Steve Irwin cemented the beige conservation outfit in Aussie folk-lore, and now his family are set to continue that on-screen legacy, announcing their new program Crikey! It’s The Irwins.
While the Irwin family have remained front-and-centre of global pop culture since Steve tragically passed away in 2006, this will be the first time since the incident that the family host a program dedicated to capturing animals in their natural habitat.
Premiering on Animal Planet next Saturday, the program will capture behind the scenes footage of Teri, Bindi and Robert working on the Croc shows at their zoo, conducting research on the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve in North Queensland and their conservation involvements around the globe.
Speaking to Sydney Morning Herald Bindi, now 20 years old, said the program felt “like coming home.”
“It is so important for us to stand up and speak for those who can’t speak for themselves…especially with animals like crocodiles, snakes and spiders…creatures that might no be cuddly and fluffy.
“You may not want to hug and kiss a crocodile but hopefully seeing their behaviors will take some of the fear away.”
Check out the family chatting all things Crikey! It’s The Irwins below
There is an added sense of sentimentality to the show, with the head cameraman for the program having worked alongside the family closely in the past, someone who Bindi says “filmed me being born.”
Robert Irwin, who has been building a huge following in the States following appearances on the likes of Jimmy Fallon with all sorts of weird and wonderful animals, will feature prominently in the pilot episode, hosting a croc feeding demonstration for the first time at Australia Zoo.
Robert Irwin and Jimmy Fallon get comfy with a sloth
This Irwin tradition, done with Grahame, the mega-croc that took a chunk out of his fathers’ hand and nearly killed his best mate Wes, is sure to cast all of us back to a simpler time when we were used to seeing the Crocodile Hunter routinely risk his life wrestling the monoliths.
Crikey! It’s the Irwins premiers on Animal Planet at 6:30pm on Saturday.
