The CBeebies presenter Katy Ashworth talks to Miranda Jessop about her childhood, single parenthood and her latest career move into live shows with Fantastic British Food Festivals
For those of us who have children of a certain age, Katy Ashworth is instantly recognisable as the happy-go-lucky presenter of the popular CBeebies programme, I Can Cook. To me, Katy’s voice is so familiar, I keep expecting her to break into a quick rendition of her signature ‘Washing up song’. Her smiley face and chirpy tone remind me of contented days when my children would sit, glued to the television as Katy encouraged the little ones around her to get busy in the kitchen with jokes, songs and lots of laughter. And now here I am, having my very own playdate with Katy in her local park as she pushes her son, Charlie on the swings.
Katy (aged 29) grew up in Yateley in Hampshire with an older brother and a younger sister; her father was a computer software salesman while her mother was a stay-at-home mum. Katy is the first to admit that she liked the limelight from an early age.
“Annoyingly, I always wanted to be the centre of attention and I even knew, back then, that I wanted to be a TV presenter; when we were on holiday, I would make my dad film me as I talked to the camera about what we were doing. And weirdly, when I was at home, I used to make videos of myself cooking biscuits.”
Although her immediate family were not drawn to performing, Katy tells me that her grandmother was an opera singer and her grandfather was a musician. “They used to play gigs together in posh hotels like The Savoy and The Ritz.”
It was Katy’s part-time job as a children’s entertainer at the age of 16 that helped secure her dream job as a presenter in 2009. Katy had just finished a degree in drama when she saw an advertisement in The Stage for a CBeebies presenter.
“I didn’t actually get that job but they called me back about I Can Cook. I used to cook a bit with my mum at home but that was really the extent of my culinary skills. When I arrived for the audition, they put me in a room with a load of kids who were cooking; I invented lots of stupid stories to make the children laugh and I got the job.”
I Can Cook was a huge hit and is now in its fourth series.
“It is such a lovely show and I was really lucky to have landed cooking as a subject. I have always loved making food and trying out recipes on my friends and family.”
Katy’s presenting skills were so good that she then went on to become one of the main CBeebies presenters, the job she had initially auditioned for.
“When you’ve got a good team, it is the best job in the world and we love having an excuse to be silly and funny.”
Katy has now branched out into live shows and performs at festivals and events up and down the country. As well as I Can Cook Live and Storytelling with Katy, she also presents Katy’s Fun Time, a show full of sing-alongs, interactive games and imaginative stories. I ask Katy what will be in store for kids watching one of her shows at Sandown Park in September.
“They’ll hear all about my trip to Banana Island where I learnt the hilarious sacred language of ‘banana’ and if they’re lucky, I will teach them! I love doing the live shows, they are always a lot of fun, the children give so much back and I just feed off their energy.”
Two and a half years ago, Katy became a mother herself to Charlie, although life hasn’t panned out exactly as she had anticipated. Charlie’s father now lives in Australia and Katy is a single mother. Katy admits that it hasn’t been easy and she recently took six months off.
“I was working long hours and Charlie had hit the ‘terrible twos’ and it made me realise that I needed to take time off and prioritise my son.”
Katy is now back on track and has moved from Manchester to Farnborough where she is surrounded by friends and family. I ask Katy if her experience at CBeebies prepared her for motherhood.
“Yes, in so many ways it did, but you don’t have to deal with the hard bits when you’re an entertainer.”
And is Katy as bouncy at home with Charlie as she is on-screen?
“Of course not, I’m a normal knackered mother of a two year old,” she laughs, as she helps Charlie to draw a train in the sand with a stick.
As my time with Katy comes to an end, I can’t help feeling a little nostalgic; gone are those merry sing-song CBeebies days as my now pre-teenage children sit grunting behind their electronic devices. I ask Katy if she thinks she will ever grow tired of working with children.
“I can’t see that happening, I have a childish sense of humour and it is so much fun. I just love making people laugh and I especially love making children laugh.”
Katy Ashworth will be appearing at Wimbledon Park Food Festival on Aug 27 and Sandown Park Food Festival on Sept 17. Go to: fantasticbritishfoodfestivals.com for more information
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