Interview: CBeebies' Chris Jarvis on The Chris & Pui Roadshow

The two stars of Show Me Show Me present a show of songs, sketches and a whole lot of joining in
It’s one of the unwritten rules of life, that children’s TV presenters come and go. Kids grow up, the next generation comes along, and the revolving door of television spins in another smiling face to engage with our children.
But two people who have defied this rule are Chris Jarvis and Pui Fan Lee. After many years presenting CBeebies, both now appear regularly on the BBC channel in Show Me Show Me. Their popularity on-screen has also been replicated in the real world, with successful tours across the UK (and no shortage of compliments on parenting forums). The latest of which is The Chris & Pui Roadshow, featuring songs, sketches and a whole lot of joining in.
‘This is the fifth stage show we’ve put together based loosely on what we do on television,’ says Jarvis. ‘And it’s something we’re becoming more and more proud of, because it’s based on us finding out what works and what doesn’t for our audience.’
According to Jarvis, it’s the Show Me Show Me characters and interactive songs that go down a storm. Less so, the disco numbers. ‘A lot of people think that unless a song has a thumping bass line, it’s not going to work,’ he says. ‘But we’ve discovered it’s the opposite – you can have one or two like that, but actually what works are songs that embrace all ages.
‘Our show really is for parents with their children, and we get a lot of older siblings coming along – and they forget themselves and join in, too.’
King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 18 & Sat 19 Oct.