Shark Week is returning to Discovery with a full slate of new programming, kicking off Sunday, July 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
The annual television event will feature 20 premieres over seven nights, highlighting new shark research, underwater expeditions and celebrity-led specials. This year’s lineup includes returning experts, new technology and several first-time investigations into shark behavior.
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“As the original and longest-running programming event, Shark Week is an unmatched legacy built on bold storytelling, pioneering science, and must-see cultural moments,” Joseph Boyle, head of content for Discovery Channel, said in a statement. “This year, we continue to raise the bar with a lineup that delivers glowing sharks, Jurassic giants, record-setting stunts … and even, K-Pop.”
The week opens with K-Pop Shark Heroes, featuring actor and comedian Ken Jeong alongside Grammy-nominated artist REI AMI. The special explores changing public perceptions of sharks in East Asia following recent shark encounters off the Korean Peninsula.
Sunday’s lineup also includes Air Jaws: Red, White and Breach, in which filmmaker Jeff Kurr, marine biologist Alison Towner and cinematographer Andy Casagrande investigate reports of breaching great white sharks along the California coast. The night’s final premiere, Invasion of the Mega Sharks, follows researchers as they search for a record-breaking great white known as “Big Rose” off Nova Scotia.
Other highlights throughout the week include Bull Shark Dinner Bell, where Paul de Gelder and Rosie Moore examine what causes bull sharks to approach humans, and House of Sharks, which investigates rival groups of great white sharks near New Zealand.
Tuesday’s schedule features Jurassic Sharks, using CGI to recreate prehistoric shark species, while Jaws vs Orca explores growing evidence that killer whales are hunting great white sharks in some regions.
Josh Gates returns with Expedition Unknown: Shark Secrets on Wednesday, investigating historic shark attacks and the mystery surrounding Scotland’s so-called Stronsay Beast. The same night also includes Alien Sharks: Untamed America, hosted by Forrest Galante.
The final stretch of Shark Week features How to Train a Great White, which explores whether great white sharks can learn through conditioning, and Ultimate Shark Dive, where high diver Molly Carlson attempts a record-setting jump into shark-filled waters.
The event concludes Saturday, Aug. 1, with Great White Highway, examining the growing number of great white sightings along the U.S. East Coast, and Thresher Shark: Stun to Kill, which studies how thresher sharks use their tails to hunt prey.
Discovery said encore presentations of each night’s programming will air immediately following the premieres.
