Crowd Network is launching its first animal-centric comedy podcast, Abi Clarke: Zookeeper in Training.
Stand-up comedian Abi will host the show. This has been recorded in collaboration with Chester Zoo.
The six-part series, which began this week, follows ABI, learning what it takes to care about some of the most endangered species in the world at one of the UK's most popular zoos.
In each episode, she approaches the rare giraffe, giant otters and over 100 flamingo-like animals, with behind-the-scenes commentary recorded both in the field and in the studio.
With over 2 million social media followers thanks to viral comedy sketches, Abhi described the show as a dream job.
“I have the best time to host a podcast. As an animal lover, it's a privilege to have this unique access to Chester Zoo and meet so many rare and precious animals, she said.
The collaboration aims to support Chester Zoo's mission to attract young audiences and inspire future conservatories.
Vicki Ashdown, AV Production and Talent Manager at Chester Zoo, said:
“This is a very different kind of zoo audio documentary and you can't wait for people to hear it.”
Vicki Wright, the producer of the crowd, highlighted the unusual recording conditions. “We're documenting face to face with sloths surrounded by hundreds of birds, just a few steps away from the crocodile. Navigating these unpredictable animals has been one of my most enjoyable challenges since I started podcasts.”
