Latest news with #SHARK!CelebrityInfestedWaters
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
ITV SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters viewers left tearful over mention of late celeb
SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters launched on Monday evening, with a number of celebrities heading to The Bahamas to dive with sharks ITV audiences were touched during the premiere of SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters when a beloved late celebrity was mentioned. The new reality series kicked off on Monday (14th July), with a group of seven celebrities, including Lenny Henry and Helen George, jetting off to The Bahamas for a daring shark diving adventure. In the opening episode, the stars were informed they would be swimming with wild stingrays, which immediately sparked fear among some participants. Helen, known from Call the Midwife, turned to Lenny with concern, asking: "Are rays dangerous? Are you scared of rays? Are they a thing to be scared of? Can they kill you?" Lenny Henry whispered to fellow contestant Ross Noble: "I'm just not going to talk about Steve Irwin at all," which caused Helen to suddenly worry and question: "Wait, hang on. Didn't Steve Irwin die of a ray sting?" Danni Washington, the show's expert, stepped in to calm the celebrities, explaining that Steve Irwin's passing was a "freak accident" and aimed to alleviate their concerns about the upcoming swim. Steve Irwin, affectionately known as The Crocodile Hunter, was an Australian wildlife expert and TV personality who rose to fame in the 1990s through his wildlife documentaries. He tragically passed away in September 2006 at age 44 after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef for a television segment, reports the Express. An unexpected mention of the late TV legend in Monday's episode of SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters struck an emotional chord with many viewers as they reminisced about him. One emotional ITV fan stated on social media: "I will never get over Steve Irwin's death. I still tear up when I watch him. #shark #celebrityinfestedwaters." "'We're not going to talk about Steve Irwin' #Shark," quipped another, while a third expressed outrage, commenting: "I've turned it off how dare they mention Sir Steve Irwin like that." The debut episode of SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters sparked mixed reactions, with some critics describing it as "unwatchable" and others hailing it as "amazing". The programme, released during the 50th anniversary year of Jaws, intends to shift celebrities' perspectives on sharks and promote conservation by observing them in the wild. The line-up boasts names such as Dougie Poynter, Ross Noble, Lucy Punch, Helen George, Lenny Henry, Rachel Riley and Ade Adepitan.
Wales Online
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
ITV Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters branded 'far too dangerous' as viewers switch off
ITV Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters branded 'far too dangerous' as viewers switch off A number of ITV viewers have complained about the new celebrity reality show, Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters, with some threatening to switch it off altogether ITV's latest celebrity reality show, SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters, has made its debut, but it seems to have failed to win over TV viewers with its unique concept. The programme, which premiered on ITV1 on Monday (14th July), features seven celebrities, including Sir Lenny Henry, Helen George, and Ross Noble, embarking on a dive expedition with renowned shark experts in The Bahamas. The show's goal is to have the celebrities dive with sharks in their natural habitat, fostering a deeper appreciation and reduced fear of these marine animals. Each participant brought their own set of concerns, with Call the Midwife's Helen George admitting to a fear of water. Despite its novel premise and star-studded lineup, the show didn't impress all viewers, reports the Express. Actress Helen George opened up about her fear of water (Image: ITV ) Strictly Come Dancing pro to have life story turned into BBC documentary READ MORE: Some even threatened to switch off, labelling the show "unwatchable" and "far too dangerous" for broadcast. Article continues below One viewer tweeted: "Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters is single proof that television is at an all time pointless low. #sharkcelebrityinfestedwaters," while another commented: "This is pretty much unwatchable because there's one celebrity on there who wants the entire programme to be about 'me me me'." One ITV viewer expressed disappointment, stating: "Helen George on Celeb Shark programme. Annoying. Dont go on it. Thats it for me. Cant believe Im turning off a programme that has Rachel Riley on it,". Meanwhile, another voiced concerns over the show's safety, commenting: "This celebrity shark thing shouldn't be shown its far too dangerous one of them have already been bit! @ITV stop showing this now! This can cause panic attacks." On the flip side, some viewers were enthralled by the ITV show, calling it "amazing". The cast of ITV's Shark! Celebrity Infested Water (Image: ITV ) "I enjoyed SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters more than I thought I would," admitted a viewer, while another concurred: "Shark! Celebrity infested waters is amazing!! How beautiful those sharks look and the sea is incredible." The recent ITV show, which arrives as the film JAWS celebrates its 50th anniversary, has elicited mixed feelings amongst the audience, echoing the polarised reactions of the celebrity participants. Ahead of the show's debut, presenter Ross expressed scepticism: "When I first heard about it, I thought it was a wind-up," whereas Countdown star Rachel embraced it as "the chance of a lifetime." Reflecting on her stint, actress Lucy said: "While it was incredible, I don't think I'll ever do shark diving again." Article continues below Catch SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters airing Mondays on ITV1 at 9pm, with the entire series available on ITVX.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
ITV viewers turn off Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters and brand it 'unwatchable'
ITV's new celebrity show, SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters, saw seven famous faces head to The Bahamas to swim with sharks, but not everyone was a fan of the programme ITV's latest foray into celebrity reality TV, SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters, has made a splash, but perhaps not quite in the way the network had hoped. The new series, which premiered on ITV1 on Monday, 14th July, follows a group of seven celebrities - including Sir Lenny Henry, Helen George, and Lucy Punch - as they embark on a diving expedition with shark experts in the Bahamas. The show aims to challenge the stars' perceptions of sharks, encouraging them to appreciate these marine animals in their natural habitat. However, despite its unique premise and star-studded lineup, SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters failed to win over many viewers, reports the Express. Fans took to social media to express their disappointment, with some even threatening to switch off the programme altogether. Criticisms ranged from the show being "unwatchable" to concerns that it was "far too dangerous" for broadcast. On Twitter, one viewer proclaimed: "Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters is single proof that television is at an all time pointless low. #sharkcelebrityinfestedwaters," another disgruntled viewer chimed in, saying: "This is pretty much unwatchable because there's one celebrity on there who wants the entire programme to be about 'me me me'." One television viewer said: "Helen George on Celeb Shark programme. Annoying. Dont go on it. Thats it for me. Cant believe Im turning off a programme that has Rachel Riley on it." Another individual echoed similar sentiments and called for ITV to discontinue the program, citing safety concerns: "This celebrity shark thing shouldn't be shown its far too dangerous one of them have already been bit! @ITV stop showing this now! This can cause panic attacks." However, some people shared a more positive viewing experience, with one writing: "I enjoyed SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters more than I thought I would," and another adding, "Shark! Celebrity infested waters is amazing!! How beautiful those sharks look and the sea is incredible." This latest offering from ITV, tied to the 50th anniversary of the iconic film JAWS, has divided viewers, including its own contestants. Speaking before the show debuted, Ross shared, "When I first heard about it, I thought it was a wind-up," while Rachel Riley described it as "the chance of a lifetime." Summarizing her experience on the show, actress Lucy said, "While it was incredible, I don't think I'll ever do shark diving again." SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters is shown on Mondays at 9pm on ITV1, and the entire series is also available to stream on ITVX.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Rachel Riley says she'd rather 'swim with killer sharks' than do Strictly again
Countdown queen, Rachel Riley, may have met her husband, Pasha Kovalev, on Strictly Come Dancing, but she inisits there's no way she'd go back on the show Rachel Riley reckons she'd rather swim with killer sharks than return to Strictly Come Dancing. The Countdown queen, 39, met her husband, Pasha Kovalev, on the BBC dance show back in 2013, before welcoming their daughters, Maven, five, and Noa, three, into the world. However, Rachel, who has signed up to ITV's new reality show, Shark! Celebrity Infested Water, in which a team of plucky stars face their fears and swim with tiger sharks - without a cage - says there's no way she'd strut her stuff on the dance floor again because it left her feeling 'panic-stricken'. Speaking about the prospect of slipping into sequins for the second time, she told Metro: "If you asked me tomorrow to go swimming with great whites, I'd be there. If you asked me to do Strictly again, no way." Admitting she felt 'panicked' on the BBC show, she continued: "The thing about Strictly is that the music comes on and we panic, whereas with the sharks you can take your time to get down. Rationally, you shouldn't be more scared of something that can eat you than dancing on telly. But we're not always rational, are we?" Despite being in no rush to go back to Strictly, Rachel found love with professional dancer Pasha on the show, who she was partnered with during her time on Strictly Come Dancing. The couple got together in 2014, and surprised friends and family with a whirlwind Las Vegas wedding in 2019. "So, we were never bothered about getting married, but then we just were like 'shall we just get married' once were were having the baby," Rachel previously told the Express. After Strictly, the maths whizz is now dipping her toe into a very different pool as she's joined by a star-studded cast, which includes Sir Lenny Henry, comedian Ross Noble, and Amandaland's Lucy Punch in Shark!, which starts tonight. The gang are guided by leading shark experts, including Paul de Gelder – a former marine whose arm and leg were tragically ripped off by a bull shark in 2009 - but now devotes his life to protecting the species that almost killed him. Proudly showing off his prosthetic limbs as he welcomes the gobsmacked celebrities onto the boat, he tells them they'll be starting their journey in the water with bull sharks. Admitting she's thought she'd be eased in gently 'in a swimming pool with starfish', Rachel said: "I was expecting swimming pools with starfish to start with. "Pasha and I've been to the Galapagos before, and we saw a bright orange thing in the water, thinking someone had dropped a life jacket, but it was actually a sea lion bitten in half trying to get out of the water." * SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters starts tonight at 9pm on ITV
Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Call The Midwife star unveils 'deep rooted fear' that left her in tears
Helen George is one of seven celebrities ready to face their fear of sharks in ITV's new programme. But the Call the Midwife star had to face one of her worst fears for the show. Helen George admitted that swimming with sharks left her in floods of tears as she's revealed her aquaphobia. In SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters, seven famous faces swap red carpets and glamour for open waters in The Bahamas. But they won't have much time for sunbathing - it's all about survival. Under the guidance of three elite shark experts, the stars must confront one of nature's most misunderstood creatures: the shark. From the striking Hammerhead to the formidable Bull shark, each dive plunges them deeper into shark territory. It's heart-racing, myth-busting and, sometimes, downright terrifying. But as they learn, the real nightmare isn't sharks - it's a sea without them. Fifty years after JAWS stoked global shark mania, this series flips the script, showing us just how vital these apex predators truly are to marine life everywhere. With legends like Sir Lenny Henry, McFly 's Dougie Poynter and beloved presenters and actors on board, SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters delivers thrills, truth and a wake-up call from beyond the waves. As Trixie in Call The Midwife, Helen George is used to high-stakes drama - but diving with sharks was next-level. 'I am quite scared of swimming,' she says. 'I have a real deep rooted fear of putting my head under water, and hadn't realised how bad it was until it was day one and we were doing scuba training.' Things didn't ease up. 'I then found out our challenge was a cage dive with Bull sharks. I cried some more.' Luckily, Helen was able to rely on her co-stars for some levity throughout the process. "There were so many moments because it's such a funny group of people. There was a challenge that we had to do when we were sent out at sea and told that we had to hold onto this raft. It was really treacherous weather that day, really stormy and the sea was really rough and choppy. Ross Noble managed to sneak out a bag of snacks strapped to his leg with gaffer tape.' Freewheeling comic Ross brought his trademark chaos to the depths, though he found himself mesmerised by sharks. 'I was in a hypnotic state,' he says. 'You're in the water and these things are moving around, your brain can't comprehend it. I was so taken with how incredible it was.' Sir Lenny Henry, on the other hand, entered the programme while he was still on the mend after an injury. "I had a dodgy knee when I arrived, and my experience in the water and the exercise just made it go away. It was amazing," he says. "I would just get in the water and I'm not the best of swimmers, but I really worked hard on it and it paid off. I think it means, don't give up, don't mind about how old you are, just get in there and have a go."
