A BBC cameraman was headbutted in the balls by an angry sheep and while it might not have been the content the creators were looking for, it was the content the internet needed.
The BBC has been home to all sorts of nature shows over the years and after risking close proximity with lions, sharks, snow leopards, gorillas and all manner of other potentially dangerous animals, I can’t imagine their crews anticipated a sheep would be the one they had to be most wary around.
I suppose that must have been the problem – the cameraman was too trusting of the sheep. He actually knelt down to its level, increasing the chance of head-to-nuts contact.
Check out the video here:
The crew were filming for BBC’s Animal Park at the time, a series which explores life behind the scenes at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire.
A member of staff from the park introduced one of their animals as a Cameroon sheep from Africa, one of the world’s rarest sheep breeds.
The worker explained they’d worked hard to get the park’s four Cameroons to allow humans into their space but their attempts had resulted in the sheep becoming over-confident.
One of the sheep, named Cecil, showed no fear as he rammed his head into the leg of the worker – a move which should have acted as a warning for the cameraman.
However, moments later the crew member could be seen kneeling on the ground as Cecil approached. The man appeared cautious at first as he placed his hand protectively in front of his groin but he then removed the barrier to move the camera, giving the sheep a straight shot.
The animal wasted no time and whacked the man right between the legs, causing him to fall to the ground in pain and topple over Cecil as he did so.
Presenter Kate Humble and the park-keeper couldn’t help but burst out laughing. The sheep was scolded for his actions, though the park-keeper’s laughter – and the fact she was stroking the sheep as she told him off – weakened the remarks considerably, so I’m sure Cecil didn’t learn his lesson.
If anything, he was probably pleased at having provided everyone with such entertainment.
I don’t have the anatomy to be able to relate to what the man went through but I’m sure a viscous attack like that would have been far from pleasant. Though I suppose there’s probably not many people out there who can say they’ve been headbutted in the balls by a Cameroon sheep, so at least the cameraman got a good story out of it.
It’s unclear how long it took him to get back on his feet after being taken down by Cecil but I imagine he’d have moved pretty quickly if the sheep threatened to get too close again.
Brilliant.
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to story@unilad.com.
Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.