It is superstars vs dangerous predators as ITV’s latest reality show continues this evening. Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters is back with a new episode as the famous faces continue their quest to face one of the most dangerous creatures on earth.
Jetting off to the Bahamas to take the plunge and see sharks in their natural habitat, the cast features plenty of recognisable names. It is set to start at 9pm today (July 28) and it will run for an hour once again.
For the third episode, the stars will be left to float in the middle of the sea for over 30 minutes, according to Radio Times. It certainly sounds like must-watch TV.
Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of JAWS, a film that portrayed the shark as a man-eating monster to be feared, the celebrity team will take the plunge to dive with sharks in their natural environment, discovering that the greatest fear is a sea without them. They are guided in the series by three world-renowned shark experts.
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1. Ade Adepitan
Ade Adepitan is a TV presenter and wheelchair basketball player - having appeared at the Paralympics. He has presented coverage of the Invictus Games and the Paralympics - as well as appearing on shows like Catchphrase and Blankety Blank. He said: “It's kind of like an opportunity of a lifetime, isn't it? When do you ever get asked to go and dive with sharks in the Bahamas? I think most of us would leap at the opportunity, so for me it was a no-brainer. I'm a big environmentalist too, so there was an important message also at the heart of the programme.” | Plimsoll Productions/ITV Photo: Plimsoll Productions/ITV
2. Dougie Poynter
McFly bassist Dougie might have shot to fame in the music world, but he is no stranger to the small screen as well. He was the winner of I’m a Celebrity in 2011 - also on ITV. Dougie said: “That was another amazing thing about being involved, I learnt how to scuba dive which I'm now totally obsessed with and have bought loads of my own professional gear. I'm only looking at holiday destinations that have great scuba diving now.” | Plimsoll Productions/ITV Photo: Plimsoll Productions/ITV
3. Helen George
Call the Midwife star Helen George is part of the cast for this ITV series. She is best known for playing Trixie on the iconic BBC show. She said: “I was asked whether I'd be interested and my initial thought was, this sounds so mad and amazing, of course I have to say yes. And then I started thinking about what was being asked of me. I am quite scared of swimming and I started to think, is this a good idea? Let alone the sharks. But I really wanted to push myself and it sounded like such an interesting thing to be part of and something I knew nothing about, and with an amazing group around me. So it just felt like a no-brainer.” | Plimsoll Productions/ITV Photo: Plimsoll Productions/ITV
4. Ross Noble
Comedian Ross Noble has appeared on TV plenty of times over the years - as well as touring as a stand-up. He was on shows like Have I Got New For You and also was part of the cast for The Celebrity Apprentice Australia in 2021. He said: “Bimini, it’s incredible because it's a shark sanctuary, so the fact that the sharks are protected there means there's a lot of them. So if you're looking for sharks, it certainly is top of the list of places to go.” | Plimsoll Productions/ITV Photo: Plimsoll Productions/ITV
5. Sir Lenny Henry
A name that needs no introduction, Sir Lenny Henry is part of the cast for Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters. From his titular show to Comic Relief and most recently Prime Video’s Lord of the Rings TV show, you will have definitely seen Sir Lenny on your screen plenty of times. He said: “When the question was put to me, would you like to go on an adventure of ecology and exploration involving sharks, I didn’t have that cartoon special effect where my eyeballs jumped out of my head. I actually considered it and thought, actually, I’d love to do that.” | Plimsoll Productions/ITV Photo: Plimsoll Productions/ITV
6. Lucy Punch
Lucy Punch is an actor who has appeared in films such as Hot Fuzz, Bad Teacher and Into the Woods. However you probably recognise her from her role as Amanda in Motherland and its spin-off Amandaland - both on the BBC. She said: “I was really excited about being part of a new show like this. It has an important message and while traditional wildlife shows are preaching to the converted, the entertainment element of a show like this on ITV makes it family viewing and brings a whole new audience.” | Plimsoll Productions/ITV Photo: Plimsoll Productions/ITV