Family of late Steve Irwin back at Animal Planet

NEW YORK — Crikey! The Irwin family is returning to television’s Animal Planet, 11 years after the death of “The Crocodile Hunter” star and family patriarch Steve Irwin.

The network said Wednesday that Irwin’s widow, Terri, and children Bindi and Robert will reappear on Animal Planet starting next year. The family has carried on Steve’s conservation work in Australia, running a zoo, a wildlife preserve and supporting projects that try to save endangered animals worldwide.

“It seemed like a really good time, since we do so many things together as a family,” said Terri Irwin, in an interview from Australia.

It’s still not clear what form their Animal Planet work will take. The family and network are discussing several ideas for television and digital products, said Patrice Andrews, the network’s general manager.

“The Crocodile Hunter” aired on Animal Planet from 1996 to 2007. Irwin’s colorful personality, seeming fearlessness in wrestling dangerous animals and his Australianisms — like the expression “crikey!” — made him a favorite.

“Steve was very much the face of our channel,” Andrews said. “People even today in focus groups bring up the impact of ‘The Crocodile Hunter.’”

Having such defining characters is becoming tougher and tougher for cable networks. Bringing back the Irwins is part of the network’s refocusing on animals, Andrews said. That may seem obvious for a network called Animal Planet, but in recent years the network drifted from that, even adopting the tagline, “Surprisingly Human.”