Play School secrets safe with Leah

Despite the fact her celebrity status is consistently overshadowed by a motley crew of teddy bears, stuffed dogs of a questionable pedigree and one very pretty, quite famous lady doll who holds her age well, Play School presenter Leah Vandenberg is committed to protecting the private lives of her co-stars.

Further, she remains tight-lipped as to the status of relations between The Toys and the Bananas in Pyjamas after they left Play School to star in their own spin-off show.

‘‘You’ll get no dirt from me,’’ Vandenberg said.

Australia’s longest running children’s television program is going on tour and next week fans will have the chance to see Big Ted, Little Ted, Jemima and the whole gang live in action when Play School LIVE lands in Bunbury.

Vandenberg, aWAAPA graduate, said she was looking forward to returning toWA.

‘‘I really enjoy Perth weather,’’ she said.

As a young girl growing up in Brisbane,Vandenberg’s formative years were spent watching Play School— she cites Benita and Noni as her favourite presenters and said scoring the job on the show was a dream come true.

‘‘I had always wanted to do it,’’ she said.

‘‘As a child,I used to pretend to be in Play School.’’

Vandenberg has appeared in many different Australian television shows, including Stupid, Stupid Man, Tangle and Blue Heelers, and yet she does not mind the suggestion that despite all this, she will probably be best remembered for her work in children’s programming.

‘‘What a relief,’’Vandenberg said.

‘‘Play School is something I’ll happily be remembered by.’’

And what of the suggestion she is not who viewers tune in to see each weekday afternoon?

‘‘Oh, I was starstruck whenI first met The Toys, so I can understand the children’s reaction,’’ she said.

‘‘It’s like really old BBC footage of The Beatles performances.

‘‘The kids go wild.’’

Play School LIVE will show at South West Italian Club in Bunbury next Wednesday. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.kidspromotions.com.au or call 1300 788 028.