ITV has commissioned ITVS indie, Plimsoll Productions (Super/Natural, A Bug’s Life), to make a new entertainment and wildlife crossover format SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters.

Slated to air next year in time with the 50th Anniversary of Jaws, the show will dare a group of ocean-phobic celebrities to confront their greatest fear – sharks. Throughout their journey in the Bahamas – the shark capital of the world – the celebrities “will push past their limits to come nose to nose with nature’s ‘villains.’” they’ll also “come to appreciate sharks’ valuable place on the food chain and in our ecosystem, recognising that a world devoid of these notoriously terrifying creatures is downright frightening.”

The celebrities will be tasked with diving with a different 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 first hand 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, 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 ITV said: “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.”

Celebrity casting for SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters is currently underway; Plimsoll is also actively pitching a U.S. adaptation.

SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters is commissioned by Head of Entertainment Commissioning ITV, Katie Rawcliffe and Commissioning Editor Entertainment ITV, Kevin O’Brien. Produced by Plimsoll Productions. Karen Plumb, James Smith, Andrea Jackson, Alan Eyres and Grant Mansfield are executive producers. International distribution for SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters will be handled by ITV Studios.