Kick-starter launched - with nude portrait! - to fund Louth-born film-maker's second web-series

A six-foot tall painting of a nude ‘manky’ character has been created to launch the new series by a Louth-born film-maker.

Podcaster and actress Poppy Hillstead has launched a kick-starter fundraiser with the aim to raise enough to fund the second series of her webseries ‘POPPY’ .

Born and raised in Louth, attending Kidgate Primary Academy and the former Monks Dyke Academy, her background was originally in illustration and she worked in London for a number of years in this field, before moving more into the comedy circuit and getting herself an agent to become a writer.

The first series of POPPY, set in a Louth-inspired market town in the middle of Lincolnshire, sees our protagonist Poppy trying to live a glamourous lifestyle in a rural market town.

Poppy Hillstead poses with her portrait of her 'manky' on-screen boyfriend Bunion.

"It’s about exploring the concept of living your formative years trying to live the Sex in the City, sipping-cocktails life but having no sex, and not living in the city!” Poppy said, “A lot of the characters are based on real people who I grew up with, and the second series will look more at family life and and living in the quiet little town.”

Some of Poppy’s own experiences of growing up in Louth are worked into the series, including a memory of trying to sip cocktails outside a wine bar with her best friend – but instead of a sunny Manhattan side-walk, they were sat outside in the cold windy weather drinking pints of lager.

The plans will see a four-part series showing off Poppy’s adventures in the familiar-looking market town, with returning characters Stuart Laws, Chris Cantrill, Amy Gledhill, Rob Auton, and Ed Aczel set to return, with even more “manky” characters.

"But I think the mankiest character is me!” Poppy laughed, “She’s trying to date but has no idea how to go about it and what kind of man she should be dating, and the bar is set low!”

To launch her kick-starter, Poppy has painted a huge, six-foot tall nude portrait of her onscreen boyfriend 'Bunion', played by actor and comedian Chris Cantrill – which was unexpectedly bought by a buyer in the Yorkshire Dales.

The kickstarter aims to raise £2,500 to fund the series. To make a contribution, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/poppyseries2/poppy-series-2