‘Monkey’ shown around Heckington Windmill for filming of kids’ TV show

There’s no time for monkey business when you work at a historic windmill – unless one comes to visit, that is.
Heckington Windmill mill manager Jim Bailey with Milkshake Monkey.Heckington Windmill mill manager Jim Bailey with Milkshake Monkey.
Heckington Windmill mill manager Jim Bailey with Milkshake Monkey.

A crew from Channel 5 visited Heckington Windmill recently to film two episodes of their children’s show ‘Milkshake Monkey’.

The monkey puppet spent a day being shown around the windmil by mill manager Jim Bailey, who told the Standard: “We have been involved in filming before - with shows such as Escape to the Country, Flog-It, Countryfile and various interviews with local TV and radio – but spending a day with a monkey puppet was completely different.

“I enjoyed it. It’s something I’ve never done before – having to talk to a puppet while a lady lays on the ground operating it and talking for it. It was tremendous fun.”

Jim said the TV crew filmed two episodes there – one focusing on wind – with the monkey visiting the site to learn all about wind to help him fly his kite. The second episode sees the puppet being shown around the windmill by Jim, to show the young viewers how they work.

Jim added: “They spend a day filming here, and although we were closed, there were a few people who turned up in their cars to have a look at the windmill with bemused looks on their faces when they saw the monkey.”

The episodes will be screened on Channel 5 at a date yet to be decided.