MONTREAL – Émile Burbidge, 12, hopped into the Global Morning News studios on his pogo stick Wednesday morning to show off some of spring’s coolest toys from Toys R Us.
As this year’s Chief Play Officer (CPO), Burbidge’s job is to test out all the new toys, games and gadgets that will be heading to the stores and decide which are the best.
“I really wanted to do it. It’s the best job in the world,” he told Global Morning News Anchor Camille Ross.
The Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville native was chosen out of hundreds of submissions from across Canada.
WATCH: Émile Burbidge’s audition video
So, how did he get the coolest gig in town?
“We had to send a two minute video talking about what are my favourite toys and why I should be the next CPO for Toys R Us,” he said, adding that he already has over a decade of toy-playing experience under his belt.
“I told them that I play with different kind of toys and I like to move and I’m really dynamic.”
Émile takes over the position from Alex Thorne, who served as CPO from Aug. 2013 to Dec. 2015, when he retired at the age of 13 to focus on high school.
“We had so many talented kids apply from across the country and it was a really tough decision. Émile’s enthusiasm and outgoing personality are contagious,” said Liz MacDonald, vice-president of marketing and store planning with Toys R Us Canada.
“We know that kids are the experts in teaching parents and gift-givers about the hottest new toys.”
Thorne’s last task as CPO was to help pick his replacement.
Take a look at some of the toys on Burbidge’s must-have list:
rachel.lau@globalnews.ca
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