The Irwin Family Returning To Animal Planet With New Projects – Mipcom :-: Deadline
The Irwin family — Terri, Bindi and Robert — is back in business with Discovery Communications. Pres..
The Irwin family — Terri, Bindi and Robert — is back in business with Discovery Communications. President and CEO David Zaslav said at Mipcom today that the family will return to Animal Planet which will work with the Irwins to develop and produce new projects that will air across the network’s platforms. The Irwin family will also serve as global ambassadors for Discovery Communications.
Zaslav told Mipcom attendees the series will be “action oriented.” The kids have been following in their father’s footsteps, “there is an authenticity,” Zaslav added. “They live with the animals and represent that. Hopefully we’ll take them around the world.”
The late Steve Irwin helped create a distinctive new style of wildlife documentary and The Crocodile Hunter featured both Steve and wife Terri as co-hosts along with the animals of Far North Queensland. The series was a worldwide hit, airing on Animal Planet from 1996 through 2007 and also featured Terri and Steve’s children, Bindi and Robert.
“Steve Irwin was a champion for all wildlife and he and Terri’s excitement and enthusiasm brought viewers from around the world in touch with nature. Their passion for animals, love for their family, and leadership in conservation awareness left a strong legacy that continues today. We are thrilled to have Terri, Bindi and Robert back in the Animal Planet family,” said Patrice Andrews, General Manager of Animal Planet. Irwin died in 2006 after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming an underwater documentary.
Terri Irwin has become a passionate wildlife spokesperson and conservation icon around the world. She supports the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve, a 135,000-hectare property in Cape York and in 2015, she won the Award for Excellence in Women’s Leadership in Queensland and received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from The University of Queensland.
Bindi has dedicated her life to wildlife conservation and inspiring the next generation to make a difference in the world. She received a Daytime Emmy Award in 2009 for her Discovery Kids series, Bindi, The Jungle Girl; co-created a series of books, and in 2015 appeared on Dancing With The Stars.
Robert co-hosted the Discovery Kids series, Wild But True and has recently made several appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that have left people in awe of his talent and enthusiasm for animals.
The entire Irwin family strives to make Queensland, Australia-based Australia Zoo, a global zoological destination and leader in conservation relating to both wildlife and their habitat, the biggest and best wildlife conservation facility. Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors was established in 2002, initially by Steve and Terri, as a way to include and involve other caring people to support the protection of injured, threatened or endangered wildlife — from the individual animal to an entire species.
