RIVER MONSTERS now showing on ITV1 (UK) - Nov/Dec 2009

Following the huge success of Jeremy Wade's River Monsters series in the US (highest ever audience figures in the history of Animal Planet) it is now showing on ITV1 in the UK. These half-hour programmes air on Thursday evenings at 7.30pm.

And from 1 December, the full 50-minute programmes will be showing on Tuesday evenings at 8pm on ITV4. See preview

A second season is also in production, featuring an all-new cast of outsize and outlandish fish. This will be broadcast on Animal Planet US from April 2010.

Is it safe to get in the water?...

Nearly half the world's fish species live in just 0.01% of the world's water - our lakes and rivers. Yet most people know less about what lives in fresh water than they do about the oceans.

Because some rivers are very hard to get to - and/or too murky to see into, using normal means - many of their inhabitants are rarely or never seen in conventional natural history programmes.

River Monsters takes a different approach. Biologist and fishing detective Jeremy Wade starts by examining myths and fishermen's tales, subjecting them to scientific scrutiny to separate fact from fiction. Then he homes in on his targets using a fishing line. The results are some fish of staggering dimensions and appearance, including some spectacular TV 'firsts'.

Broadcast dates & times

Thurs 12 Nov, 7.30pm - ep 1: Piranha
Thurs 19 Nov, 7.30pm - ep 2: Killer Catfish
Thurs 26 Nov - (alternative schedule)
Thurs 3 Dec - ep 3: European Maneater
Thurs 10 Dec - ep 4: Alligator Gar
Thurs 17 Dec - ep 5: Amazon Assassins
Thurs 24 Dec (Christmas Eve) - (alternative schedule)
Thurs 31 Dec (New Year's Eve) - ep 6: Freshwater Shark

Broadcast dates/times for season 2 on Animal Planet US will be posted here as soon as these are known.

Meanwhile a River Monsters DVD (season 1, US/NTSC format) is available from the Animal Planet online shop.

River Monsters is produced by multiple award winning Icon Films