Katy Ashworth: The CBeebies Star Who Built a Career Around Children, Creativity and Care

Katy Ashworth is a British television presenter, actress, singer, writer, producer and children’s wellbeing speaker. She is best known for her work on CBeebies, where she became a loved face for young children and parents across the UK. Her warm style, bright energy and natural way with children made her stand out on screen.

She is most famous for presenting I Can Cook, a CBeebies programme that helped children learn simple cooking skills. The show was not only about food. It also taught confidence, movement, listening and the joy of making something with care.

Over time, Ashworth has moved beyond television. She has worked on stage, in live family shows, in voice work, in children’s books and in therapeutic play. Her career shows a clear pattern. She has stayed close to children’s learning, emotional growth and family entertainment.

Katy Ashworth Early Life and Education

Katy Elizabeth Ashworth was born on 2 August 1986 in Frimley, Surrey, England. She grew up in Yateley, Hampshire. From a young age, she was drawn to performance, music and drama. She later studied drama at the University of Exeter. This gave her strong training for television, theatre and live performance. Her background in drama helped her build a style that felt playful and natural rather than forced.

Katy Ashworth Age

As of 2026, Katy Ashworth is 39 years old. She turns 40 on 2 August 2026. Even after many years in children’s television, she continues to work in creative fields connected to young audiences.

Katy Ashworth and CBeebies

Ashworth became widely known through CBeebies, the BBC’s children’s channel. She joined the channel in 2009 and became one of its most familiar presenters. Her work on CBeebies included cooking, songs, games, sketches, live events and Christmas shows. She also presented daily links from CBeebies House, where presenters speak directly to young viewers between programmes.

I Can Cook

Her biggest CBeebies role was I Can Cook. The programme was made for young children and focused on simple recipes that children could help prepare. It mixed food, songs and fun activities. The show helped children understand ingredients, kitchen safety and where food comes from. It also encouraged them to try new tastes and take part in family cooking. A later version, I Can Cook on the Go, took the same idea outside the kitchen. Ashworth travelled in a campervan-style kitchen and helped children make snacks while exploring movement and outdoor play.

Other CBeebies Work

Ashworth also appeared in Justin’s House, CBeebies Proms, and several CBeebies Christmas productions. These shows gave her room to use acting, singing and comedy. Her CBeebies stage work included family shows and arena tours. These live events helped her connect with children beyond the television screen.

Katy Ashworth Movies and TV Shows

Ashworth’s career is mainly linked to children’s television and family entertainment rather than major cinema films. Her known screen and performance work includes:

Television Programmes

I Can Cook
This is her best-known programme. She presented the show and became closely linked with fun food education for children.

I Can Cook on the Go
This follow-up series took cooking into a more active setting and mixed recipes with outdoor learning.

CBeebies House
She worked as a presenter and familiar face in the CBeebies House format.

Justin’s House
She appeared in this popular CBeebies comedy and entertainment show.

Blue Peter
Her professional pages include appearances connected with the long-running BBC children’s programme.

CBeebies Specials and Stage-Style Shows

Ashworth appeared in CBeebies Christmas shows, including productions linked with Aladdin, Strictly Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Peter Pan. In CBeebies Peter Pan, she played Mrs Darling. These productions used theatre, music and television together, which suited her stage background.

Stage, Live Shows and Performance Career

Ashworth has also built a strong career as a live performer. She has taken part in CBeebies Live tours and family events across the UK. She has performed at festivals, public events, shopping centres, schools and family shows. Her live work has included Katy’s Roadshow, I Can Cook Live!, Katy’s Family Fun Show and other children’s stage performances. These shows often use music, games and direct audience participation.

She has also worked in pantomime. Pantomime suits her style because it needs humour, energy, timing and audience connection. Her theatre work has included roles in family-friendly productions such as Peter Pan, Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk.

Katy Ashworth as an Author

Ashworth has entered children’s publishing with picture books. Puffin acquired two picture books by her and illustrator Colleen Larmour: This That What and Bish Bash Bosh.

This That What

This That What is a rhyming picture book about a child with a busy brain. It uses warmth, humour and rhythm to explore feelings, curiosity and the way children experience the world. The book fits well with Ashworth’s wider career. It brings together performance, rhyme, childhood emotions and playful learning.

Bish Bash Bosh

Bish Bash Bosh is planned as another picture book with a strong focus on energy, movement and emotional expression. It continues the same child-centred approach. Her books show that she is not only interested in entertaining children. She also wants to help them understand feelings, energy and identity in a kind way.

Play Therapy and Children’s Wellbeing

One of the most important parts of Ashworth’s recent work is her focus on therapeutic play. She has studied play therapy and works with ideas linked to children’s emotional health. Her speaking work covers resilience, healthy relationships, children’s mental health and the importance of play. This gives her career a deeper purpose. She is using the skills she built on television to support children in real life.

Play is not just fun for children. It helps them express feelings, build trust and understand difficult experiences. Ashworth’s work in this area makes her more than a former television presenter. It places her within a wider conversation about children’s wellbeing.

Family Life and Personal Matters

Katy Ashworth has two children. She has kept much of her family life private, which is fair and respectful, especially because children are involved. One part of her personal life became widely known because of family-court proceedings involving her former partner Ben Alcott. In 2016, a High Court case concerned whether her child had been wrongfully removed from Australia to the UK. The court decided that the child had not been wrongfully removed.

Later court proceedings dealt with serious family matters between the former couple. These events became part of the public record, but they should be treated with care. Ashworth’s professional identity should not be reduced to private legal issues.

She was also linked with Mark Cooper, and they were said to have had a child together. However, firm details about the end of that relationship have not been clearly confirmed through strong sources. For that reason, it is better to avoid giving a fixed split date.

Charity and Public Causes

Ashworth has supported children’s charities and family causes. Her charity work has included support for Brainwave, Make-A-Wish and Bliss. These causes are linked to children’s health, care and support for families. This side of her work matches her public image. She has often focused on children’s needs, both through entertainment and through wellbeing work.

Social Media and Public Image

Ashworth uses social media to share her creative work, book projects and professional updates. Her online image is centred on performance, writing, play, children’s emotions and family-friendly creativity. She does not present herself only as a former CBeebies face. She presents herself as a performer, author and advocate for the power of play.

Why Katy Ashworth Remains Important

Katy Ashworth has had a varied career, but her work has a clear centre. She has always worked close to children and families. From cooking shows to books and therapeutic play, her aim has been to help children feel confident, curious and understood.

Her CBeebies years gave her national recognition. Her later work shows growth and purpose. She has used her public platform to move into children’s mental health, emotional learning and creative storytelling. That makes her career different from many television presenters. She did not simply leave children’s TV and move away from young audiences. She stayed connected to them in a more personal and meaningful way.

Final Thoughts

Katy Ashworth is best known for CBeebies and I Can Cook, but her full story is wider than one programme. She is a presenter, actress, singer, author, live performer and children’s wellbeing speaker. Her career has moved from television kitchens to theatre stages, book pages and play-based support. Through each stage, she has kept the same warm and child-focused voice.

For many families, she will always be remembered as the friendly CBeebies presenter who made cooking feel fun. Today, she is also building a thoughtful career around children’s feelings, creativity and emotional health.

FAQs

1. Who is Katy Ashworth?

Katy Ashworth is a British television presenter, actress, singer, author and children’s wellbeing speaker. She is best known for her work on CBeebies, especially as the presenter of I Can Cook.

2. What is Katy Ashworth famous for?

Katy Ashworth is famous for presenting I Can Cook on CBeebies. The programme helped young children learn simple cooking skills through songs, games and fun kitchen activities.

3. How old is Katy Ashworth?

Katy Ashworth was born on 2 August 1986. As of 2026, she is 39 years old and will turn 40 in August 2026.

4. What does Katy Ashworth do now?

Katy Ashworth now works as an author, performer, speaker and children’s wellbeing advocate. She has also moved into picture books and therapeutic play, focusing on children’s creativity and emotional health.