Wondering what the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Regé-Jean Page, Tom Hardy and now Kate Middleton all have in common? The answer might come as a surprise, but all three have (or are about to) star on Cbeebies' Bedtime Story series. Yep, the Duchess of Cambridge will be following in the footsteps of some very famous faces, reading a bedtime story on the popular children's TV channel to mark Children's Mental Health Week (7 February to 13 February).
For her debut TV presenting role, which is this Sunday, the Duchess has chosen to read The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson, to align with this year's theme of 'Growing Together'. As part of the theme, both children and their parents are being encouraged to consider how they have grown emotionally, as well as to try new things that can take them beyond their comfort zone.
The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark, illustrated by Paul Howard, follows the story of baby barn owl Plop, who is helped by others to grow in confidence and overcome his fears – which, we're sure you'll agree, is very fitting for this year's theme. Well done, Kate!
Speaking about the Duchess' appearance on the show, Patricia Hidalgo, Director of BBC Children’s and Education, said: "I couldn’t be more proud to have the Duchess read a CBeebies Bedtime Story as we mark the 20th anniversary of our CBeebies and CBBC channels. It’s such a special and relevant tale and perfectly represents this year's Children's Mental Health Week theme. I can’t wait to see her deliver her own take on such a classic story and I’m sure our audience can’t either."
We're sure the Duchess will absolutely flourish in the new role, given that she has made no secret of her passion for mental health, particularly when it comes to children and young adults. Just last year she launched The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, announcing that she hopes the centre would "show that change really needs to happen, and the time for action is now", [per Metro].
"Because I feel that this is the social equivalent of climate change, where we followed the science for many, many years", she continued. "And that is what we have to do with early childhood development if we want to build a happier, healthier world. The more we learn about early childhood and the first five years of life the greater imperative it is to act."
The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark read by The Duchess of Cambridge will air at 6:50pm on Sunday 13 February.
