The President and CEO of Discovery Communications, David Zaslav, announced on Wednesday that the Irwin family will be returning to Animal Planet in 2018. The statement comes 11 years after Steve Irwin’s death.
In addition to developing and producing TV projects for Animal Planet, Terri, Bindi and Robert Irwin will serve as global ambassadors for Discovery Communications, according to the press release.
Robert, 13, posted a video on Instagram, expressing his enthusiasm, saying “We’re so excited to be returning to Animal Planet and our wonderful Discovery Communications family.”
“So watch out for next year. We have wonderful new adventures coming to your television screen,” Bindi, 19, added.
Terri concluded, “It all started in 1996 with The Crocodile Hunter, and now, the Irwin family is back!”
Steve and Terri made a footage of themselves trapping crocodiles together on their honeymoon for a special first episode of The Crocodile Hunter that aired in Australia in 1996 and in North America a year later. The show became an international sensation for Animal Planet, airing from 1996 to 2007.
Bindi and Robert basically grew up on camera. Steve made a controversial issue when he was shown holding his 1-month-old son Robert while feeding a chicken carcass to a crocodile in 2004. The incident led to Australia changing its croc-handling laws.
The Irwins went on to star in other Animal Planet shows like The Crocodile Hunter Diaries, Croc Files, and New Breed Vets, but came to a crashing end in 2006 when Steve was killed after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming a documentary, Ocean’s Deadliest.
Eventually, the Irwin siblings have come back from the tragedy. Recently, Robert appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon showing some wild creatures. As for Bindi, who won Dancing with the Stars Season 21, she has also done some acting and TV hosting, mostly animal-themed shows.
