SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters has put a brand new spin on reality TV – but who are the experts on the show?

The ITV series is billed as an ‘entertainment and documentary hybrid’ and has three conservationists at its helm.

Rather than draft in a famous host, producers have handed the ropes over to Danni Washington, Tristan Guttridge and Paul de Gelder. Each week, the experts will guide seven celebrities as they learn to safely swim with sharks.

The gang will start off small with stingrays, before working their way up to fearsome tiger sharks. But who are the SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters experts? Here’s everything you need to know…

Shark Attack survivor Paul de Gelder

You would think losing your arm and leg to a shark would be enough to put you off the creatures for life. But remarkably for Paul de Gelder, it is now his mission to save them. In fact, he is now a world-leading conservationist for the animals.

Paul, 47, is a former elite Australian Navy diver. He was on a counter terrorism exercise with the Australian Navy when he found himself confronted by a 9ft bull shark. Paul says he saw “two black eyes” staring at him while under water in Sydney Harbour.

Paul told Daily Mail Australia: “One moment I was swimming… The next my right leg was clamped in the jaws of a nine-foot bull shark.

“As every schoolboy knows, if you’re attacked by a shark, punch it in the eye. That was the one option denied to me as my right hand was pinned by its teeth to my own leg. I attempted a counter-attack with my left hand and that’s when it started to shake me like a rag doll.”

Incredibly, the shark suddenly let go of Paul, so his Navy teammates were able to haul him to safety. One quick-thinking sailor held Paul’s severed artery together with his fingers – and it saved his life. Paul subsequently had to undergo multiple operations and the decision was made to amputate his damaged limbs. Months of rehab followed.

Five years later, Paul left the Navy and turned his attention back to the species that almost claimed his life. He is now an avid conservationist.

Paul has penned several books, including one called Shark: Why We Need to Save the World’s Most Misunderstood Predator. The SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters expert is also an inspirational Keynote Speaker and has joined anti-poaching teams in Africa, to help other at-risk animals.

He has also presented documentaries about great white sharks for the Discovery Channel. Paul believes sharks should not be feared. Instead, he believes we should protect them.

Who is Danni Washington?

Hailing from America, Daniell ‘Danni’ Washington is an activist, artist, and TV presenter. Danni’s campaign work focuses on cleaner and plastic free oceans.

She is co-founder of the non-profit Big Blue & You, which teaches youngsters about ocean conservation using arts, science, and media.

Danni, 38, studied marine science and biology at university and has won a string of awards for her work. She has both filmed and hosted the educational series Untamed Science, which is played in classrooms in the US. Danni also presents the Prime Video and Hulu show Xploration Nature Knows Best.

In one episode of Exploration, Danni swam with sharks, and explained how the study of them has helped scientists fight germs and even build better robots.

In 2023, Danni joined Paul de Gelder to co-host Deadly Sharks of Paradise on Sky. The cameras followed the pair as they tracked tiger sharks off the coast of Brazil.

Shark! celebrity infested waters experts: Dr Tristan Guttridge

Master SCUBA and Rebreather diver Dr Tristan Guttridge, 41, has been passionate about sharks since he was a child.

When he was older, the British-born enthusiast went on to gain a BSc in Zoology and PhD in Behavioural Ecology from the University of Leeds. He was then awarded the Endeavour Fellowship through the Australian Government, which led him to carry out a series of innovative experiments exploring shark cognition.

For six years, Paul held the position of Director at Bimini Biological Field Station in the Bahamas. This is the island where SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters was filmed.

While in the job, he established research initiatives for sharks and stingrays and also created education courses for the public.

Tristan is now Vice President and Chief Scientist at Saving The Blue. The charity works to both discover and restore marine species, while also educating the public about making marine-safe choices and green living.

When it comes to TV, Tristan has already acted as a scientific consultant on four documentaries; including Discovery’s Shark Week and The Real Sharknado.

SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters experts Paul, Danni and Tristan will be coaching seven celebrities during their shark encounters.

Sir Lenny Henry is among the line-up, along with Call The Midwife‘s Helen George. Countdown’s Rachel Riley is braving the waters, as is Amandaland‘s Lucy Punch and comedian Ross Noble.

Paralympian Ade Adepitan and McFly star Dougie Poynter are also braving the waters.

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SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters starts on Monday, July 14, 2025 at 9pm on ITV1/ ITVX