Based on the real story of the eccentric Mottershead family who established Chester Zoo in the 1930s, BBC One’s new drama Our Zoo starts next month.

Written by award-winning playwright Matt Charman, the six-part series stars Lee Ingleby (Inspector George Gently) as ex-serviceman George Mottershead, alongside Liz White (Life On Mars) as his wife.

Episode 1 airs at 9pm on Wednesday 3 September on BBC One.

Watch the trailer…

The cast also includes Anne Reid (Last Tango In Halifax), Peter Wight (The Paradise), Ralf Little (The Royle Family), Sophia Myles (Underworld) and Stephen Campbell-Moore (The History Boys).

In the first episode, frustrated by living with his wife and two daughters under his parents’ roof and tormented by his war trauma, George decides to change his life and put a bit of beauty back into the world.

Are you looking forward to Our Zoo? Let us know below…