Press Release
SHARK WEEK RETURNS TO DISCOVERY CHANNEL WITH MORE HOURS OF SHARK PROGRAMMING AND SOUTH AFRICAN CONTENT THAN EVER BEFORE
This Year’s Shark Week Kicks Off From August 25th 2014 on Discovery Channel and throughout September on Animal Planet
All new
SHARK WEEK, television’s must-see programming event, will air on
Discovery Channel (DStv 121) from
25 -31 August with back-to-back shows from
22:50 and
23:45 each night.
Building on previous shark-filled specials,
SHARK WEEK is bigger than ever with more jawesome action and a record number of premiere hours. Fin-atics can continue to watch the shark-infested content in
SHARK MONTH throughout September on
Animal Planet.
From our own shores,
SHARK WEEK will also feature several shows with South African content, including the documentaries
Air Jaws Fin of Fury, Ultimate Air Jaws, Shark of the Darkness: Wrath of the Submarine and the two-part show
Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives and
New Evidence.
“We are hugely excited to bring Shark Week back to Discovery Channel this August,” said Lee Hobbs, VP of Channels, Emerging Business, Discovery Networks CEEMEA. “Shark Week is one of our biggest programming seasons, with millions around the world tuning in each year to catch the best entertaining and insightful content about one of the ocean’s most feared and glorious creatures. We are sure our South African audiences will love the mix of thrilling shark content from the 25th on Discovery Channel and throughout September on Animal Planet.”
2014’s SHARK WEEK programming includes:
- Air Jaws: Fin of Fury - premiering on Monday, 25 August at 22:50
Air Jaws is one of the iconic
SHARK WEEK programs, pushing and expanding our understanding of the Great White sharks.
In Air Jaws: Fin of Fury legendary Natural History producer and Discovery Channel regular Jeff Kurr, and his team return using incredible new cameras and high tech underwater gadgetry on a worldwide mission, including a trip to South Africa, to track down the missing “mega-shark” Colossus while creating stunning imagery and incredible action shots of the Great White sharks in the wild.
- Shark of the Darkness: Wrath of the Submarine - premiering on Monday, 25 August at 23:45
This show explores the legend of "Submarine," an enormous great white shark off the coast of South Africa. This 30-foot shark is said to be the largest great white shark of all time. Locals believe that this shark is responsible for countless fatal attacks, but its existence has never been proven. This documentary explores the evidence and asks the question: can Submarine exist?
- Jaws Strikes back - premiering on Tuesday, 26 August at 22:50
Marine biologist Greg Skomal and the sharkcam team travel to the remote Pacific island of Guadalupe, home to some of the largest great white sharks on earth, to film an epic clash of the titans. Their mission: to film Jaws hunt two-ton mega seals.
- Monster Hammerhead - premiering on Tuesday, 26 August at 23:45
Monster Hammerhead explores a legendary hammerhead shark that has been patrolling Florida’s shores for the past 60 years. Now, a team of scientists and anglers look to explore the mystery and find out if the legend could be real. Fascinating reports of a 20 feet long Hammerhead are investigated by the team as they search for “The God of the Sea” in Monsterhead Hammerhead.
- Lair of the Mega Shark - premiering on Wednesday, 27 August at 22:50
The show follows famed shark experts Jeff Kurr and Andy Casagrande as they head to New Zealand on a life-or-death mission to investigate the sightings of a 20 foot great white that resembles the legend of a giant great white shark Maoris call the "lord of the sharks." Jeff and Andy will risk everything to track down this Mega Shark believed to be lurking in the shadows of the New Zealand coast line.
- Great White Serial Killer - premiering on Wednesday, 27 August at 23:45
In Great White Serial Killer, natural history producer Jeff Kurr sets out to examine two fatal shark attacks near Vandenberg Air force base in California and uses evidence found at both sites to try to determine if one shark was responsible for both attacks.
- Zombie Sharks - premiering on Thursday, 28 August at 22:50
Zombie Sharks explores tonic immobility, a catatonic zombie-like state that can be achieved in sharks. This shark phenomenon has been studied by scientists for years, but a recent spike in orca whale attacks on great white sharks suggests that orcas have now learned how to immobilize and prey on great whites. Professional diver Eli Martinez looks to prove this theory by being the first person to induce underwater tonic immobility in a massive great white shark.
- Spawn of Jaws: The Birth - premiering on Thursday 28 August at 23:45
Dr. Michael Domeier has spent years scouring the Pacific Ocean hoping to solve one of the greatest mysteries of shark science: the location of great white pupping grounds. In 2013, he set the process in motion by successfully tagging a pregnant female shark that he called Gil Rakers. Now he's returning to the sea in
Spawn of Jaws: The Birth to follow her journey and be the first to capture the birth of a baby great white shark.
- I Escaped Jaws 2 – premiering on Friday, 29 August at 22:50
A group of incredible shark attack victims recount their harrowing near death experiences and reveal how they escaped with their lives.
I Escaped Jaws 2 is a shark special featuring attack stories told from the perspective of the survivor. Using first person interviews and actual footage of the attacks, we take a look at why the attacks occurred and how the victims narrowly escaped with their lives. Marvel at the brave few who took on the shark, and won.
- Ultimate Air Jaws - premiering on Friday, 29 August at 23:45
Ultimate Air Jaws gives a breath-taking insight into one of the earth's most feared predators - the Great White Shark. Ten years ago, on a remote island off the coast of South Africa, a terrifying new development was witnessed for the first time. To catch an elusive seal, the Great White showed power and intelligence we did not know it had by. Now there is a new discovery showing that in Spring, sharks migrate and head towards the mainland, frighteningly close to swimmers and surfers. Why they do this is not fully understood. Shark expert Chris Fallows will try to shed light on the mystery by documenting the shark's migration. He will also use innovative filming methods to get incredible footage of aerial shark attacks on seals.
- Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives - premiering on Saturday 20 August at 22:50
The show features a search for a massive killer great white shark responsible for a rash of fatalities off the coast of South Africa. One controversial scientist believes that the shark responsible could be Megalodon, a 60-foot relative of the great white that is one of the largest and most powerful predators in history.
- Megalodon: The new Evidence– premiering on Sunday 31 August at 22:50
In April 2013, a fishing vessel off the coast of South Africa was attacked, killing all on board. A TV crew documented Marine Biologist Collin Drake as he worked to determine the predator responsible. Megalodon: New Evidence presents
SHARK WEEK viewers with shocking new evidence and interview footage.
- Sharkageddon – premiering on Sunday, 31 August at 23:45
Set on the beautiful shores of Hawaii, the travel destination is thought of as an idyllic vacation destination. However, recent spikes in crazed shark attacks are turning these shores into a shark hot spot. Hawaiian native, notorious Wolfpak member and surf legend Kala Alexander (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Blue Crush, Into the Blue 2: The Reef) knows these waters better than anyone. He hopes to uncover the reason behind this sudden shark invasion and sets out to find the truth behind what’s disrupting the Hawaiian food chain in
Sharkageddon on
Discovery Channel.
For avid shark fan viewers, the fin-tastic shark programming will continue for a full month in September over on Animal Planet (DStv 183), keeping audiences captivated for another shark season.