Filmed in Bimini – the enticingly named ‘shark capital of the world’ and home to up to 40 species of the toothy nightmare – Shark! pushes its celebrity cast to the limit with an escalating series of underwater challenges designed to test courage, resilience and trust which they must complete alongside the ocean’s most feared predator. Guiding them through it all are shark-attack survivor Paul de Gelder – a navy diver turned conservationist, who lost his right arm and leg to a bull shark in Sydney Harbour – and expert Annie Guttridge.
Aside from one initial caged swim, nothing separates the celebrities from the sharks circling them.
For Olympic freestyle gold medallist and world-record holder Ariarne Titmus, the experience is deeply confronting.
“People just assume that swimmers are comfortable in every body of water, but I hate the unknown, and the ocean is the unknown,” Ariarne tells TV WEEK.
“I think it’s going to be good for people who have this idea in their head of what they think an elite athlete is. Those who are able to perform at the most high-pressure moments when it matters… Yes, I was able to do that in the pool, but I’m a real person and I have real fears as well – and sharks are absolutely my biggest fear.”
Will Ariarne overcome that fear – or will the open ocean and the circling sharks finally prove too much for her to handle?
Meet the celebrities joining Ariane in the depths of the big blue…
Lynne McGranger, 73, Actress
Beloved Home and Away star Lynne McGranger is a long way from Summer Bay as she faces the shark-infested waters of Bimini. Despite calling herself an “above-ground person”, the actress says she wanted to prove women her age can still throw themselves into new adventures.
Matt Nable, 54, Actor
Actor and writer Matt Nable, who you might recognise from hit series Mr Inbetween, is no stranger to intense roles on screen, but Shark! pushes him in a brand new way.
Sam Thaiday, 40, NRL Legend
Former rugby league star Sam Thaiday brings plenty of humour and confidence to the series. With a family connection to the hammerhead shark – their totem – the 2025 I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! winner. is ready to embrace the experience and show his two young daughters the importance of “being brave”.
Tammy Hembrow, 32, Influencer
Known for sharing her glamorous life online, influencer Tammy Hembrow is stepping far outside her comfort zone. Trading social media for survival mode, the mum of three faces one of the biggest challenges of her life while healing from her public divorce from Love Island star Matt Zukowski.
Scott Cam, 63, TV Host
As the longtime host of The Block, Scott Cam has tackled plenty of high-pressure situations – but nothing quite like this with the TV veteran admitting he has a deep fear of sharks. How will he cope off site and underwater?