A penguin gender reveal ceremony at a Norfolk marine life centre took place on live TV.

Eastern Daily Press: Earlier this year SEA LIFE Hunstanton were delighted to welcome a new baby penguin, Squirt. Today, 2020's first penguin reveal ceremony took place at the centre. Picture: Supplied by Sea Life HunstantonEarlier this year SEA LIFE Hunstanton were delighted to welcome a new baby penguin, Squirt. Today, 2020's first penguin reveal ceremony took place at the centre. Picture: Supplied by Sea Life Hunstanton (Image: Supplied by Sea Life Hunstanton)

ITV’s This Morning cameras were at Sea Life Hunstanton on Thursday, where staff revealed their new baby humboldt penguin chick Squirt was a girl.

Hosts Holly and Phillip celebrated as the gender was revealed with confetti cannons and later an ice cake.

At one point Holly dissolved into giggles as she asked co-host Phillip Schofield why the baby was called Squirt.

Phillip said: “Forget everything else, this is what everyone is talking about. Earlier this year Sea Life in Hunstanton welcomed a new baby penguin called Squirt. They are now at the age where his or her gender can be revealed.”

Holly dissolved into giggles and said: “Why are they called that?”

Phillip said: “We’ll find out in a moment!”

This Morning’s resident vet Dr Scott Miller, live at penguin beach, said: “Just as this show couldn’t get any more bonkers, my 22-year experience as a clinical veterinary surgeon is culminating in this very moment, presiding over this gender reveal party.

“Baby Squirt was born in May to parents Conker and Sushi, it is the first time in three years they have had any babies being born here.

“The tricky thing with humboldt penguins is not only that they are an endangered species, so it is incredibly important they are breeding them, but it is impossible to tell a male from a female.

“The difference with these birds is that we need to do it with scientific testing.”

Sea Life penguin keeper Cody Townsend, the first person to discover Squirt, said: “I am so excited. This is so much fun. Lockdown has been a bit doom and gloom and we have had this little chick with us. We have had to keep it secret for so long and we just want everyone to get some enjoyment through lockdown and spread a bit of happiness.

“As you can imagine, the name means one thing - when we weigh the baby penguin we pick them up and it would always squirt poo on to us. It still does it to this day.”

Tickets to see Squirt can be booked online at www.visitsealife.com/hunstanton.