Shark Week 2021 kicks off today (Sunday, July 11) with Crikey! It’s Shark Week at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery Channel. Specials and exclusives will also stream on Discovery Plus.
The ocean's top predator takes the spotlight when you watch Shark Week 2021 online, even if you don't have cable. Today marks the start of the annual series of specials, where it may not be safe to go back into the water — which makes it perfect to stay home on your sofa.
And it's not just The Discovery Channel this year. Newly-launched streaming service Discovery Plus is also getting in on the finned fun, to help deliver a stacked lineup of shark-related specials featuring stars such as Tiffany Haddish, Brad Paisley, Stranger Things’ Noah Schnapp and William Shatner.
Shark Week, which is marking its 33rd year, kicks off Sunday with a brand-new special hosted by Robert Irwin (son of Steve Irwin). Following that, shark lovers can sink their teeth into 45 hours of programming, which will take viewers to new locations and show new shark behaviors that have never been seen on camera before.
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While most of the specials will be on Discovery Channel, some programs will be exclusive to Discovery Plus. One of those is the first shark series, Shark Academy, a competition where people vie for a spot on a great shark diving expeditions. The streaming service will also house all of the specials on-demand.
Here is everything you need to watch Shark Week 2021 online. Plus, watch a promo below:
How to watch Shark Week 2021 online, from anywhere on Earth
Just because Discovery Channel and Discovery Plus aren't available everywhere doesn't mean you need to miss Shark Week. Watching along with the rest of the internet can be pretty easy. With the right VPN (virtual private network), you can stream the show from wherever you go.
Not sure which VPN is right for you? We've tested many different services and our pick for the best VPN overall is ExpressVPN. It offers superb speeds and excellent customer service. But you've got other VPN options as well. Here are our top picks.
How to watch Shark Week 2021 in the US
In the U.S., viewers can watch Shark Week starting today (Sunday, June 11). The full schedule is below.
Most specials are airing on the Discovery Channel and then stream on-demand on Discovery Plus. A few exclusives will solely be available on Discovery Plus.
If you've already cut the cord and don't have cable, you can access Discovery Channel on multiple live TV streaming services including Sling TV, Fubo TV, Philo TV, Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV and AT&T TV Now.
We recommend Sling and Fubo, two of the best streaming services. Sling is the more affordable option, but Fubo offers a broader channel lineup.
How to watch Shark Week 2021 in the UK
Brits are in luck — they can watch Shark Week on Discovery UK. And Discovery Plus is available in the UK for £4.99 a month or £49.99 for a year.
And if you're a Sky Q customer, you can get 12 months of Discovery Plus for free. Say "get discovery plus" into your voice-enabled remote, or check out the Upgrade tile in the Apps tab on your Q box for more details.
How to watch Shark Week 2021 in Canada
Canadians can also watch Shark Week 2021 if they get Discovery Canada through their cable package.
Unfortunately, Discovery Plus is not available in Canada right now. If you're already a subscriber who is traveling, you'll need to look into ExpressVPN to access the service.
Shark Week 2021 schedule
Here is the full schedule for Shark Week 2021 and the official descriptions from Discovery. All times Eastern Time.
Sunday, June 11
- Sharkbait with David Dobrik (3 a.m., Discovery Plus)
Internet sensation David Dobrik and his friends are on the craziest adventure yet… Diving with SHARKS! When faced with bad weather and sharks larger than they expected, these 20-somethings quickly find themselves asking, “Why did we go on Shark Week?” - Crikey! It’s Shark Week (8 p.m., Discovery Channel)
Robert Irwin comes face to face with a Great White Shark for the first time ever with shark conservationists Paul de Gelder and Madison Stewart. Following his father’s footsteps, he will get as close as possible to these incredible creatures to determine which apex predator reigns supreme – Crocs or Great Whites? - Tiffany Haddish Does Shark Week (9 p.m., Discovery Channel)
Tiffany Haddish hosts Shark Week! While her fantasy was to uncover the secrets of shark sex sailing on the fanciest yachts surrounded by friendly sea creatures and pampered by a handsome merman, she’s joined by Dr. Toby Daly-Engel, Dr. Craig O’Connell, Alannah Vellacott for a very sharky wake-up call. - Jackass Shark Week Special (10 p.m., Discovery Channel)
Johnny Knoxville sends Steve-O, Chris Pontius, and new Jackass cast members on a Shark Week mission for the ages. They’ll dial up a series of shark stunts that test their bravery and threshold of pain as they put common shark myths to the test with the help of Dr. Craig O’Connell.
Monday, July 12
- Stranger Sharks (3 a.m., Discovery Plus)
Mark Rober and Noah Schnapp from Stranger Things are teaming up for the ultimate Shark Week adventure…exploring abandoned undersea ruins and man-made artificial reefs searching for the strangest sharks in the ocean. - Air Jaws: Going For Gold (8 p.m., Discovery Channel)
Narrated by Chris Rose, the Air Jaws team (Alison Towner, Dickie Chivell, Chris Fallows, and Enrico Gennari) return to Seal Rock to capture the highest breach ever recorded. Rocket Shark holds the record at 15-feet. Will he return to jump even higher, or will a new shark take the World’s Highest Flying Great White Shark title? - Jaws Awakens: Phred vs. Slash (9 p.m., Discovery Channel)
Rumor has it that two of the largest sharks in existence have been recently roaming New Zealand waters, but nobody knows which one is the largest. Brandon McMillan and Dickie Chivell are heading out to see which one takes the cake – Phred or Slash? - Expedition Unknown: Shark Trek (10 p.m., Discovery Channel)
Josh Gates links up with his childhood hero, William Shatner, to boldly go where Shark Week has never gone before. The mission: enter shark-infested waters to understand the nature of fear and come face to face with an apex predator. This is Shark Trek.
Tuesday, July 13
- Great White Comeback (3 a.m., Discovery Plus)
In 2017 one of the strangest ocean mysteries occurred in South Africa when an entire Great White population disappeared overnight. Alison Towner and her team, Enrico Gennari and Andy Casagrande head out on an epic investigation to find the missing Great Whites of Seal Island. - MotherSharker (8 p.m., Discovery Channel)
It’s a great mystery where tiger sharks give birth. One team of scientists and shark experts including Dr. James Sulikowski, Dr. Toby Daly-Engel, Dr. Neil Hammerschlag and Jamin Martinelli deploy an arsenal of new technology to find out, but they need to meet some of the Bahamas’ biggest tiger shark mothers face-to-face for it to work. - Brad Paisley’s Shark Country (9 p.m., Discovery Channel)
Country star Brad Paisley and comedian JB Smoove meet in the Bahamas to attract new fans: Sharks! With Dr. Austin Gallagher’s help, they put Brad’s musical talents to the test in shark-infested waters to see how sound can attract or repel sharks. - The Spawn Of El Diablo (10 p.m., Discovery Channel)
In 2012, Michelle Jewell documented one of the largest great white mating scars ever recorded. Recently similar marks have appeared, leading her to believe this is a possible mating ground and that mega-shark El Diablo has returned to South Africa.
Wednesday, July 14
- Tiger Queen (3 a.m., Discovery Plus)
The shark population in Turks and Caicos has a sizable concentration of female tiger sharks, leaving scientists wondering where all the males are hiding. Shark enthusiast Kinga Philipps joins Dr. Austin Gallagher to help solve this puzzling mystery. - MechaShark (8 p.m, Discovery Channel)
Researchers Kina Scollay, Mark Erdmann and Al Baxter build a submersible mechanical shark to track down New Zealand’s monster great whites and pilot it deep into what they believe could be a mating ground – the Holy Grail of shark science. - The Real Sharknado (9 p.m., Discovery Channel)
We have all seen the movies, sharks jumping into boats, circling in tornados, and risking their lives to attack humans. Could these shark feasts happen? Ian Ziering and Tara Reid pick up their chainsaws once again – this time with the help of Dr. Tristan Guttridge and to see if a real Sharknado could happen. - Return to Lair of the Great White (10 p.m., Discovery Channel)
Dr. Craig O’Connell and Marc Payne return to where they unexpectedly filmed a juvenile great white during a past mission. Believing there’s a nursery nearby, they follow the trail to a discovery that could change everything we know about great whites.
Thursday, July 15
- Raging Bulls (3 a.m., Discovery Plus)
Bull sharks are one of Australia’s “Big 3” deadly shark species, and recently, there’s been a shift in their behavior concerning the human population. Paul De Gelder joins Johan Gustafson to uncover why these sharks are becoming more aggressive hunters. - Dr. Pimple Popper Pops Shark Week (8 p.m., Discovery Channel)
Dr. Sandra Lee has entertained millions with her extreme pimple popping videos. Now she heads to Turks and Caicos with Dr. Austin Gallagher to explore the world of shark skin and how she can apply the science they gather to help human skin issues. - Sharkadelic Summer 2 (9 p.m., Discovery Channel)
Sharkadelic is back to find out if this summer will be the sharkiest on record. Snoop Dogg breaks down the craziest encounters, the wildest and most unpredictable reactions to discover if America is once again ground zero for the shark superstorm. - Mega Jaws Of Bird Island (10 pm., Discovery Channel)
South African Great Whites are on the brink of extinction, but experts believe there is at least one breeder shark left in the water surrounding Bird Island. Alison Towner, Chris Fallows, Dickie Chivell and Enrico Gennari will search and tag the last female great white mature enough to carry on the species.
Friday, July 16
- Extinct Or Alive: Jaws Of Alaska (3 a.m., Discovery Plus)
International wildlife biologist Forrest Galante travels the world in search of rare and elusive wildlife, including those lost to science, and mysterious cold-water sharks. - Ninja Sharks: Mutants Rising (8 p.m., Discovery Channel)
In the icy waters of Alaska, off populated beaches of New York, and lurking in ghostly shipwrecks off the coast of North Carolina, scientists and shark experts Dr. Craig O’Connell, Joe and Lauren Romeiro, Avery Paxton, Madeline Marens and Hap Fatzinger have discovered three sharks that have developed unique and deadly ninja skills. - Monster Sharks Of Andros Island (9 p.m., Discovery Channel)
Shark researchers Dr. Tristan Guttridge, Annie Guttridge, Alannah Vellacott and Khrys Carroll travel to Andros Island to determine if it’s a new Great Hammerhead hotspot, and they’re using reports of a half-octopus, half-shark creature known as the Lusca to help them locate massive sharks for their study. - Mystery Of The Black Demon Shark (10 p.m., Discovery Channel)
In Mexico, legends swirl around El Demonio Negro, a 50-foot shark that has terrorized fisherman and tourists alike for generations. Is this an undiscovered predator? Forrest Galante hunts for answers in the most rugged and remote parts of the Baja Peninsula. - I Was Prey: Terrors Of The Deep 2 (11 p.m., Discovery Channel)
Two adventure seekers recount their horrifying shark attack experiences.
Saturday, July 17
- Rogue Tiger Shark: The Hunt For Lagertha (3 a.m., Discovery Plus)
A monster lurks in the crystal blue waters off the coast of Costa Rica named Lagertha. In this epic adventure, Dr. Craig O’Connell, Vicky Vasquez, and Andy Casagrande team up to discover why the tiger sharks in this area are unexpectedly more aggressive. - Return To Shark Vortex (8 p.m., Discovery Channel)
As the Shark Vortex retreats in the fall, sharks battle it out for dominance in New England’s icy waters. Experts Dr. Greg Skomal, Joe and Lauren Romeiro brave rough oceans and fierce predators to capture new footage and insight of the phantom shark and reveal which shark reigns supreme. - Shark Week Best In Show (9 p.m., Discovery Channel)
Discover everything that has happened in the world of sharks this year including unbelievable viral videos, big news stories and the latest in cutting-edge shark science. - I Was Prey: Shark Week 2021 (10 p.m., Discovery Channel)
I Was Prey: Shark Week 2021 recounts two horrific shark attacks told solely by the survivors who overcame life and death circumstances to tell their stories.
Sunday, July 18
- The Great Hammerhead Stakeout (3 a.m., Discovery Plus)
Dr. Tristan Guttridge and James Glancy travel to Andros Island to investigate reports of an exclusive population of giant hammerheads. To get answers, they attempt one of the longest shark dives EVER – upwards of 10 hours – using an underwater habitat. - Shark Academy (3 a.m., Discovery Plus)
Shark Academy follows eight men and women on an intense six-week crash course to secure a coveted crew spot on shark scientist Dr. Riley Elliott’s next great shark diving expedition. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime for these shark enthusiasts with non-traditional backgrounds to leap ahead in the competitive world of shark research, embarking on the adventure of a lifetime in hopes of making their dreams a reality.
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