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Q+A

Mike Beale, creative network MD at ITV Studios, on what makes the raw emotion and environmental message of SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters such compelling viewing.

Producer:
Plimsoll Productions

Distributor:
ITV Studios

Running length/episodes:
5 x 60′ (format flexible and scalable)

What makes it unique?
This format blends thrilling, high stakes celebrity survival with natural history storytelling in a way we’ve never seen before. It’s genre-defying: part adventure reality, part environmental mission, and 100% compelling. Each episode builds to a genuine shark encounter, but the power lies in the emotional transformation that unfolds along the way. It’s bold, immersive and purposeful entertainment that is scalable and deeply human.

Set in the Bahamas, home to one of the densest shark populations on the planet, the format is filmed in an environment that’s as beautiful as it is unpredictable. Celebrities take on escalating underwater encounters with species like the Great Hammerhead Shark, Bull Shark, and Tiger Shark, paired with adrenaline-fuelled physical challenges and conservation work. It’s edge-of-your-seat television with something to say.

What are the auspices for the format, including key talent, creators, producers and partners?
The format was created by Plimsoll Productions, a world leader in factual entertainment and natural history with an award-winning slate across global platforms including Netflix, Apple TV+, and Nat Geo. Their ability to combine cinematic wildlife content with broad, returnable formats makes them the perfect creator for this series.

In the UK version, shark experts guide the experience, a format defining element that can be easily localised for any market. These expert roles are designed to replace traditional hosts, adding both authenticity and adaptability. With ITV Studios distributing globally, the format is backed by a production and creative infrastructure capable of scaling it worldwide. Plimsoll can also offer a central production hub, supported by their underwater expertise, facilities access, and archive footage, giving buyers a bespoke, cost-effective way to replicate or adapt the format in various ways. Filming can take place in the Bahamas or be adapted locally with appropriate partners.

Who do you see as the audience for the show?
It has mass appeal. The format speaks to 16-34s through its adrenaline-fuelled challenges but also connects with broader family audiences through its real emotional stakes, celebrity relatability, and universal themes of fear and personal growth. It works across platforms and is built to hold attention.

What is your ambition for the show?
This is a global franchise in the making. It’s already generating strong interest from a number of key territories, with deals currently in discussion. Our goal is to establish this as a returnable, locally adaptable format that can headline schedules and drive impact, from peaktime entertainment slates to seasonal or environmental campaigns. With potential for civilian versions, spin offs and long-running series, it’s a flexible and scalable proposition.

Where would the show ideally sit across markets, channels and platforms?
This is premium, flexible event TV, designed to grab attention, drive conversation and deliver must-watch moments. It can thrive on commercial broadcasters, become a tentpole unscripted title for global streamers, or sit at the heart of purpose-led programming for public service broadcasters. Its adaptability means it can work in many ways, but always stands out.

What else is important to mention in terms of the format?
The casting in the UK version has already shown the strength of the concept, attracting high-profile names who aren’t typical reality contestants, but who were drawn to the challenge and to being part of something meaningful. Participants included Helen George, Lucy Punch, Sir Lenny Henry, Ross Noble, Rachel Riley, Ade Adepitan and Dougie Poynter, many of whom joined not only to face their fears, but to shine a light on ocean conservation.

The format offers celebrities a truly unique experience, a blend of personal challenge, once-in-a-lifetime adventure, and the opportunity to support a global cause. That’s a powerful combination that appeals to talent across markets, especially as viewers increasingly value authenticity and social impact.

What is your rollout strategy for the format?
We launched SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters to market in February 2024, intentionally aligning with the 50th anniversary of Jaws, a timely and playful way to make a splash at the London TV Screenings. While not central to the format’s proposition, it offered an optional marketing hook for buyers.

We began by teasing early footage to convey the tone and scale of the show, and we’re now sharing completed episodes so buyers can fully appreciate how the format plays out on screen.

The modular episode structure makes localisation easy, and multiple production models are available, from full location versions in the Bahamas using Plimsoll’s hub services, to more regionally adapted versions. We’re in active discussions with a number of key territories and expect to confirm deal news shortly.

What’s next?
At ITV Studios, we see huge potential in blending premium entertainment formats with the natural world and SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters is just the beginning. We’re actively exploring how this format model can extend to other misunderstood or feared species, building a broader reality franchise that continues to deliver action, emotion and impact. From jungle predators to extreme environments, we’re looking at bold, scalable concepts that marry fear-facing transformation with environmental purpose, and we’re looking for partners who want to lead that charge.