Beastly Covid challenge

EVER clapped eyes on an okapi? They are jolly rare, so the odds are you haven’t. Indeed, you might not even know what an okapi is. But if that’s the case you shouldn’t feel too bad.

Not unless you visit London Zoo, finally get to see one trotting around, then go: “Ooh, look at that! It’s like a cross between a deer and a zebra...”

Apparently, visitors are forever doing that. “It drives us mad!” says one of the keepers we meet tonight in LONDON ZOO: AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR ( ITV, 9pm), the first in a fascinating new two- part documentary series. Driving the keepers even madder, mind you, was when the place could have no visitors at all, lockdown having forced it to shut its gates.

Across London Zoo and its sister set- up at Whipsnade, 20,000 creatures still needed caring for. That also meant 20,000 mouths still needed feeding ( I’m assuming they don’t have any creatures with more than one mouth – you can never be too sure about these things).

For the skeleton staff, as you’ll see, it was an almighty task. On top of which there were further challenges, such as making sure pregnant okapi Oni still received the best care.

Oh, and just so you know, an okapi is actually related to the giraffe. If you visit London Zoo at some point, why not tell Oni’s keepers you know this? You’ll soar in their estimation.

To soar further, you could also try telling them that a cross between a deer and a zebra is obviously a Debra. Do let me know how you get on with that one.

Starting on BBC1, meanwhile, in a rather different vein, is another new documentary series, THE GRAND PARTY HOTEL ( 8pm).

The hotel in question is The Shankly in Liverpool, to which people flock from all over for stag and hen parties, baby showers

– you name it.

Obviously plenty of hotels cater for that kind of thing but the difference with this one is its absolute over- the- topness.

Its biggest selling point is its huge top- floor party accommodation, each room with its own eyepoppingly flamboyant decor, vast Jacuzzis, and sleeping up to 24 guests.

To me it sounds like hell but luckily for the hotel’s owners, not everyone is a party- loathing Mr Grumpypants, so there’s a constant stream of guests to cater for.

TV- wise, that also gives us plenty of human drama, back stories etc. Tonight’s include that of Laura, who’s come with her pals to toast her divorce.

The hotel even presents her with a black veil to mark the occasion.

“This is what I should’ve worn on my wedding day,” she remarks. “It matches my soul.”