Shark with Steve Backshall

The naturalist highlights the Atlantic’s rich shark diversity, travelling across its waters to showcase the range of species, from coastal to deep‑sea forms. The journey includes a stop in the Bahamas, recognised as the world’s shark capital, where the abundance of sharks is especially evident.

"Sharks of the Atlantic Ocean" is a television programme presented as a single episode. It falls within the natural‑history genre and follows a naturalist as the central guide. The format is straightforward, offering viewers a focused look at one particular marine environment without the trappings of a series. In the episode the naturalist takes a celebratory tone towards the many shark species that inhabit the Atlantic. He highlights how the region supports a broad spectrum of forms, from the familiar to the more obscure, and treats each as part of a larger, vibrant community. A large portion of the journey is spent in the Bahamas, which the programme refers to as the shark capital of the world. While on location the naturalist points out why the islands attract such a high concentration of sharks, linking the local conditions to the overall diversity seen across the Atlantic basin. Overall, the episode aims to give viewers a clear picture of how varied Atlantic sharks can be, using the Bahamas as a vivid illustration of that richness. By keeping the focus on the naturalist’s observations, the programme provides a concise yet comprehensive snapshot of the ocean’s shark inhabitants.