Changing things up as Legends with Bevo podcast celebrates 8 year milestone

Bevan 'Bevo' Jones. Image supplied

Come April, SA radio presenter and journalist Bevan ‘Bevo’ Jones will celebrate 8 years of hosting the Legends with Bevo podcast.

Bevo’s one-on-one chats with sporting superstars, comedians and community figures make for compelling listening, charting their journeys – from the highest of highs to the most heartbreaking lows.

It’s hard to believe he came very close to giving it all up at one stage.

In 2024, his Legends with Bevo Facebook page was hacked. Bevo lost over 5000 followers.

“That really was tough and even today it still makes me so frustrated as I worked so hard to build that up and the page is still live but I can’t access it,” Bevo tells Radio Today.

“But I wasn’t going to let those idiots win, so here I am today still going strong.”

Reaching the eight-year milestone feels surreal and fills him with a sense of pride.

“I read a stat the other day that 90% of podcasters don’t last more than six months, so it’s actually crazy to think that I have lasted all that time and interviewed over 250 amazing people,” says Bevo, who last year returned to commercial radio as host of the Saturday Sports Show and Buy Swap and Sell on 5MU Murray Bridge.

This year, Bevo is planning to change things up, returning to the podcast’s original format – not just limited to guests from the worlds of sport and comedy.

“This way, it allows me to be far more flexible,” he explains. “It also means I can interview other incredible people like those doing great things in the community – such as musicians and doctors.”

“Everyone has a story to tell and some of the stories that come from people in the community are amazing.”

Bevo will also be trialling a new show component, adding a segment about mental health.

“At the end of the day, everyone has challenges in life and even comedians and sports people get harassed by keyboard warriors as an example. So it will be interesting to hear how they overcome these challenges and potentially it might help others who are listening or watching the episode.

Bevo may even open up about his own personal challenges.

“I had a really tough time in high school with being bullied, physically and verbally. It was really brutal,” he reveals.

Bevo found it hard to make friends and fit in.

“Particularly in year 8, when I was a little boy with a squeaky voice,” Bevo recalls.

He then laughs as he says “Amazing how life changes now, as my wife says I have too many friends!”