to, because he, he borrowed a lot from the, 'cause he was raised in his, his mom, him and his mom had to move to an area, um, that was for poorer people.

Yeah. And obviously a poorer, um, poorer neighbor at that time would, would mean, uh, a black, a black area. And that is where he picked up those rhythms from. Yes. And he heard those. Types of, um, riffs and those types of, uh, uh, you know, um, acoustics that he wouldn't have been privy to not being around it. And he incorporated all that and put it into his own stuff.

That's why the tv, so people said that he teethed. He teethed. Yeah. People said that he teethed, but actually I don't think they realized that, you know, he was, he was inspired by, 

Savia Rocks: I think it was [00:48:00] more he was inspired by, he was inspired by, and then the. You know, the other TV stations were saying he was playing, you know, devil music and, and all that stuff.

But I think, like you said, oh yeah, remember, and you know, the dance moves and all that stuff. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And it's just how we use our body to express ourselves in music. Mm-hmm. We have just a different way. And we use every body pot. Yeah. I seen it before. Body pot. We use every body 

Aaron Bridgeman: pot. When that mother started gyrating you, them getting started falling over.

Oh. You know what I mean? They, they had never seen a gyration before, but when we come from Gyration, it's just a natural part of our everyday. Yes. You know what I mean? You might gyrate in the kitchen, you know, I mean, like I'm sure many of us do. Yeah. You don't want to see me in the kitchen Where hella gyration.

No, you are the waste mud. What? I'm joking. So human.

Savia Rocks: You lucky you don't have soaker. You lucky you didn't incorporate soaker in the music too. Oh, [00:49:00] that would've been another level. Oh 

Aaron Bridgeman: mate. Listen. 

Savia Rocks: Oh dear. No, that would've been cool. So I've only got two more for you Erin. And my second to last one. I find it really important. It kind of helps us to have a definition of who we are and our purpose in life.

So when I talk about this one, it's we all have a different definition of what legacy means. Some people believe that legacy is when we pass away and we leave the memories that we have behind for other people to collect, remember, or just inspire other people from. I believe that legacy is an everyday occurrence.

Where you speak, love, touch. It doesn't matter what it is. Put someone in their place in a good way. Tell people when they're right and when they're wrong. Legacy to me is an everyday occurrence of who we are. But from your definition and only your definition only, what does legacy mean to you and how do you portrayed[00:50:00] 

Aaron Bridgeman: Legacy to me is.

Legacy to me is the foundation of impact and goodwill that I leave. On this earth to be built upon. 'cause I'm not gonna be here forever, but I need to start, at least start something that can be built upon. So I guess from my professional perspective, what that, what does that mean? That means like, look, it was very hard for me to penetrate this industry very, very, very hard.

Um, so there's no point in me doing what I've done. [00:51:00] If the next young little Aaron with a dream of possibly doing something different and be in a voice and be a. Being a, you know, a, a conduit, a mouthpiece, um, for, for a people on a national scale, on tv, if his journey is just as hard as mine and I've failed, there's no legacy there, you know?

So my legacy is making sure that those that come after me. Have a much easier path to get towards where they want to get to. So that more can be that. It shouldn't feel as lonely as it feels for me. You know what I mean? It shouldn't feel this lonely, and it shouldn't feel this hard to get there. I've seen many people as well on my journey.

We're all pushing together, but not many people can maintain it. It's hard. I've had, I've had to be, like, today someone told me the def um, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and getting the same results. Mm-hmm. I must be insane then, because I was doing the same thing again and again and again, and not getting the results, but one day.

You know, I [00:52:00] always tell people if you keep knocking on a door, if you keep pushing against the, uh, uh, uh, a, uh, an opening, it has to eventually budge. You know what I mean? And luckily it did, but I don't want for the next to have to go through the same stress, trauma, and depression that I have to go through to get here.

So that's legacy. And I think on a more personal level, my legacy is my child. Yes. My legacy is, you know, my child and. Um, my children hopefully one day. Um, you know, my seeds, like right now, it's just my daughter. You get me. She is my legacy. Um, but hopefully I can add more to her and that is the most powerful legacy.

Savia Rocks: I think that's enough, and I think that's a nice way to even end the podcast as well. So my last one for you, Aaron, is I would love for people to be able to find you to watch what you do to see more of who Aaron is and how he does his thing in life, for life [00:53:00] and with life. Could you tell us where we could find.

Aaron Bridgeman: Yeah. So, um, literally I always tell people if you just Google my name, and I was surprised myself the other day, when you google my name, a lot of stuff comes up. It's mad. It does actually, they got like a whole little, it's true. Yeah. They, they got a whole little, they got a whole little thing, like a little, like a little tab.

Like TV present. I'm like, do that. That's it. Like, you know what I mean? So, you know what I mean? It's like, man, God bless them, whoever. It's You surprised yourself just 

Savia Rocks: saying that? Yeah. 

Aaron Bridgeman: Yeah. It's probably AI or something, wouldn't it? Like get funny picture. Get a picture of me doing like this. Some funny picture would be like this.

And I'm like, yeah, look. I look, look a bit weird. Like, you know, I mean, but it is what it is. Um, but yeah, to find me like, my name is Aaron Roach. Bridgeman. Double a RON? Yes. Roach. Like a cockroach and bridgeman as in like a bridge and a man. Yeah. Like Google it. And, um, you know, big up the people at Google, they, they make [00:54:00] sure that they can direct you to, um.

All of my profiles and a lot of the stuff that I've done and doing, and there's more to come. I'm working right now, I'm gonna be working all through this year, but early 2026, you're gonna, you're gonna see something that maybe a lot of people that know, that know me professionally I've never seen before, but I'm very excited about it.

It should be good. 

Savia Rocks: This is what I like and this is where I say to you, Erin, I wanna thank you for coming on the Ask People Podcast for sharing your story and your way for sharing your emotions, your vulnerability, but more than anything, you just being yourself. Thank you so much for me too. You. 

Aaron Bridgeman: Oh, God bless you, man.

Thank you for having me, man. Thank you. No, it is 

Savia Rocks: more than one. It just felt like an easy chat. To be quite fair. It just felt like two people who live right next to each other, by the way, who are,

Aaron Bridgeman: where? Where? Whereabouts are you from? I Where? Where are you from? 

Savia Rocks: I am literally down the road, so I'm in the, what I would say. Near Lab Grove. [00:55:00] That's what I will say. Oh, okay. Literally. Okay, cool, cool. Alright, so I'm, I'm literally down the road you, I can also be, shout your name and you might hear me, 

Aaron Bridgeman: but because, well, I'm not in, I'm not in Hazen anymore.

I don't live in Hazen anymore. Okay. Well yeah, but Hazen is definitely homes though. It's definitely, oh yeah, no, 

Savia Rocks: that's definitely where I am. So Aaron. Thank you so much, and this is where I say to you guys, thank you so much for listening to the Ask People Podcast. And please remember, you can subscribe and leave us a review on Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, or any other platform that you prefer listening to.

You can also donate to the Ask People Podcast to hear more inspiring stories by simply going to the Ask People podcast website. And clicking on that button where it says community. You can also connect with us every Thursday where we play a prerecorded version of the Yes People Podcast, which is repeated from the Tuesday where we play the prerecorded most UpToDate version.

Of the Yes People Podcast for you, and you can watch that on Thursdays at 8:00 [00:56:00] PM UK time, and on Tuesdays where it goes at live and on Wednesdays at 9:00 PM UK. Time on Heart Songs Live for you to be able to listen to. And the most important part, and this is where I say thank you for listening, stay happy, stay positive, and as always, please.

Podcast Music : Society has made me wanna validate me from.[00:57:00] 

Aaron Bridgeman: Say kindness. Yeah, man. It's important, man. It's true, man. I don't miss him, man. Kindness. Be kind to yourself, man. It's not a joke. Out. Here is some treacherous times 

Podcast Music : we fight.[00:58:00] 

Why we.