My guest on this episode is Ben Cajee - CBeebies and CBBC presenter, BBC Sport broadcaster and now debut children's picture book author. His book, The Panda-Badger, is an uplifting story about a little character who doesn't quite fit into a world of pandas or badgers - and what happens when he realises that being both is actually his greatest strength. It's inspired by Ben's own experience of growing up mixed heritage, and it is already a firm favourite with my kids.
Ben chats to me about what it was like to be asked, in 2020, to speak publicly about his own experiences of racism. He explains how the viral CBeebies link he wrote himself, came about, and the harder, more personal one that followed... and the online pile-on that came with it.
Ben also talks about:
Being physically sick with nerves before a live half-hour BBC broadcast - in a wetsuit, in October, with nowhere to hide
Presenting Blue Peter, achieving the thing he'd always aimed for, and sitting on his sofa afterwards thinking it didn't feel how he thought it would
Why he refuses to let anyone describe him as just one thing (and the conversation with a former NBA star that helped him see why)
What it felt like watching his own links back to improve, and why he thinks not everything should be perfectly polished
The celebrity author narrative, and why he's not remotely bothered by it
Find Ben on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_cajee/?hl=en-gb
Buy The Panda-Badger: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panda-Badger-Ben-Cajee/dp/0241562600
If you enjoy the podcast, please do leave a rating and review - it really helps other people find it. Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and author Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people about parenthood and confidence on the podcast. You can check out my other episodes and come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Threads: @iamalisonperry. You can buy my book OMG It's Twins now.
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