What Happened To Your Favourite CBBC Presenters?

Simon Parkin was a staple in the BBC’s ‘Broom Cupboard’, hosting during weekends and school holidays from 1987 to 1992, and also hosted 'Top of the Pops’ and 'The O Zone’. He then moved over to GMTV as one of its launch presenters. He even scored a 'Gotcha’, courtesy of Noel Edmonds. These days he’s a weather presenter on ITV’s Meridian, covering south east England, and presents the Saturday Breakfast show on BBC Somerset.

Andy Crane was a stalwart of the Broom Cupboard too, and along with his furry sidekick Edd The Duck, taking over from Phillip Schofield. He also presented on 'Top of the Pops’, ITV’s 'Motormouth’, and was thrown into a gunk tank on the first ever Comic Relief. He later did a stint on Challenge TV, and then went back to radio, hosting shows on BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Radio Sheffield, and 5 Live. He’s also a freelance newsreader for ITV’s Granada News.

Not much introduction needed here. Pip’s early days on the telly were stuffed into the Broom Cupboard with Gordon the Gopher. Then it was on to taking over from 'Saturday Superstore’ with 'Going Live!’. But it’s as the co-presenter of long-running daytime show 'This Morning’ that he’s forged his household name status, first with Fern Britton, and now with Holly Willoughby.

Philippa Forrester was a regular fixture on CBBC from the late 80s, and was paired with co-presenter Toby Anstis from 1990 to 1994. She went on to present technology show 'Tomorrow’s World’ and several series of 'Robot Wars’, but she stepped away from broadcasting in 2002 at the age of 32 to concentrate on starting a family with her wildlife cameraman husband. But she returned to screens in 2013, co-presenting BBC2 show 'Harvest’.

Peters arrived in the Broom Cupboard in 1989, replacing Andy Peters, after briefly hosting 'Freetime’ on ITV. Also teaming up with Ed The Duck and Wilson The Butler, he then went on to 'Live & Kicking’ with Emma Forbes and John Barrowman up until 1996. Latterly, he become a top TV producer, devising 'T4’ for Channel 4. He still presents, on the likes of 'Good Morning Britain’. Top Peters Trivia Fact: he voiced Male Baggage Handler 1 in 'Toy Story 2’.

Taking over from Andi Peters, Toby Anstis joined the Broom Cupboard crew in 1992. Like former CBBC alumnus Andy Crane, he also did stints on Challenge, and joined Heart FM in 2002, where he still hosts the morning show. He’s appeared on various reality type shows, including haunted house series 'I’m Famous and Frightened’ and the sixth series of 'I’m A Celebrity…’. He made his West End debut in 'Grease’ in 2010.

RADA-trained Josie d'Arby was a CBBC star in the early 90s as well as a 'Top of the Pops’ host, before being given her own chat show 'Josie’ on Channel 5. She returned to acting, appearing in shows like cop show 'Merseybeat’, spoof science show 'Look Around You’ and 'Miranda’, also occasionally presenting on 'Songs of Praise’. She appeared in the movie 'Blackball’ with Vince Vaughn too, and is now working as a writer-director in the theatre.

Esther McVey appeared as a presenter of the CBBC summer holiday series 'But First This’, alongside the likes of Andy Crane, Philippa Forrester, Simon Parkin and Sue Devaney ('Our Rita’ from Jonny Briggs). She went on to stints on ‘GMTV’ and 'The Heaven and Earth Show’, but quit to start her own business in Liverpool. She stood as a Conservative Party candidate in 2005, and became an MP for Wirral West and Minister of State for Employment until losing her seat in 2015. She’s now Chair of the British Transport Police Authority.

Tracy Brabin presented on the CBBC series 'But First This’ too, but soon returned to acting playing Roxy Drake in 'EastEnders’, Tricia Armstrong in 'Coronation Street’, and Carole in 'Emmerdale’, as well as various parts in shows like 'Midsomer Murders’ and 'Casualty’. She’s always been a writer too, on staff at 'Hollyoaks’ for two years, as well as penning episodes of 'Shameless’ and, coming full circle, 'Tracy Beaker’ for CBBC.