SHARK WEEK, television’s longest-running, and most anticipated summer event returns with bigger sharks and breathtaking breaches on Sunday, August 9 and continues through Sunday, August 16. With more than 20 hours of shark programming throughout the week, SHARK WEEK 2020’s fincredible lineup will deliver magnificent shark stories and celebrate the 20th anniversary of ‘Air Jaws’. This year, the pop culture phenomenon will take viewers to oceans around the world revealing phenomenal insights into the mysterious world of these brilliant creatures.
Discovery Channel’s SHARK WEEK continues to be the preeminent destination for shark programming and the network continues to work with nearly two dozen of the world’s most respected marine biologists and science institutions to bring brand-new, innovative shark research technology and compelling insight on some of the most unique shark species in the world. SHARK WEEK 2020 will take viewers to Australia and South Africa to see how the global lockdown and reduced amount of human activity on the seas has given sharks the opportunity to reclaim the oceans. In addition, shark experts explore the waters of New Zealand trying to find a nearly 20-foot long, two-ton shark named Fred.
Check out SHARK WEEK 2020’s jawesome programming schedule below:
Air Jaws: Ultimate Breach Off – Airing Sunday, August 9th at 8PM ET/PT
Three teams of researchers return to one of the last hunting grounds for AIR JAWS. They will use decoys, drones, and underwater cameras to count the number of breaches and collect data on hunting techniques to see if the shark population is rebounding. Produced by Shark Entertainment.
Tyson vs. Jaws: Rumble on the Reef – Airing Sunday, August 9th at 9PM ET/PT
Legendary boxer and entrepreneur Mike Tyson is taking on a new challenge…and he picked the most unlikely training partner. Iron Mike will go head to head with some of the ocean’s top apex predators including the black tip reef shark in TYSON VS. JAWS: RUMBLE ON THE REEF. With famed ring announcer Michael Buffer calling the shots, these two heavyweights will square off underwater, where Mike Tyson will try to score a TKO over the massive shark… all in the name of research. And don’t worry, no sharks were harmed (or bitten) in the making of this episode. Produced by Pilgrim Media Group.
Shark Lockdown – Airing Sunday, August 9th at 10PM ET/PT
In the waters off New Zealand, the largest female great whites are measuring over 20ft long, earning the nickname “the 747s.” With no human interaction during COVID-19, researchers built a self-propelled cage to see how hunting patterns have changed. Produced by Lucky 8.
Great White Double Trouble – Airing Monday, August 10th at 8PM ET/PT
Australia is in the midst of a rising wave of shark attacks, with great whites leading the way. And scientists have just discovered that Aussies are facing not one population of great whites, but two and researchers want to know who rules the waters. Produced by Beyond Entertainment.
ShaqAttack – Airing Monday, August 10th at 9PM ET/PT
After surviving a shark encounter in Shaq Does Shark Week, Shaquille O’Neal is back…and now he’s on a mission to determine what shark has the perfect predatory attack. But he can’t do it alone. Shaq is deploying YouTube stars Dude Perfect and Mark Rober to put various species to the test and uncover the most mind-blowing hunting techniques of this ultimate predator. Produced by Will Packer, Will Packer Media and Anomaly Entertainment.
Jaws Awakens – Airing Monday, August 10th at 10PM ET/PT
Shark expert Chris Fallows joins Jeff Kurr and Dickie Chivell to search for the largest male great white shark in the world. Together, Chris, Jeff and Dickie explore the waters of New Zealand trying to find a nearly 20-foot long, two-ton shark named Fred. Produced by Anomaly Entertainment in association with Shark Entertainment.
Extinct or Alive: Land of the Lost Sharks – Airing Tuesday, August 11th at 8PM ET/PT
Wildlife biologist and conservationist Forrest Galante dives into some of the most treacherous, shark-infested waters in the southern hemisphere all in an attempt to rediscover three unique sharks lost to science for as long as 100 years. Produced by Hot Snakes Media.
Will Smith: Off The Deep End – Airing Tuesday, August 11th at 9PM ET/PT
Will Smith is diving headfirst into action, excitement, and shark infested waters, as he confronts his fear of the open seas and the open jaws of nature’s fiercest predators. Produced by Westbrook Media.
Great White Serial Killer Extinction – Airing Tuesday, August 11th at 10PM ET/PT
The Great White Serial Killer returns and it’s on a killing spree that may push the California Sea Otter to extinction. Investigators deploy an otter dummy to get a closer look and witness one of the most spectacular attacks in Shark Week history. Produced by Shark Entertainment.
Monster Under the Bridge – Airing Wednesday, August 12th at 8PM ET/PT
Scientists believe that monster sharks make their home under the Old Seven Mile Bridge. Fishermen claim that one of the sharks is a 15-foot-long, half-ton great hammerhead named Big Moe. If this is true, he will be the largest hammerhead on the planet. Produced by Hazmat Productions.
Jaws in America (WT) – Airing Wednesday, August 12th at 9PM ET/PT
Snoop Dogg takes a look at why Great White Sharks are taking up residence along America’s shores. Will this be the “sharkiest” summer in US history? In this special, Snoop will breakdown the craziest shark encounters caught on tape, marvel at the wild and unpredictable reactions, and meet with the leading experts who are trying to unlock the secrets behind this great white shark invasion. Produced by Anomaly Entertainment.
Mega Predators of Oz – Airing Wednesday, August 12th at 10PM ET/PT
In South Australia, a fisherman found a half-eaten mako, and shark experts say only one species is responsible. Using underwater ultrasound imagery, tissue sampling, and collecting DNA, they will prove that the great white is the ultimate MEGA PREDATOR. Produced by Anomaly Entertainment.
Air Jaws 2020 – Airing Thursday, August 13th at 8PM ET/PT
Shark Week celebrates 20 years of flying sharks with Jeff Kurr, Chris Fallows, Dickie Chivell and many more as they revisit the most popular and iconic “Air Jaws” moments. Produced by Shark Entertainment.
Adam Devine’s Secret Shark Lair – Airing Thursday, August 13th at 9PM ET/PT
Sharks of Neptune (WT) – Airing Thursday, August 13th at 10PM ET/PT
COVID-19 has changed the world’s behavior and that has presented shark researchers with a once in a lifetime opportunity to study the massive great whites at Australia’s Neptune Islands. With no human interaction for the first time in decades, some of the biggest great white sharks on earth are returning to their natural behaviors…allowing scientists to study them up close and personal in ways that were nearly impossible before. Produced by Stephen David Entertainment.
Alien Sharks: First Contact – Airing Friday, August 14th at 8PM ET/PT
Mysterious & bizarre alien sharks lurk far beneath the waves in remarkably deep waters where researchers are on a quest to make first contact. Pursuing the elusive frilled shark, sleeper shark and cookie cutter shark bring even more unexpected encounters. Produced by Future Legend Films.
Lair of the Great White – Airing Friday, August 14th at 9PM ET/PT
A team of experts attempt to find out why a population of great whites off the coast of Western Australia is so much more aggressive than others. The team must brave the elements and venture into treacherous underwater caves to find out for themselves. Produced by TaleSmith Ltd.
Tiger Shark King – Airing Friday, August 14th at 10PM ET/PT
In the Caribbean, a deepsea camera captured footage of a 14-foot tiger shark suffering an assault by a large, unseen beast. It could be an unknown species of mega-shark or even a cannibalistic tiger shark. Dr. Austin Gallagher wants to find out. Produced by Anomaly Entertainment.
I Was Prey Shark Week 2 – Airing Friday, August 14th at 11PM ET/PT
Two adventure seekers recount their horrifying shark attack experiences. Off the coast of Australia, a spearfishing expedition turns into a nightmare featuring a ferocious bull shark and a great white attacks a paddle boarder on Ascension Island. Produced by Hit + Run.
Sharks of Ghost Island – Airing Saturday, August 15th at 8PM ET/PT
On the edge of the Bermuda Triangle lies Ghost Island, a place locals have abandoned after multiple shipwrecks and shark attacks. Dr. Craig O’Connell has been here before to study the potential shark hot spot, but his first trip ended abruptly when his boat nearly sank. Now Craig is back with a team of experts and they are determined to find why this island attracts so many sharks, even the great white. Produced by Off the Fence Production Limited.
Wicked Sharks – Airing Saturday, August 15th at 9PM ET/PT
As the number of great white shark encounters on Cape Cod spikes, shark expert Dr. Greg Skomal breaks out cutting-edge tech to capture the white shark’s point-of-view – revealing exactly how and where they hunt in the summer to better protect the public. Produced by Big Wave Productions.
Sharks Gone Wild 3 – Airing Saturday, August 15th at 10PM ET/PT
Everything you always wanted to know about viral shark videos but were afraid to ask! Sharks Gone Wild 3 reviews everything from viral videos and the biggest news stories to the latest in cutting-edge shark science. Produced by All3Media America and Main Event Media.
I Was Prey: Terrors from the Deep – Airing Saturday, August 15th at 11PM ET/PT
A California surfer, a Canadian thrill-seeker, an Alabama football coach and a mother from North Carolina reveal how they each came face-to-face with the ocean’s top predator and lived to tell their stories. Produced by Hit + Run.
Naked & Afraid of Sharks 2 – Airing Sunday, August 16th at 8PM ET/PT
On the edge of the Bermuda Triangle, five Naked and Afraid veterans — Matt Wright, Jeff Zausch, Serena and Amber Shine, and Alex Maynard – attempt to survive on a remote strip of islands whose waters are so teeming with predators, locals call it “Shark Alley.” With limited resources and punishing conditions on land, they’ll have no choice but to take to the waters and compete with hungry sharks for the same food. Produced by Renegade 83.
SHARK WEEK has long been a celebrated summer trending topic, and this year, new partnerships and content offerings will deliver a 360 multi-platform experience uncovering the latest shark discoveries and trending shark topics around the globe.
In an original mid-form episode on Discovery GO, YouTube phenom MrBeast and his crew teams up with shark expert Luke Tipple to take on a 24-hour shark challenge. They encounter some unexpected shark action as they dare each other in the quest for the most dangerous shark selfie. Discovery GO users will also have access to unlocked episodes of The Daily Bite. This GO Original series is back for a 3rd season with Shark Week host and marine biologist, Luke Tipple who takes fans behind the scenes of their favorite shark week shows.
Starting on August 3, fans can access a new voice skill on Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Bob the Shark (@BobtheShark on Twitter) is sharing Shark facts and punny jokes to celebrate Shark Week. Just say “Alexa, open Shark Week” or “Hey Google, talk to Shark Week” to learn more.
To kick off the jaw-some week, Discovery is giving fans a chance to win an all-inclusive shark dive trip for two plus $2,000 cash! Viewers who tune in to Josh Gates Tonight during SHARK WEEK will find clues to answer trivia questions on Discovery.com. Fans will also be able enter by tweeting with hashtags #JoshGatesTonight and #SharkWeekSweepstakes.
During SHARK WEEK, start each day with Pinkfong’s Baby Shark TV sing-a-long.Fans of all ages can tune-in at 8AM ET every day for SHARK WEEK WITH BABY SHARK and the world premiere of “Save the Sea Animals” on Saturday, August 15.
Fans can dive into all things SHARK WEEK at SharkWeek.com, from bonus video to amazing shark photography and more. Catch up on classic episodes by downloading the Discovery GO app, join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #SharkWeek and follow SHARK WEEK on Facebook Instagram, and Twitter .
All of Discovery’s major affiliate partners are participating in marketing promotion around SHARK WEEK. Some of the tactics include social and digital features, gamifications, virtual screenings, sweepstakes, a robust On Demand and TV Everywhere slate, a virtual SHARK WEEK party kit and cross channel spots across top markets nationwide.
SHARK WEEK will again be supported by Discovery Education, the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Educators and students worldwide using Discovery Education’s award-winning digital services—which include Discovery Education Experience, the Math, Science, and Social Science Techbooks, and STEM Connect—will shortly receive access to a variety of premium SHARK WEEK-themed resources including videos, classroom activities, lessons, engaging virtual experiences, and more. Through these exciting resources, which can be accessed at home, in the classrooms, or wherever learning is taking place, teachers and students are empowered to explore critical topics such as biodiversity, ocean conservation, marine life, and more.
This year, Oceana and Discovery continue to team up to help protect sharks, which are threatened by a global shark fin trade that includes fins from as many as 73 million sharks each year. The fight against this brutal, wasteful practice is supported by Discovery and other SHARK WEEK partners who are creating content to educate fans about why healthy oceans need sharks and are raising money in support of Oceana’s campaigns, which include advocating for the passage of the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2019.
Discovery has once again secured an exciting lineup of merchandising partners for SHARK WEEK, including a new partnership in 2020 with Smathers and Branson, the personalized accessories company, on a line of hand-stitched needlepoint belts, hats, wallets, koozies and key fobs. Additionally, the apparel company RSVLTS is launching a line of SHARK WEEK men’s clothing. Also new in the apparel category, The Forecast Agency has a line of men’s and women’s clothing retailing at Urban Outfitters, PacSun and DesertDreamerLA.com.
Returning to the SHARK WEEK consumer products program, Build-A-Bear is back for a third consecutive year with a Great White Shark and, new in 2020, a Saw Shark. Additional returning partners include Mattel with a Shark Week-themed UNO set, Bright Kingdom with shark playsets available at CVS, Dandee plush shark toys and Meredith with a shark-themed bookazine. Returning in the accessories category, Knockaround Sunglasses is back for the sixth year with shark-themed sunglasses, Sock Fancy is returning with a unisex sock line and Freestyle Watches is back with a new collected of Classic Shark Timepieces.
