Hi Lloyd! Let’s step back in time… How did you get involved with Art Attack in the beginning?

There was an initial round of auditions. The producers looked at many showreels and then they came across mine which mainly focused on children’s TV as that’s my area. I then got a phone call that they wanted to see me. During the audition I had to learn a script, did some screen tests and then got involved with a ‘make’. It was really exciting to learn that I had got the role as presenter of Art Attack!

How tough were the auditions?

My background is in acting so I actually really enjoy the audition process! And this being my dream job I showed them how much fun I wanted to have with the show, and how enthusiastic I was about art. Part of the audition took place in the studio and was so much fun, it felt very natural and I really enjoyed showcasing my arty skills.

Did you have to show off your artistic skills at the auditions?

Yes, all the scripts had ‘makes’ that we had to demonstrate. I chose to stand out by making my ‘makes’ beforehand to show everyone how passionate I was about art. In the audition process I made a really fun finger puppet out of a sponge and washing up gloves!

Is it a dream come true to be an Art Attack presenter?

It certainly is! From a young age I’ve always performed on stage, and then when I was a bit older I discovered a passion for children’s TV. So, as you can imagine, when I heard about Art Attack I was over the moon – a dream job where I can use my creative skills and passion for all things arty. How cool is that?!

What do you think of the show’s success?

I love that the show is still on TV and that it’s so successful. It allows children to explore their ideas, be creative and get inspired. Now a new generation is watching the show and being passionate about art as I was when I first saw the show as a youngster. It’s great to see such passion for art among a new generation.

Have you always been a huge fan of Disney?

Come on, who doesn’t love Disney?! I remember my first tape cassette was of Aladdin. My mum got it for me after I saw the film. That’s where it all started, that’s where all the magic began for me. And my love for Disney is even more so now as the presenter of Art Attack, I’m having so much fun.

Who is your favourite Disney character?

That’s a hard one as there are so many favourite Disney characters. But if I was to pick one it would have to be Abu the monkey who hangs around with Aladdin – he’s a bit cheeky, just like me!

What’s in store for fans in the second series of Art Attack?

I like to think that that the show is bigger and better. There’s plenty of new localised content, and I’m hoping to be inviting audiences to interact with the show like never before. I’ll be demonstrating step by step instructions and creating different work of arts and techniques using day-to-day materials.  It doesn’t matter what age you are, you’ll be inspired by the new series!

What makes the new series stand out?

In the new series of Art Attack, we have more Disney themed ‘makes’ making it fun and new for kids using characters that they can all relate to. One of them is a photoframe inspired by the character Jasmine. Another is a sword inspired by Jake and the Never Land Pirates. With the Disney themed ‘makes’, children will have the chance to be inspired by the characters, and pretend to be them, which will make the show even more fun.

What’s new in the show?

I’m new! I’ll hopefully be inspiring a new generation to get creative and express themselves through art. Lots of the content will be available on disneyjunior.co.uk/artattack, where children can be creative and have a go.

There are three segments to the show. The first segment is the main ‘make’ – this will be a big ‘make’ made more detailed. The second segment – art technique – will teach you to apply a technique to a picture to make it stand out even more. And finally, the last segment is all about simple art – these will have fewer steps and will be easy to make art.

With all the different steps you’re given the opportunity to make something there and then. With the big ‘makes’ you have more steps and time to go away and gather the materials, then to have fun with your parent or guardian to create something amazing.

What do you like about art?

I absolutely love art. It gives you the opportunity to be creative and express yourself in your own way. It also gives you the opportunity to have loads of fun and be inspired along the way!

How arty are you in real life?

I’m very arty, I love painting and being creative. I’m always encouraging my friends to be creative in their day-to-day lives by, for example, making their own greeting cards. I’m very lucky that I get a chance to teach children at a school too so this gives me a great opportunity to engage with a new generation and inspire children to be creative.

When was the last time you created some art away from Art Attack?

You’ll always catch me doodling throughout the day! I was actually away with friends and their kids recently and I made a funky paper aeroplane and a really cool seagull picture using pens which was great because we were by the seaside.

When did you first discover you were good at art?

I guess I always knew but it really came to me in secondary school. I used to spend my lunchtimes in the art room making things out of wood and other materials. My teachers always encouraged me to express myself; be interested in things and get creative. They always encouraged my art and creativity at school which was great.

What’s your favourite colour?

That’s a hard one! I love red and green. But I’ll have to go for red as it’s such a bright, happy colour.

Who’s your favourite artist?

There are many out there but I would have to say Vincent Van Gogh. The Sunflowers and The Starry Night pictures are some of my favourite art works. I did a lot of copies of those paintings at school and they are some of my first memories of learning art. I was really inspired by Vincent’s use of oils and textures to create these amazing, inspiring pieces of art.

What’s your favourite art creation from the show?

I really enjoyed the stretchy rap artist – a character we made in the show. It works by having stretchy material from its arms and legs that you attach to your hands and feet which means that you can have a lot of fun dancing with your character! The other creation we made that I really like is the bird puppet – it’s made out of egg box cartons using string which means you can bring the bird to life.

What’s been your most embarrassing moment on the set of Art Attack?

Thankfully there have not been many! One that I can remember was getting through a link for the big ‘make’. You have to do it in a continuous shot and I managed to get through the demonstration in one go. I got to the very end but I couldn’t remember what to say! Everyone on set started to laugh. It was really embarrassing, but a lot of fun.

**Catch new episodes of Art Attack every weekend at 10.35am and new episodes of Jake and the Never Land Pirates every Friday 5.30pm, on Disney Junior.**