Norfolk accent on new Channel 5 Milkshake show Mixmups

Rebecca Atkinson grew up in the Fine City but moved away for work before her love for the area brought her back around 12 years ago.  

She said: “You have to be going to Norfolk to go there, no one just passes through – that’s its charm.” 

Rebecca has 25 years of experience in writing and producing. She began writing Mixmups seven years ago, a preschool show for Channel Five's kids' TV brand Milkshake which launched last month.

The Lucky Loover Bird voiced by Norwich's own Gillian Dean features heavily in the show (Image: Mixmups)

The show centres around friends Pockets the bear, Giggle the cat and Spin the rabbit, who have a magical mixing box and a wooden spoon.  

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In each episode, they mix up the magic of play and imagination to transport themselves on adventures with their adult guardian, Lucky Loover Bird, who is voiced by Norwich-based actor, Gillian Dean.  

Mixington Valley is inspired by Rebecca's childhood trips to Great Yarmouth (Image: Mixmups)

Rebecca said: “The Mixmups, live in Mixington Valley, a fantasy world inspired by my childhood visits to Great Yarmouth. 

“I love Great Yarmouth, it has some of the best seaside heritage in the UK, I love Joyland, the miniature village and the Hippodrome Circus.  

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“I drew on these attractions to create Mixington Valley.” 

Rebecca Atkinson was born in Norwich and writes the show from her Norwich home (Image: Beth Moseley Photography)

Rebecca knew she wanted an actor with a Norfolk accent to play Lucky Loover Bird as she had rarely heard it outside the county.  

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She continued: “The production team auditioned lots of actors for the part and we were beginning to get a bit worried when on the last day of auditions Gillian Dean, an actor from Norwich, sent in her tape and the production team immediately fell in love with her voice. 

Gillian Dean sent in her tape on the last day of auditions and the production team fell in love with her voice (Image: Mixmups)

“During the seven years it took to develop, I worked with three Norwich-based wheelchair-using children  

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“They acted as junior consultants to ensure wheelchair access was built into their world in Mixington Valley.  

Mixmups airs every Saturday and Sunday at 8.15am on Milkshake (Image: Mixmups)

“I also drew on my own experience of partial sight to develop the character of Pockets the bear and her guide dog.” 

Catch Mixmups every Saturday and Sunday at 8.15am on Milkshake, Channel Five or stream on My5.  

The Mixmups is for three to five year olds but already has adult fans (Image: Mixmups)