Radio 1 newsreader fulfills CBeebies dream with royal support

A social media campaign to secure a CBeebies Bedtime Stories appearance for Radio 1 presenter Calum Leslie received unexpected support from the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Calum was informed that he could feature on the popular evening segment for young viewers if a video clip of him reached one million views on social media by 08:30 BST on Thursday. As the deadline approached, Radio 1 Breakfast host Greg James acted on a listeners suggestion to reach out to Prince William and Princess Catherine for assistance.

Shortly after, the royals shared the clip from their official accounts, and Calum's video achieved the target within ten minutes.

CBeebies Bedtime Stories airs daily at 19:00 BST, marking the end of the broadcasting day for the channel. The segment features celebrities reading picture books to children before wishing them a good night. Past guests have included actors such as Tom Hardy, music stars like Harry Styles and Billie Eilish, and athletes including Lewis Hamilton and Harry Kane.

Calums audition clip showed him in pajamas reading a story about a giraffe born without markings who discovers that being different makes them unique. The segment aims to celebrate individuality and creativity through storytelling.

During Thursdays Breakfast show, Greg and Calum discussed strategies to boost the clip's views. Listener Emma suggested contacting the royal couple, recalling that they had previously mentioned listening to the show during school runs. She noted that sharing the clip would be a public service for the country.

Greg then recorded a voice note to the royals, explaining that only ten minutes remained to reach the one million view target. Calum jokingly remarked about messaging the future king of the United Kingdom while in his pajamas. Moments later, the video was shared on the @princeandprincessofwales Instagram story with the caption, nice PJs, Calum, and quickly surpassed the view goal.

Calum received congratulations from fellow Radio 1 colleagues, and Greg publicly thanked the royal couple for their support. CBeebies responded to Calum, confirming his appearance in 2026.

Princess Catherine had previously read a bedtime story for the channel, presenting The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark to mark Childrens Mental Health Week in 2022, and also co-hosted a BBC Newsbeat special on mental health with Prince William in the same year.

Author: Lucas Grant