Quick Take
- A K-Pop singer and a comedian are tackling shark conservation in Asia. Meet the K-Pop conservationists →
- A 'sea monster' washed ashore in Scotland in 1808, and a new investigation is finally connecting it to shark attack history.
- Shark Week started as a marketing gimmick, but one unexpected milestone locked it into cable television history forever. Trace Shark Week's origins →
They may be out there lurking in the great deep all year long, but summer brings the one time that sharks get their due. That’s right, this July, the world-famous Shark Week is back to treat viewers with a series of programs, specials, and shows all dedicated to the most famous apex predator in the ocean. It may have started as something of a marketing gimmick, but over the decades, Shark Week has grown into one of the Discovery Channel’s biggest ratings generators and most anticipated weeks of television each year.
Continuing to innovate each year can be challenging, but the Discovery Channel consistently finds new ways to surpass previous Shark Weeks. To achieve this, they plan to blend classic elements of the franchise that viewers know and love with new, channel-first specials. This year’s Shark Week will feature celebrity guests, investigations into great white sharks in North America, the history of the first recorded shark attack, and much more. Let’s dive in (without getting bitten) to discover what the Discovery Channel has in store for the most dedicated shark fans.
A Deep Water History
Shark Week draws in tens of millions of viewers each year in the United States alone.
©2M media/Shutterstock.com
It may be one of the biggest television events of the year now, but Shark Week started small. Just one show, called Caged in Fear, modestly kicked off the first Shark Week back in July 1988. The experiment proved successful enough that the Discovery Channel decided to keep it going. By 2000, the event had grown considerably with the marketing budget to match; Discovery distributed six million 3D glasses across North America so viewers could be immersed in the 3D segments of a program about an extinct giant shark.
As the new millennium progressed, so did Discovery’s Shark Week offerings. Celebrities started getting involved, as well as notable personalities who made their name on other Discovery Channel programs. In 2007, the channel kicked off Shark Week’s 20th Anniversary with Les Stroud as host. The various shark programs and celebrity guests have proved lucrative, too. Shark Week draws in over 20 million viewers each year in the United States alone, with several more million watching globally. Viewership grew by several million more by 2024, and it shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon, especially with the advent of Discovery’s streaming channels.
2026 Shark Week Innovations
Discovery Channel has always raised the bar for entertainment when it comes to Shark Week. This year, they plan to use cutting-edge effects to give viewers a sense of sharks of the ancient past. One such program to feature these innovations is Jurassic Shark. It will use CGI to combine visualizations of strange and terrifying prehistoric sharks with footage from real-world expeditions. It will also feature marine biologists comparing the behavior of modern sharks with that of their ancient ancestors.
Standout Offerings
Discovery Channel always manages to raise the stakes for Shark Week, and the 2026 offerings are no exception. While the week will be absolutely chock-full of great programs, some stand out above the rest.
One of the most anticipated programs for this year is K-Pop Shark Heroes. It pairs Grammy-nominated singer REI AMI with beloved actor and comedian Ken Jeong. In the wake of a series of shark incidents off the Korean peninsula, the celebrity team will both challenge old myths about sharks and bring a fresh perspective to shark conservation awareness in Asia. K-Pop Shark Heroes will kick off the week on Sunday, July 26th.
Another standout program is House of Sharks, which will premiere the following day on Monday, July 27th. It features rare footage from a sort-of underwater arena off the coast of New Zealand, where great white sharks congregate. Using massive blood bombs, researchers observe how three groups of great whites form competing factions to control feeding grounds. The program aims to show that while these apex predators often hunt alone, they also join forces to engage in longstanding turf wars.
On Wednesday, July 29th, notable explorer Josh Gates will investigate the history of shark attacks for the program Expedition Unknown: Shark Secrets. Gates will use archival information to shed new light on classic tales of shark attacks. These include the earliest recorded shark attack as well as the hallowed tale of a sea monster that washed ashore in Scotland in 1808.
For the more adrenaline-motivated viewers, Thursday, July 30th’s program, Ultimate Shark Dive, will feature top cliff diver Molly Carlson. Prepare to sit on the edge of your seat as Carlson dives from record-setting heights straight into shark-infested waters.
Extreme Lineup
Other programs scheduled to air during Discovery Channel’s 2026 Shark Week include Jaws vs Orca, Invasion of the Mega Sharks, Alien Sharks: Untamed America, How to Train a Great White, and My Strange Shark Addiction.
As Discovery Channel’s head of content, Joseph Boyle, said in a statement, “As the longest-running cable television programming event in history, Shark Week is an unmatched legacy built on bold storytelling, pioneering science, and must-see cultural moments. This year, we continue to raise the bar with a lineup that delivers glowing sharks, Jurassic giants, record-setting stunts … and even, K-Pop.”
