A Lesson in Harmony with Jarvis Cocker
Airing tonight, Friday 6 February, British indie icon Jarvis Cocker reads Wally the World’s Greatest Piano-playing Wombat by Ratha Tep. The story follows Wally, a competitive marsupial who finds himself at odds with a rival virtuoso. It is a gentle, uplifting tale designed to teach youngsters about managing rivalry and finding joy in their hobbies, even if they aren’t the “best” in the room.
For Cocker, the experience was a nostalgic one. “Reading stories to my son when he was young was one of the great pleasures in my life,” he shared. “He’s 22 now… so thank you CBeebies for inviting me to experience this pleasure once again.”
Nick Jonas Embraces Change
Following on Saturday 7 February, Nick Jonas—one-third of the Jonas Brothers—will read The Ballad of Cactus Joe by Lily Murray. The story depicts an unlikely friendship between a cranky cactus and a persistent woodpecker, offering a heartwarming message about adapting to change.
Jonas, who shares a four-year-old daughter with wife Priyanka Chopra Jonas, reflected on the importance of storytelling in a multicultural household. “Giving her the opportunity to learn through books where she can really engage and understand where she comes from has been a really special thing for us as parents,” he noted.
Support for Bedtime and Beyond
Both episodes air at 6:50 pm on the CBeebies channel and will be available on BBC iPlayer. For parents looking for further help with evening routines, the BBC has also highlighted CBeebies Parenting, a centralized digital hub offering expert-backed advice on everything from language development to mastering the perfect bedtime schedule
