The Duchess of Cambridge captivated the nation on Sunday when
she read The Owl Who Was Afraid Of The Dark on CBBC to mark
Children’s Mental Health Week.
Following her reading, the royal was swamped with lovely messages
praising her, and one came from former The One Show presenter, Matt Baker.
The star was incredibly impressed by Kate’s reading, and he paid a
lovely compliment, writing: “Welcome to the Children’s BBC Presenters Club.”
He finished his post with a heart emoji. Although the Duke and Duchess are yet
to respond, Matt’s comment did get a lot of love from others.
The official CBBC Instagram account posted two laughing emojis, while
one fan responded: “I used to watch you a lot when I was an Aupair. I
think I’ve learned the most of my English from CBeebies.”
Matt has a lot of experience of in presenting children’s television, with the
44-year-old having been a presenter on Blue Peter from 1999 to 2006.
During his run on the show, he was known for his enthusiasm and physical
prowess, with him passing the recruitment course for both the Royal Marines and
the Parachute Regiment.
 |
Matt was a presenter on Blue Peter for a number of years
After reading the story on Sunday evening, the mum-of-three concluded:
“Wow, what an encouraging tale.”
Kate went on: “We can all feel scared sometimes, just like our
little owl friend, Plop. But, as Mrs. Barn Owl said, it’s better to find out
about the things that scare us before we make up our minds. And with the help of
others, we can often face things that worry us. Now it’s time for bed. Night,
night, and sleep tight.”
 |
Kate gave the reading on Sunday evening
The Duchess chose the book because it reflects this year’s Children’s
Mental Health Week theme of Growing Together, and the scene around her was such
a soothing sight.
With a hot chocolate close at hand and two soft toy owls nearby, the
Duchess smiled at the camera, while behind her, one of the show’s trademarks
soft yellow bugs watched on from inside a den made of tree branches.
Kate, who is known for her love of building dens with her children and
is a passionate believer in the mental health benefits of getting outdoors, was
following in the footsteps of other Bedtime Stories celebrities, including
Hollywood stars Reese Witherspoon and Tom Hardy.
