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Former Medway schoolboy Paul Kybett starring in The Zoo on ITV1

Paul Kybett with Sumatran tiger, Jae Jae
Paul Kybett with Sumatran tiger, Jae Jae

A former Medway schoolboy will star in a TV documentary which shows his work with tigers.

Paul Kybett, 41, who used to attend the Hundred of Hoo School, is appearing on ITV1’s The Zoo which follows day to day life at London Zoo.

Cameras follow the keepers and their 20,000 charges at the world’s oldest zoo at its base in Regent’s Park and country estate at Whipsnade.

Mr Kybett, who used to live in Cliffe, is a keeper.

He has worked there since 1990, and has looked after a number of primates.

Now Mr Kybett works with Sumatran tigers and Asian lions and viewers can see him in the first episode with new arrivals Jae Jae and Melati and watch the unveiling of a new £4million tiger exhibit.

The programme catches the moment the animals are first introduced to one another, a nerve-wracking time for Paul.

When Prince Philip comes to officially open the Tiger Territory enclosure, everyone’s on tenterhooks, hoping the cats will be on their best behaviour.

But they’re not - they start fighting - and it’s a race against time to get them separated before the assembled press and dignitaries witness a potential attack.

Mr Kybett said: “Being followed by a film crew was strange at first but I soon forgot they were there – and now people get to see what I call work.”

  • The Zoo is on ITV1 on Wednesday at 8pm
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