James Norton was hailed as ‘a real inspiration’ as he taught children about life with diabetes in a CBeebies Bedtime Story, which aired on Friday.
The Happy Valley star, 38, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 22, read Dr Rose Stewart’s book How to Manage a Mammoth to help families discover what it’s like to live with it.
James lived up to his heartthrob status as he read to viewers, accompanied by his teddy bear who was wearing a glucose monitor.
James introduced the story and said, “Hello, my name is James. This story is slightly different. It targets type 1 diabetes.
James Norton was hailed as ‘a real inspiration’ as he taught children about life with diabetes in a CBeebies Bedtime Story, which aired on Friday
The 38-year-old Happy Valley star, who lives with type 1 diabetes, helps children learn about the disease as he reads How to Manage a Mammoth
‘I am a diabetic myself. To those parents who have diabetes. Hello, respect. I hope these levels behave.
“For those parents who have a child with diabetes, perhaps recently diagnosed, I feel your fear and confusion. It is much.
“So give yourself a break and a pat on the back. It will become easier.’
Fans posted a clip of the actor on the channel’s official Instagram page, saying: “There is no better advocate than James Norton.”
‘There is no better advocate than @jginorton to encourage, support and raise awareness in such a positive way’; ‘When I thought I couldn’t love @jginorton anymore… THIS…’;
‘I couldn’t love this message more and it will help so many parents of 1 children. I wish I had seen it when my daughter was first diagnosed seven years ago. Huge respect for James and everyone who put this on Bedtime Stories’; ‘I love this man!! He is an inspiration to all of us type 1 diabetics. I have had this condition for 31 years and absolutely agree with James 100%. I manage the diabetes; it has no control over me!!”
‘My husband was diagnosed with T1 diabetes when our boys were little, this would have been so beautiful for them to see. Thank you @jginorton for raising awareness for everyone with t1 and to Dr. Rose Stewart. X’; ‘As a mother of a 14 year old T1D, THIS is exactly what I tell him: “You’re in charge, you get to decide what’s what…no diabetes” will show this to him and his little brother. Well done @jginorton #for continuing to raise awareness;
‘Thank you for reaching out and sharing your story, my daughter has T1D and hasn’t let that stop her from doing anything. She just had a baby and her pregnancy wasn’t easy due to diabetes, but she had great support from @nhstayside’; ‘The best positive message you can give to anyone dealing with type 1. I need to hear many more positive messages like this, so well done James & thank you’;
Fans were in awe of the actor and rushed to share heartfelt comments, praising him for spreading positive awareness towards both parents and children and calling him a ‘true inspiration’.
In the bedtime story, 8-year-old Jake learns to live with his diabetes, which he thinks is a mammoth named Mel.
One way the actor tries to teach children to accept and manage diabetes is by cuddling a teddy bear with a continuous glucose monitor on it.
‘It’s really great what James is doing. He is SO helpful to anyone with diabetes. Lots of respect for him too. Fortunately, I don’t have the condition myself, but I know several people who do. It must be very worrying, frustrating and confusing. Wish everyone, adults, children, a lot of strength.’
CBeebies Bedtime Story has seen a host of Hollywood stars settle down and read a children’s book.
One way the actor tries to teach children to accept and manage diabetes is by cuddling a teddy bear with a continuous glucose monitor on it.
In the bedtime story, eight-year-old Jake learns to live with his diabetes, which he thinks is a mammoth named Mel.
Jake and his mother join forces with their friends to figure out how to shrink Mel, the diabetes mammoth, down to a manageable size.
James said: “My diabetic pet is a big shaggy dog called Bruce. When I first got Bruce, he was a puppy.
‘He was difficult to control because he was always over-excited. Now he is a bit older and calmer.
‘He still gets scared when someone is at the door or when he is hungry. And then he barks very loudly. Or when he gets excited he still runs around and knocks things over.
‘But usually he walks next to me. Bruce is my friend. “I’m happy to say that today Bruce is under control and very calm, which makes me feel very happy and relaxed.”
The Happy Valley actor opened up to Lampoon Magazine last December about the struggles he faces living with diabetes.
The diabetic told how he struggled to hide his diabetes sensor during nude scenes in the controversial play A Little Life, which he starred in earlier this year.
James wears a Dexcom sensor, which measures glucose in the blood, and has spoken about how difficult it was to hide this when he took part in the nude scenes.
He said: ‘As an actor I have to cover the sensor every night, I also have my microphone on the arm.
‘I spend part of the piece completely naked. Normally you have a microphone pack on your belt, but because I’m naked it’s on the arm. Microphone on one arm, sensor on the other – it’s quite nice, the sound guy has now called it my puck.
The star told how the condition can be a ‘complete b***h’ and ‘life-threatening’ as he called on people to ‘show support’ for all ‘diabetic warriors’
In 2022, James shared a passionate post on his Instagram to raise awareness of World Diabetes Day
“I’ve never called it a puck before. They cover it with a skin-coloured bandage and it makes me look like an action man with straps on.’
He went on to talk about the condition, saying that when low glucose levels occur, he experiences severe anxiety and “existential dread,” saying it can even make him feel like “life isn’t worth it.” worth living’.