And action - BAFTA winning film director Shane Meadows' love letter to Skegness

However, it was a local celebrity – or at least eight of his donkeys – who were in the spotlight as the cameras began to roll,

Even though Jonny Nuttall is used to being in the spotlight from his appearances on the TV series Bargain Loving Brits by the Sea, he admitted that this was ‘something really big’.

His team are now part of a ‘hush hush’ storyline that visits Skegness – but there is nothing more he can reveal.

What we do know is the new film launches two new stars and, according to Shane Meadows, is “a road movie” with Skegness featured en route.

Getting to this point has been “months in the planning”, revealed Jonny.

It was an early start for him on Thursday . “I was up at the crack of dawn for an annual vet inspection for all my Skegness donkeys (they all passed) and my team was also away early filming,” he said.

"It’s all really exciting – I get a script every day but I am allowed to tell you any details.”

Shane Meadows is a renowned British director and writer, known for his distinct cinematic style and exploration of working-class life in England.

During his early career he became a major figure in Nottingham's artistic scene, even receiving an honorary degree from Nottingham Trent University. Many of his films, like This Is England for which he won his BAFTA, are set in and around Nottingham.

"I used to come to the coast on holiday in the 80s – we had a family friend with a caravan at Ingoldmells,” he told Lincolnshire World. “A lot of my youth was here so I have nothing but the fondest memories of Skegness.

"My son is 13 now and he has had his first role in an arcade here. We were with the donkeys earlier and the man who owns them (Jonny Nuttall) thinks he can remember me when I was that age.

"I never thought I’d get to come back and film here so when I got the chance to do a road movie this was the first point on the map and I wanted spend a big part of the filming process in Skegness.

"We were filming on the beach at dusk and the pier looked amazing. If we can bring the finished film to Skegness and have a premier here that will be my proudest moment.

"You could say I wanted to write a visual love letter to my favourite holiday resort. It’s such an honour to be back here.”

Lincolnshire has previously hosted numerous productions, including Napoleon, Peterloo, The Da Vinci Code, Strike and Wild Bill.

In 2018, Rob Lowe began filming the ITV police drama Wild Bill in Boston, in the role of a tortured American policeman who has become the Chief Constable

Then in 2023, staff and customers couldn’t believe their eyes when TV and film legend Kiefer Sutherland - famed for his roles in 24, The Lost Boys, Designated Survivor, Dark City and the mad voice of General W R Monger in Monsters vs Aliens – sat down at a table at The Lakes in Burgh le Marsh for an evening meal.

The following year he performed at The Drill on Free School Lane, Lincoln, with his rock band – and even joked to Radio X presenter Chris Moyles he was running for Skegness Mayor.

Unfortunately, filming in the area of another Hollywood film, Angels in the Asylum, starring Simon Pegg and Minnie Driver, was paused in January this year with no further updates about production.