INTERVIEW: CBeebies TV presenter on her Stevenage roadshow visit

A CHILDREN’S television presenter will be swapping the screen for the stage next month when she throws her own kids party in Stevenage.

CBeebies presenter Katy Ashworth comes to the Gordon Craig Theatre in September with Katy’s Roadshow, an interactive live show for little ones.

After an initial tour in April, May and June, the 25-year-old is readying herself for another three months spent visiting venues around the country so Comet reporter Nick Gill caught up with Katy to find out what visitors to the theatre in Lytton Way can expect.

“It’s like a meet and greet so audiences can expect live music, lots of dancing and my friend Monty the monkey who comes and plays with us,” said Katy, who was speaking while in the middle of filming for the third series of CBeebies’ programme I Can Cook.

“It’s like a children’s party on stage. It’s quite short as it’s for young children but it’s got lots of interaction - every part of it is interactive. There’s lots of opportunities to come up on stage too. There is a little story to it but I’m not going to spoil it.”

Katy got her break in the profession at almost the first time of asking, and she admitted that although she’d heard “it was difficult to get into”, she “doesn’t really know”.

“Three years ago when I was in my last year of studying drama at Exeter University I sent in a show reel to CBeebies of me singing a song about why I show be the next CBeebies presenter”, she said.

“I then went for a programme presenter job, I didn’t get it but got a call back for I Can Cook - a week later I found myself cooking in a hall and things have just gone from there.”

In I Can Cook Katy spends time with young children getting to know the origins of food - ‘from the field to the fork’ - but the combination was initially founded on costumes and not in the kitchen.

“When I was 16 I became a children’s theme party entertainer and I did that every weekend until a couple of years ago.

“I’d never worked with kids before that but I really took to it like a duck to water. It’s quite difficult running a kids’ party when you’re 16 but you get to know what children like and work around that.”

About the demands of 25 tour dates in the next three months and the challenges of winning over a young audience, Katy added: “I’ve always been the most enthusiastic person. It’s difficult when you’re not feeling tip-top but so much is down to the children so when the kids are good you really feed off their energy.”

Katy’s Roadshow will be held at the theatre on Monday, September 26, with two hour long shows at 11am and 2pm.

Tickets cost �7 for adults and �6 for children - call 01438 894802 or visit www.gordon-craig.co.uk to book.

For more information about Katy’s Roadshow visit www.katyashworth.com