• Millican on TV 18th Feb 2011

    Who knows where a blog can take you?

    I’d written a short post about the first ITV series of The Lakes, way back in early 2010. The post finished with a musing about the possibility of a future TV series featuring “a couple running a local company and their steamy love affair with vintage bags”.

    Be careful what you ask for.

    Later that summer, the series’ editor called us out of the blue.  She’d read our blog and was looking for interesting stories in the Northern Lakes to feature in 2011.

    So it is that next Monday, 21st February at 8pm on ITV1, you can catch a glimpse of Nicky and I in and around our home, along with some of our friends – Mark, Les and Dave. Of course, we couldn’t talk about Millican without mentioning Vera, who was filmed in her garden shed handfinishing an order of Les the Cooler Bags for innovative kitchenware specialist Lakeland.

    A few days of filming mushroomed into many more, with our production team Kylie and Suzie following our summer antics with Millican.

    In rain (mainly) and sun, the cameras shared our every moment, checking the new product samples, on our stand at The Cumberland Show, lugging the huge bales of Herdwick wool to Vera’s, and on my trusty 1947 Raleigh Clubman Millican bike, cycling the Tour de Staveley with Harry and Les.

    We dragged the crew over to Millican’s cave, where we pondered on our “journey so far” trying not to flinch when the midges descended en masse – scratching and itching on screen isn’t a good look.
    Hours and hours, over weeks of filming condensed into less than 7 minutes – amazing.
    We’ll be gathered round our small TV set here at Millican HQ on Monday.  With Vera and our friends, armed with a few beers to soften the blow.
    Join us on Monday evening - just don’t blink.
    By Jorrit

8 Comments

  1. Robert Stephen said on 21st February 2011, 20:13:

    Just spotted the pair of you on the Lakes.
    I met you at the Highland Show in 2009 and carried my Millican on my motorcycle across 8044kms of Australia. My most important item of kit…Thank you very much!
    Much success for your future.
    Stephen McGowan
    07789224569
    Killinchy, Co. Down

  2. jorrit said on 21st February 2011, 22:31:

    Phew, its all over. Glad to see they treated Millican Dalton with the respect he deserves.

    And delighted Dave, Les, Mark, Vera, Jenny and our dog Archie got a look in.

    What did you think?

  3. Elaine said on 22nd February 2011, 08:44:

    I orded Dave for my son in laws 40th Love Vera hope she makes this bag for him that would be dead cool Elainex hope you got my email

  4. Anonymous said on 22nd February 2011, 09:26:

    Congratulations guys!

    Great to see you last night! It looked like everybody involved got on the programme as well.

    Casper (the dog) also noticed Archie on the tv, he looked very interested for a few moments (though it could just have been the water, he loves water).

    I think the way it was cut was very flattering, lots of detail and some brilliant shots, locations & interviews.

    Well Done to all involved :) (James)

  5. Anonymous said on 22nd February 2011, 11:40:

    So has Spielberg contacted you yet for his next film?

    It came across really well and the Millican products looked great. I liked how they related the story of what inspired you to start and how they included friends and family. Great for the local community too. Well worth all that time and effort. PS Is Archie for sale? (Jane)

  6. jorrit said on 22nd February 2011, 12:11:

    Thanks All,

    We're delighted with the response, spoke to Dave as well who so far is the best seller after last night's performance. Sorry Archie isn't for sale, neither is George our new lab addition.,

  7. jorrit said on 22nd February 2011, 12:18:

    Stephen, Great to hear from you. I remember meeting you at our first Royal Highland and getting very excited about your trip. We'd love to see some shots of the trip or link to a site if you have any. Glad the Millican kit stood the test on the road for so long, great news.

  8. jorrit said on 24th February 2011, 10:06:

    Elaine, Thanks for your email and your order. Our cooler products (les and derek) and ipad cover (joe are all handfinished by Vera as we source our Herdwick Wool from the valley down the road in Borrowdale. All the other bags are made in the Far East, again close to the source of materials. Check out "Meeting the producers" under People tab for more info, Thanks Jorrit

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