Suffolk superstar Ed Sheeran appeared to be channelling the late Steve Irwin during a close encounter with a crocodile in Australia.
The Framlingham singer shared a snap on Instagram of a feeding session with the giant beast – a 9ft saltwater croc called Graham – under the watchful eye of a keeper at Australia Zoo.
The pop sensation, who is currently on tour Down Under, described his feeding technique - keeping his hand well away the reptile’s gaping jaws - as “Crocodile salt bae”.
He was referring to the trademark flourish of Turkish chef-turned social media sensation Nusret Gokce, whose salt sprinkling action has earned him 12 million Instagram followers.
The Ipswich Town fan played the first of two shows in nearby Brisbane, Queensland, on Tuesday night, the last on the Australia leg of his world tour.
Founded by “Crocodile Hunter” Irwin and his wife Terri in the 1990s, the zoo said it was “so glad” Sheeran had visited and dubbed him a Wildlife Warrior.
The Irwins set up the Wildlife Warriors charity for the protection of injured, threatened or endangered wildlife in 2002.
A global name in conservation, Irwin died in 2006 after he was hit in the chest by a stingray’s barb while diving on the Great Barrier Reef.
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