ITV/Plimsoll Productions
ITV and UK-based natural history producer Plimsoll Productions (Super/Natural, A Bug's Life), an ITV Studios company, have joined Shark! “Celebrity Infested Waters”, a reality series that is not for the faint-hearted of celebrities.
The entertainment and wildlife crossover format will challenge a group of ocean-phobic celebrities to face their greatest fear – sharks. “During their adrenaline-pumping, challenging journey in the Bahamas – the shark capital of the world – these A-listers will push their limits to face nature's 'villains' head to head,” the official synopsis says. “Your first-hand experiences will provide immeasurable excitement and new perspectives; They will appreciate sharks’ valuable place in the food chain and our ecosystem, and realize that a world without these notoriously fearsome creatures is downright frightening.”
The series is set to air next year to mark the 50th anniversary of the Oscar-winning film Jaws. Celebrity casting is currently underway and Plimsoll is actively promoting a US adaptation.
The celebrities are tasked with diving with a different species of shark, with the breeds becoming larger and more dangerous each time. Bimini, the Bahamas island where the show is filmed, is home to about seven to ten different species of sharks, including hammerheads, bull sharks and tiger sharks.
The celebrities will also face “terrifying challenges” while learning first-hand the important role sharks play in our oceans.
“The Plimsoll team is uniquely positioned to advance this format that combines conservation with highly entertaining pop culture,” said Karen Plumb, Head of Factual Entertainment at Plimsoll Productions. “We are constantly looking for innovative approaches to telling wildlife stories and are confident that our fish-out-of-water shoot will continue to be successful 50 years after Jaws – will change the world’s perception of these critical predators before it is too late.”
Katie Rawcliffe, Head of Entertainment Commissioning ITV, said: “We are delighted to combine the work of Plimsoll – a blue chip natural history production company – with the expertise of ITV Entertainment. Hai! “Celebrity Infested Waters promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime challenge for some of the bravest celebrities.”
The series was commissioned by Rawcliffe and Entertainment ITV editor-in-chief Kevin O'Brien. Produced by Plimsoll Productions. Karen Plumb, James Smith, Andrea Jackson, Alan Eyres and Grant Mansfield are executive producers. International distribution is handled by ITV Studios.
Comments are closed.