Will My Social Anxiety Ruin My CBeebies Bedtime Story? - Radio 1 DJ Charlie Hedges

Radio 1 DJ Charlie Hedges has a secret social anxiety. She broadcasts to millions of listeners a day, yet meeting new people fills her with fear. As the parent of a four year old, she worries her shyness could be passed on to her little girl, and wants everything she learns making this documentary to help her tackle this.

To hear the perspective of another parent in the public eye, Charlie meets Jordan Banjo of Diversity, the dance act that won Britain's Got Talent. Over a shared love of boxing, they spar while Jordan opens up about his own lack of confidence. While he’s comfortable broadcasting on the radio, he admits even everyday things like shopping can feel scary, and the two reflect on how their children's confidence already differs from their own. Charlie shares her big news: she has been invited to read a CBeebies Bedtime Story, and will be the first reader ever to bring their own child on screen with them. Jordan gives her confidence a boost with a fun round in the ring.

Charlie then returns to the stables she rode at as a child, the place her parents sent her to build her confidence. She reunites with childhood friend Lucy, and even finds horses named DJ and Charlie waiting for her. The memories flood back as she remembers how this safe space, and the people in it, helped build her confidence.

Neuroscientist Professor Sam Wass, of the University of East London, shows Charlie what happens inside her body in moments of heightened anxiety: her heart rate spiked during her time the Stay and Play in Part 1, yet stayed relatively calmer while she was DJing to a crowd at the festival. He shares a practical tip, that reading out loud helps regulate your breathing and in turn calms anxiety, which Charlie holds onto as she prepares for the Bedtime Story.

To practice for her appearance, Charlie reads her daughter the book she has been sent: "Sammy Feels Shy" by Tom Percival, from the Big Bright Feelings series, a perfect springboard for talking about shyness and feeling self-conscious. Her daughter loves it.

The real test comes when Charlie arrives at the CBeebies Bedtime Story studio with her daughter, and friends and family watching. Can she put everything she has learned into practice?

Part 2 of 2.