Chimpanzee holding a box of P.G. Tips tea.

Documentary provides rare insight into former PG Tips chimps

A one-off documentary all about the chimpanzees at Twycross Zoo, who were part of the famous television adverts promoting P.G. Tips tea bags, is due to air next week.

The Channel 5 documentary features never before seen footage of the chimpanzees and the woman who cared for them.  The programme will include interviews with former and current staff at Twycross Zoo, as well as writers and producers of some of the most well known adverts, including the "Mr Shifter" piano sequence.

Twycross Zoo cares for around 150 species of animals and is the only place in the UK to have every type of Great Ape. The documentary charts the nation's fascination for the chimpanzees who featured in the adverts and is packed full of archive footage filmed at the zoo.

Sharon Redrobe, CEO of Twycross Zoo, who features in the documentary says, “Molly Badham and Nathalie Evans were fundamental in establishing the principles of early modern management of primates in captivity. In recognising that once the infant chimpanzees grew to maturity and a different regime was required, they were able to focus on giving adult chimps a wholesome and stimulating environment away from television cameras.”
 
Dr. Charlotte Macdonald, head of life sciences and also in the programme says, “It is clear from the documentary how much Molly and Nathalie loved their chimpanzees and Twycross Zoo works incredibly hard to maintain their legacy in its care and management of this species. Choppers, who features in the documentary, is one of the zoos remaining chimpanzees from the ‘tea chimps’ adverts. She has received dedicated training to ensure her integration into a natural chimp group structure, following retirement from television.”

Secrets of the Tea Chimps airs on Tuesday, January 13 at 8.00pm. 

Image (C) Twycross Zoo