When filming a show like Gigglequiz, as well as thinking about my own physical characterisations, it’s also one of the most technically ambitious shows that I have been involved in. I play five characters on screen at the same time so I have to film each character individually and also remembering how they interact with each other in each take. We have a great technical team who are able to edit all the footage together to give the illusion that we are all performing at the same time in the same set.

One of my favourite composers is Erich Korngold, who was an Austrian composer, and I particularly like his scores to Errol Flynn films such as The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Sea Hawk. John Williams is another favourite of mine; in some of his scores I think you can hear influences from the work of Korngold. I learned a lot about the history of film while working at the Museum of the Moving Image on the South Bank and attended many silent movie seasons there, as well as the Guardian interviews with various film directors across many genres of production. I think that is why I have a keen interest in all aspects of production, in television and on stage. I like to know how each department works, which I think is a good thing for an actor to have an understanding of. Your comic timing with Robert the Robot [on CBeebies show Justin’s House] always reminds me of Laurel and Hardy – who inspires your characters? lime7 They're based in convenient locations including supermarkets, newsagents and train stations. Plus they're often open late and on Sundays.

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Since having a kid last year, I’ve been super impressed with the level of what I call “face work” in your performance. The degree of control you have over your face muscles to sell an idea/emotion/joke to kids is amazing. To what extent this is instinctual? Or are you thinking when you’re performing about what best to do with your face in each particular moment? Antzudan When the programme Something Special was being developed about 20 years ago, I was asked to present the first four episodes. The programme uses Makaton, a signing system that was created over 40 years ago. I learned about 300 signs initially. Now, in preparation for each series, I learn a new set of words. It’s wonderful to be able to sign with so many families during the filming of each show. Makaton is an incredibly important communication tool that helps so many people. As well as filming in the studio we travel all over the UK and get to meet so many new friends. The Tumble Family seems to grow each year as well, with new characters providing an opportunity to develop new storylines for the Tumble segments in the show.

Snowmen are great fun to build. We built a Lord Tumble Snowman once. He had a top hat, scarf and a spotty cravat.Likewise, the railway companies themselves used the term "tumble-home" to refer to the inward cant of certain coaches above the waist line.