CBeebies presenter George Webster looks back: ‘Aside from Mr Tumble and Dave Benson Phillips, my dad is my hero’
The actor and presenter, and his dad, on winding each other up, learning to be resilient and the joys of family life
Born in 2000 in Rawdon, West Yorkshire, George Webster is an actor and presenter. In 2021, he made history as the first BBC children’s presenter with Down’s syndrome. As well as his regular hosting role on CBeebies, Webster has appeared in The Railway Children Return, Casualty, and the 2022 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special. His fourth book, George and the Dragons: Lava Goes Wild!, is out now. Webster’s dad, Rob, is the chief executive of NHS West Yorkshire.
George
This photo was taken at Disneyland Paris. It was such a fun trip – just me, Dad, my sister and Mum. Apart from going on the carousel, my main memories are my sister crying on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, the rain, wearing pac-a-macs, endless queueing, and not eating many vegetables. It was a brilliant holiday.
When I was little, I was fun, cheeky and full of energy. I definitely kept my dad on his toes. I was about two-and-a‑half the first time he took me to work. I was sitting on the carpet and, because I couldn’t walk yet, people assumed I wouldn’t go anywhere. As soon as everyone turned their backs, I crawled off like a bear and disappeared down the corridor.
I was very lucky growing up with Down’s syndrome. I had occupational therapists, amazing NHS support, my family and my friends around me. At school, I was supported by my teaching assistant, my teachers and my classmates – we were all one big team. I had to do extra lessons, often with other kids who were either disruptive in class, found it difficult to settle or on the edge of exclusion. It meant I never got picked on at school, as those were the kids that other students might be a bit scared of. Once, another kid gave me a hard time and one of my mates stepped in and said, “Don’t bully George. Come to me instead.”
My dad was a huge support, too, although mostly he likes to wind me up. I once had to give a talk at a big event in Leeds about the importance of creativity. There were thousands of people watching, and Dad kept interrupting me to get laughs. In the end I turned around and said, “Dad, please shut up!”
I never pulled away from my parents as a teenager, but I did become more independent and started going out with friends. I didn’t drink until I was 16, and even then it was just the odd one at home. But by 18, I was off to the pub like a proper grownup.
I’ve always been an extrovert. My sister and I used to put on performances for Mum and Dad. I joined dance and theatre groups and would copy the routines on Strictly, too, which isn’t always the safest thing to do in a front room.
Parkrun was a big turning point in my life. I became an ambassador for the community running event, and was asked to take part in a documentary. Mencap saw it and invited me to be in a short film. I got an agent, then did a BBC Bitesize video that went viral. A producer from CBeebies saw it and thought I’d be a perfect fit for the show. I did a screen test, and a month later I got the job. When she told me, I screamed down the phone. I was absolutely buzzing.
Aside from Mr Tumble and Dave Benson Phillips, my dad is my hero. He’s always done a lot of public speaking, and when I was younger I’d go and watch him – it must have rubbed off on me. I’m proud of everything he’s done and so grateful to have a dad like him.
Me and Dad are still as close as we were in that photo. We love watching horror and comedy together, playing Fifa and disagreeing about football teams. There’s always a bit of cheek between us, but he’s incredibly encouraging – and always in my corner.
Rob
This photo completely sums up George’s outlook on life. He has a genuine love of carousels, but more than that, he throws himself into everything. It had been raining all day, we’d been queueing for hours, but he loved every second of it.
A perfect example of George’s optimism was when he needed grommets in his ears. Normally, that kind of operation would make any child nervous, and the doctor warned us there was a strong chance George might be frightened. Cut to the day of the surgery: the moment the doctor called his name, George shouted, “See ya!”, and ran straight off towards the operating theatre like he was heading to a fairground.
We didn’t know George had Down’s syndrome until after he was born. He also had a heart condition and was losing a lot of weight. At just six weeks old, he needed open-heart surgery. The doctors told us he might not survive, and we were allowed to take him home for the weekend to spend time with him outside the hospital. It was terrifying and sobering, but we trusted the surgeons, and the care he received was extraordinary.
One of the first things we asked after the diagnosis was, “What will he be like when he grows up? What will he be able to do?” The paediatrician said, “He might be able to do all sorts of things. We don’t know, do we? All you have to do is make sure you see him for who he really is.” From that moment on, that became our outlook. We didn’t want him to miss opportunities or have his potential limited by other people’s expectations.
You often hear parents say that children disrupt everything in your life, but my overwhelming feeling after George was born was how much fun it all was. Yes, there were difficult moments, but there was always joy, too. We learned the language system Makaton and some Send therapy together, and all that structured learning brought us incredibly close. Whatever challenge we were facing – speech, motor skills, anything – we made sure we laughed along the way. That’s something many parents of neurodivergent or disabled children will recognise. You join a different club. And most people in that club don’t regret it for a second.
Alongside his positivity, George is hardworking and brave. As a teenager, he travelled to school on two trains and a bus, starting his day at 5.45am. They were long days, but he had great friends around him and threw himself into school life. On sports day, he usually came last, but one year his relay team finished third. George ran miles ahead – I was made up, as were all the other kids. He was also a prefect, which had its perks: early lunches and, more often than not, extra gravy.
I’m proud of everything George has achieved, but even more proud of who he is. He’s empathetic, kind and a brilliant friend. If he gets knocked back, he resets quickly and finds the positive. He was meant to present at Bafta recently but got Covid on the day. He was devastated for about half an hour in the taxi home, then he talked it through, realised there would be another chance, and moved on.
When I look at this photo, I see two people completely in the moment. It was taken at a time in George’s life when people would often tell us, “It must be so hard raising a child with a disability.” Don’t get me wrong – it can be incredibly tough at times, but that doesn’t stop us from being happy.