Kirsten O'Brien facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kirsten O'Brien
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O'Brien in 2007
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Kirsten Lindsey O'Brien
23 February 1972 Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, England
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| Occupation | Presenter, actress |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Known for | Presenting SMart (1999–2009), and SMarteenies (2002). Current mid-morning presenter on BBC Radio Berkshire. |
| Spouse(s) | Mark Drake (m. 2010) |
| Children | 3 |
Kirsten Lindsey O'Brien (born 23 February 1972) is an English television and radio presenter and actress. Many people know her from presenting the popular CBBC art show SMart from 1999 to 2009. She also hosted its spin-off show for younger children, SMarteenies, in 2002.
Today, she hosts the mid-morning show on BBC Radio Berkshire.
Contents
Television and Radio Career
Starting Out
Kirsten O'Brien went to university in Birmingham, where she studied media and communications. This is the study of how information is shared through things like TV, radio, and the internet. She got her start in broadcasting at her university's student radio station. This experience helped her get her first TV job in 1995, presenting a children's science show.
CBBC and Otis the Aardvark
In 1996, O'Brien joined CBBC, the BBC's channel for children. For three and a half years, she was one of the presenters who appeared between shows. She became famous for presenting with a puppet named Otis the Aardvark. They were so popular that they got their own Saturday morning show in 1997 called Saturday Aardvark.
The puppeteer for Otis, Dave Chapman, would often make up funny lines that made O'Brien laugh uncontrollably on live television.
Hosting SMart
After leaving the CBBC presentation team in 1999, O'Brien continued to be a familiar face on kids' TV. She became a co-host of the art show SMart. She also presented its spin-off shows, SMart on the Road and SMarteenies for the preschool channel CBeebies.
During this time, she also presented a radio show and acted in a pantomime of Peter Pan in 2004.
Other TV Shows and Comedy
O'Brien has appeared on many other shows. In 2007, she co-hosted Springwatch Trackers with Steve Backshall, where teams of kids completed challenges in nature. She has also been a guest on comedy and talk shows.
She has also performed stand-up comedy. In 2009, she made a documentary for BBC Three called Kirsten's ... Ambition. In the show, she explored whether changing her public image would help her get different TV jobs for an older audience. In the end, she decided to focus on her comedy instead. After her SMart co-presenter Mark Speight passed away, she felt it was the right time to leave the show and try new things. She then became the host of the CBBC game show Gimme a Break.
Challenges and Competitions
O'Brien has taken part in several celebrity competition shows. In 2010, she was in Total Wipeout, an obstacle course game show. That same year, she competed against her friend, actor Will Mellor, in The World's Toughest Driving Tests. They traveled the world to see who was better at driving large and difficult vehicles. O'Brien won the series after winning challenges that included driving a combat tank.
In December 2010, she appeared on Celebrity Mastermind, a quiz show where she answered questions about the comedy duo Reeves and Mortimer. She came in third place and donated her fee to a hospice charity.
Recent Work
In 2013, O'Brien began working in radio, co-presenting the Breakfast show on Heart Wiltshire. In 2019, she moved to BBC Radio Berkshire. After hosting the Breakfast Show there, she became the presenter of the weekday mid-morning show in 2024.
In 2025, she won a special episode of Celebrity Mastermind. She also appeared on the game shows Pointless Celebrities and Richard Osman's House of Games.
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–1999 | CBBC | Presenter | |
| 1998 | Get Your Own Back | Herself | Guest presenter for Christmas special |
| 1999–2009 | SMart | Herself | |
| 2002–2003 | SMarteenies | Herself | |
| 2004 | Bring it On | Herself | 1 episode |
| 2005–2007 | Smile | Herself | |
| 2007 | Springwatch Trackers | Herself | |
| 2007 | The Fanbanta Football Show | Herself | |
| 2007 | Totally Doctor Who | Herself | |
| 2008–2009 | Help! Teach is Coming to Stay | Herself | |
| 2008 | Thank God You're Here | Herself | |
| 2009 | Kirsten's ... Ambition | Herself | Documentary for BBC Three |
| 2009 | Britain's Most Embarrassing Parents | Herself | Documentary for BBC Three |
| 2009 | Gimme a Break | Herself | |
| 2002–2011 | Big Toe Books | Herself | |
| 2009 | We Need Answers | Herself | |
| 2009 | Total Wipeout | Herself | Celebrity special |
| 2009–2010 | GMTV | Herself | |
| 2010 | The World's Toughest Driving Tests | Herself | Won Series |
| 2010 | The King is Dead | Herself | |
| 2012 | Let's Dance for Sport Relief | Contestant | |
| 2019 | The One Show | Reporter | |
| 2023, 2024 | Richard Osman's House of Games | Contestant | |
| 2025 | Celebrity Mastermind | Contestant | Won |
| 2025 | Pointless Celebrities | Contestant |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Theatre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Peter Pan | Peter Pan | Ipswich Regent Theatre |
Personal life
O'Brien enjoys playing tennis and has participated in swimming, abseiling, and netball events for charity. She is a big fan of the Middlesbrough F.C. football club and has helped with their charity work.
She is married to Mark Drake. They have a son who was born in 2011, and twins who were born in 2017.
