BBC Broom Cupboard star Josie D’Arby’s surprise new career and very famous ex

BBC Broom Cupboard star Josie D’Arby’s surprise new career and very famous ex

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Many famous presenters were born on the BBC’s hit children’s program The Broom Cupboard, and now Josie D’Arby’s career has taken a surprising turn away from the camera.

The popular BBC program Josie D’Arby gained notoriety on Josie D’Arby.

In a tiny, cramped booth nestled away in the BBC studios, a whole host of famous TV presenters kicked off their careers.

Children’s TV show The Broom Cupboard began in 1985, replacing the shaky voiceover and still slides linking CBBC shows with real-life presenters.

Despite its practical beginnings it soon became a hit in itself, with the likes of Phillip Schofield, Debbie Flint and Zoe Ball all forging their famous TV personalities on the show.

Edd the Duck, Otis the Aardvark, and Gordon the Gopher, famous for their iconic costumes, even had letters and drawings printed on the walls of the tiny studio room to add to the fun.

Josie D’Arby is no exception to the trend that many of the programme’s stars have recently experienced. Many of the stars have completely new careers.

Jodie D'Arby went on to present shows like Top of The Pops
Jodie D’Arby went on to present shows like Top of The Pops(Image: Channel 5)

Josie rose to fame as a face on the likes of Songs of Praise, Top of the Pops, Inside Out, and Cardiff Singer of the World after her stint on The Broom Cupboard.

The 52-year-old Newport, Wales resident became the youngest British woman to host her own chat show on Channel 5 in 1999, titled Josie.

Josie’s media ambitions didn’t stop there and she soon pivoted to acting, where she starred as Alisha Adams in Holby City and made guest appearances in Casualty and Doctor Who.

She even appeared on Richard Osman’s House of Games and Pointless in 2022, where she competed on a quiz show.

Josie has recently abandoned her job to pursue a career that is beyond the scope of presenting. The artist has been working on her artistic talent ever since, even having her painting in a 2023 show at the Newport Museum of Art.

Josie D'Arby and fellow TV presenter Vernon Kay in 2000
Josie D’Arby and fellow TV presenter Vernon Kay in 2000(Image: Daily Record)

The BBC star started to take art more seriously after winning a televised art competition, South Wales Argus reports. The painting was called Less, which Josie said was “about how little it can take to make people happy.”

“Art is for everyone, and I’m happy if my piece is just a tiny little reminder that public spaces are places to press pause and take a stroll in a beautiful space,” she said.

Before her TV career began, Josie was rumored to be dating Hollywood actor Gerard Butler, who is best known for his iconic roles in 300, Law Abiding Citizen, and London Has Fallen. In 2005, the pair reportedly had a brief romance.

Andy Crane also has a different career nowadays
Andy Crane also has a different career nowadays(Image: BBC)

And Gerard isn’t her only celebrity flame, as Josie reportedly went on a date with actor Joseph Fiennes – the brother of Harry Potter legend Ralph Fiennes – in 2006.

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Other Broom Cupboard presenters have a different career path, including Josie. Andy Crane, 61, has been enhancing people’s experiences on Greatest Hits Radio since 2019, and he poses in a completely different way from what he did on the CBBC show.

He currently resides in Lake District, which is picturesque. On Greatest Hits Radio, including The Top 10 at 10 and Midnight Music Marathon, Andy, who was born in the seaside town of Morecambe, Lancashire, plays three hours of the best songs from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

Source: Mirror

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