South African radio personality Rob Forbes has built a formidable career for himself within the local radio space. Having appeared on a number of community and national stations throughout his two decades on air, the radio jock made a major career move last year when he took over The Drive with Rob and Roz on Jacaranda FM alongside co-host Rozanne McKenzie. The show, which airs every weekday between 16h00 and 19h00, continues to be one of the station’s most coveted shows and the duo have proven to be incredibly popular with listeners around the country.
Now, Rob opens up and shares some tidbits about himself that many may not have known about him.
1) Therapy has been his biggest learning curve
Rob is a massive advocate for mental health. He has often spoken up about the incredible change that he has seen in his own life after he started to see a therapist, something he says is the best thing he has ever spent his hard-earned money on. Rob aims to break the stigma about mental health and, specifically, men dealing with the impact of mental health – especially after his brother commited suicide. “I lost my brother a few years ago, and it’s something we as a society don’t deal with enough,” Rob explains. “It should be normal to talk about our feelings.”
2) The Kgalagadi is Rob’s favourite part of Mzansi
When it comes to travel, Rob loves exploring the road less travelled. In fact, when asked what part of South Africa he loves the most, Rob says it’s the Kgalagadi. The area, specifically the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, is a merger of Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa and Gemsbok National Park in Botswana and is one of the most incredible parks in the country to go on safari. “The Kgalagadi is so incredible,” Rob says. “It’s harsh and far away but it’s so beautiful.”
3) Dreams by Fleetwood Mac is Rob’s favourite song of all time
As both a radio and a club DJ, it’s safe to say that Rob consumes a whole lot of music. As a result of his job, he always has to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to music trends and ensuring he is exposed to as much music as possible to ensure that he can tailor a particular musical experience to a particular crowd. However, when asked what his favourite song of all time is, Rob, without hesitation, answered ‘Dreams’ by Fleetwood Mac. The song remains incredibly popular with Niall Horan and Anne-Marie covering the track last year as a charity single and Jethro Tait’s version became a radio hit around South Africa.
4) Idris Elba is Rob’s style icon
Though he would probably deny it, Rob Forbes is certainly a stylish man. Style and fashion is important to him, especially as someone in the public eye, and he loves how clothing can help tell stories. When it comes to his style inspiration, Rob admits he would love to climb into Idris Elba’s wardrobe. The ‘Luthor’ actor and singer has been names one of the world’s most stylish men for years by some of the biggest fashion magazines in the world, so it’s not surprising that Rob is inspired by the star.
5) Climate change is the one thing that scares Rob the most
When it comes to the negative impact humans have on the world, Rob is very vocal that something drastic needs to happen to ensure that the world doesn’t cave in on itself. He has often said that climate change is the one thing that terrifies him the most and uses his social platforms to have important discussions on the impact climate change is having on the world. “We all live on this one planet, and it’s the only one we’ve got. I can’t understand why we won’t do more to save it”, says Rob.
6) Rob started from the bottom
While the Jacaranda FM DJ has a pretty incredible job right now, Rob admits that is certainly hasn’t always been that way. He recalls that his first (and worst) job involved folding over 2,000 paper airplanes. “I loved folding paper airplanes at school but when it came to folding them as a job, and over 2,000 of them, it was horrible,” Rob jokes.
7) Rob will forever be a proud Pretorian
Although Rob has moved to the eclectic area of Parkhurst, the radio DJ admits that he is still obsessed with his home town. Rob was born and raised in Jacaranda City where he matriculated from St Albans College before studying at the University of Pretoria, which is where he discovered his love of radio after he applied at the local campus station. More so, Rob says he loves the people and the energy of the city. “It’s the vibe that makes the place so special,” Rob exclaims. “Pretoria people know what I’m talking about!”
8) Law was Rob’s plan B
Rob Forbes has made a name for himself as an exceptional broadcaster. His career is certainly filled with incredible moments and he has definitely made his mark on the local radio space. However, while he was confident he would do great things, Rob studied to become a lawyer. “I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do with my life after school, but I knew I wanted a profession and I’ve always liked a good argument, so I went to study law. Obviously. Now? I’m very grateful I’m not a lawyer,” Rob jokes.
9) Rob spends a lot of time in the kitchen.
Making dinner with his partner is one of Rob’s favourite things. “I love cooking” says Rob. “Also, I love thinking that I can do what other people can do as well. So every time I have something delicious, I’m trying to work out how I can recreate it at home” he says. Rob also say the kitchen is a fantastic place to unwind after a long day at work and on-air. “I walk into the house, wash my hands and get to chopping. It’s meditative to just do something with your hands while you clear your head.”
10) Rob is a recent convert to the art of boxing.
“I was never an exercise junkie” Rob said. Over the last year however, you’ll often see clips of Rob in the ring on his Instagram stories. “I’ve only learned the true value and impact of exercise late in my life” he says. “Every time I attempted to start exercising regularly, the beginning is unpleasant, and I get really bored of lifting things and running. Then I went boxing and everything changed. I’m working harder than I ever thought I would enjoy doing, and I’m excited to go back the next day. That’s the important thing. Being active has really changed how I feel, and now at 40 I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in.” While Rob says he’s having more fun than ever before, when asked if he wanted to get into the ring one day for real, he laughed it off. “Punching the gloves is exhausting enough without them punching back” he jokes.
