A taste for shark & horror

WHEN “JAWS” was giving everyone else nightmares, he only wanted to jump into the water with the bloodthirsty beast.

Now horror master Eli Roth will have his dreams come true as host of Discovery Channel’s late-night Shark Week talk show, “Shark After Dark,” starting Sunday, July 5.

Roth’s duties for the live telecast include taping a segment next week in which he’ll go scuba-diving in the Bahamas with the flesheating fish.

“It’s been a lifelong dream for me,” he told the Daily News about his impending close encounter with what he hopes will be dozens of the breathtaking behemoths.

“I’ve always been on the side of the shark,” he said. “I’m very sympathetic to them. They’re fascinating,

intelligent, greatly misunderstood creatures — humans are always the enemy.”

This will be the third year for the live talk show, from the creators of Bravo’s “Watch What Happens: Live” — but the first time Roth will host.

He’ll be joined for the five nights by celebrities, shark fans and shark experts.

Roth wrote, directed and produced the horror movies “Cabin Fever,” “Hostel” and “Hostel: Part II.” As an actor, he co-starred in Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds.”

“Everyone feels like they have this magical connection to animals, but I really have always had this strange connection to sharks,” Roth said.

He recalled that when Discovery approached him about hosting “Shark After Dark,” he was researching sharks for two films he has in development. “It seems like it was meant to be,” Roth said. “It’s a really great opportunity to talk to every shark expert in the field, and as far as talk shows go, I love them — I can’t wait to dive in.”

dkaplan@nydailynews.