ITV is to mark the 50th anniversary of Jaws with a new series in which ocean-fearing celebrities are brought face to face with a series of increasingly scarier sharks.
Adapted from the bestselling novel by Peter Benchley, Steven Spielberg’s 1975 film topped the US box office for 14 consecutive weeks and went on to win three Oscars, including for John Williams’ iconic musical score.
To coincide with the anniversary, ITV has commissioned new format ‘Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters’ from natural history producers Plimsoll Productions.
The show will see A-list celebrities flown to the Bahamas – the shark capital of the world – where they’ll be tasked with diving with various species of shark, with the breeds getting bigger and more dangerous each time.
Bimini, the Bahamas island where the show will be filmed, is home to around 7-10 different shark types including Hammerheads, Bull sharks and Tiger sharks. The celebrities will also face fear inducing challenges whilst learning about the important role sharks play in our oceans.
“The team at Plimsoll is uniquely positioned to pioneer this format that blends conservation with wildly entertaining pop culture,” says Karen Plumb, Head of Factual Entertainment at Plimsoll Productions.
“We’re constantly looking for innovative approaches to wildlife storytelling and are certain that our fish-out-of-water spin – delivering 50 years after Jaws – will transform the world’s perception of these critical predators before it’s too late.”
Katie Rawcliffe, Head of Entertainment Commissioning at ITV, added: “We’re super excited to be combining the work of Plimsoll – a Blue Chip natural history production company – with the expertise of ITV Entertainment.
“Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters promises to be a once in a lifetime challenge for some of the bravest celebrities out there.”