(bright music) - The lovely animals in season five, some returning and some new.
Oh, and who might you be?
- We have a lovely new dog called Hamish arrive who becomes the best friend of Carmody.
He decides to train him up and does so really well at the expense of the cheese ration.
- Oh, will you look at that?
- It's most impressive, though it does explain why there's never any cheese.
- Working with Hamish, whose real name is Tweet, has been an absolute joy.
- Every single time this little dog did every trick it was asked to do, every time without fail, and they're quite complex things.
I was super impressed.
Oh, you've never taught him another new trick.
- As a matter of fact, Hamish, sit, speak.
(Hamish barks) Good boy.
- I was constantly trying to get Hamish into my shot so that I could be cuddling him.
It would appear we have an interloper.
- That's Hamish.
I'd never had a dog before and it's the first time I can honestly say, "Oh, this is why people have dogs."
It's the unbound affection and attention that they give you.
I really felt a bond and connection with that.
- On the other end of the spectrum, you have the snake, which is my one and only phobia in the world.
Make sure we can't get out.
- You're ophidiophobic, petrified of snakes.
- I'm not petrified of anything.
I just avoid them at all costs.
I do not like snakes whatsoever, but on the day of filming it, I decided that it might be good to try and conquer my fear.
So I held the snake.
- He might look frightening, but he's harmless.
Just a long way from home.
I was asked early on if I was all right with snakes and I said, "I think I am."
I found it like working with all the animals on this show.
It's so much about just being at ease.
You don't even actually have to hold them like that.
It's just because they used to just coiling themselves around trees.
They just use you like a tree.
So you just sort of hold your hands there and even if you were to let go, they, you know, they would, they would anchor themselves.
It was a really great experience.
- That was a wonderful new animal.
I loved working with the snake.
Beautiful, muscular, and just so many beautiful colors.
And we have some pygmy goats in the season and I'm a huge fan of pygmy goats.
I really want some.
There were lots of them and I thought they were delightful.
(bright music)
