Return of the Secret Lemonade Drinker – Now Licker

Most people who watched TV in the 70′s and 80′s will remember the catchy television advert about “the secret lemonade drinker”, a man (played by Julian Chagrin) who steals down to the fridge in the middle of the night to get his fix of R. White’s Lemonade before being discovered by his wife. The jingle was sung by Elvis Costello’s fater Ross MacManus. It was first shown in 1973 and became one of the longest running and best-loved campaigns in TV history. Well the advert’s back, and this time it’s not lemonade he’s after, it’s a lemonade ice lolly.

Returning tonight, the advert has been recreated with it’s original cast to launch the new R White’s lemonade ice lolly, just in time for the summer and also marking the start of National Ice Cream Week. The cast were reunited after almost 40 years following a public appeal to find the original Mrs R White. She was found, having settled in the Irish countryside, after several months of searching via online, social media and newspaper articles when an article caught the attention of her son in London.

The commercial opens with actor Julian Chagrin creeping down the stairs in the middle of the night to a new ‘I’m a Secret Lemonade Licker’ song. Julian performs his original moves from the 1973 advert and is caught prancing around the kitchen in front of his ever disapproving onscreen wife, actress Harriet Philpin.

Harriet Philpin commented, “My son rang me up and said ‘you won’t believe it mum, you’re in the papers over here [in London], R White’s has spent months searching for you’. I got straight on the phone and was thrilled to be invited back on set with Julian to recreate the magic of the 70s for the new lolly.”