Steve Irwin’s tragic death has had a dramatic impact on the filming of SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters nearly 20 years later – but how did he die?

The celebrity line-up remember Steve’s fate when they are told they’d be swimming with wild stingrays in the first episode of the ITV series.

Fearful actress Helen George asks Sir Lenny Henry: “Are rays dangerous? Are you scared of rays? Are they a thing to be scared of? Can they kill you?”

To which Lenny quietly mutters to comedian Ross Noble: “I’m just not going to talk about Steve Irwin at all.”

Call The Midwife star Helen suddenly says: “Wait, hang on. Didn’t Steve Irwin die of a ray sting?”

Danni Washington – an expert on the show – explains Steve’s death as a “freak accident”. So who was ‘The Crocodile Hunter’ Steve Irwin and what happened to him? Read on to discover Steve’s sad fate.

Who was Steve Irwin?

Steve Irwin was also known as The Crocodile Hunter. He was an Australian TV presenter, zoo keeper and conservationist who gained global fame in the 1990s for his wildlife programmes. Steve owned Australia Zoo with his wife Terri.

Steve also co-hosted his show, also called The Crocodile Hunter, with Terri. Viewers knew him best for putting himself in dangerous and precarious situations with wildlife. His main passion was crocodiles and he was famed for his catchphrase “crikey!”

British legend Sir David Attenborough praised Steve for introducing millions to the natural world. The broadcaster and naturalist said: “Steve taught [the public] how wonderful and exciting it was. He was a born communicator.”

Steve also hosted a string of wildlife shows for television network Animal Planet.

What happened to Steve Irwin? How did he die?

Steve was filming an underwater segment for a television show called Ocean’s Deadliest when he tragically died. He was snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef when a stingray’s barb stabbed his chest.

It was an unexpected and unprovoked attack, which is believed to have been caught on film. Steve’s crew members attempted to revive the star, but he was later pronounced dead.

He was only the second person to die in Australia from a stingray since 1945. Steve Irwin’s death made global news, and left millions of his fans devastated.

When did Steve die? How old was he?

Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin tragically passed away on September 4, 2006. He was just 44 years old.

Following his death, a funeral was held on September 9, 2006, and he was buried in a private ceremony at Australia Zoo. Days later, on September 30, the public had their own chance to grieve when a public memorial service was also held at the zoo.

There was an audience of 5,500 people in the zoo’s Crocoseum, and the service was broadcast to an estimated 300million fans.

Did the Crocodile Hunter have children?

Steve and his wife Terri, who spent their honeymoon chasing crocodiles, had two children together; daughter Bindi Sue and son Robert Clarence. Both have followed their father’s footsteps into conservation and work at Australia zoo.

Bindi Irwin is now 26 years old. The year after Steve’s death, she hosted her own show, Bindi The Jungle Girl. She was nine at the time. She has since forged a media career, and appeared on shows including America’s Dancing With The Stars and Australian Big Brother. Bindi has a young daughter called Grace.

Robert Irvin, 21, also grew up with a passion for wildlife. He is a conservationist and wildlife photographer. Robert, who fed freshwater crocodiles from the age of eight, also works at Australia Zoo with his sister and mum.

What did SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters expert say about Steve Irwin?

Shark expert and conversationist Danni Washington was quick to reassure Helen George and the other stars about Steve’s death.

In the first episode of SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters, she said: “Some of you might know the story of the Australian presenter that many of us loved, Steve Irwin, who tragically lost his life to a stingray encounter that did not go well.

“That was a freak accident. This is not a common encounter people have with stingrays. They are very peaceful. The point is for you to stay as peaceful as them. They’re just coming to check you out.”

All seven celebrities – Helen, Lenny, Ross, Lucy Punch, Dougie Poynter and Ade Adepitan – successfully fed stingrays calamari while in the water on the show.

Read more: SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters: How Helen George faced her crippling fear

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