The government approves of this shark now.

[@TomScottGo]

In CGP Grey's video about "Sharks!", he said "apparently shark art has a history in England". Consider this an unofficial prequel!

[@JackP16]

Ok

[@Popotato7777]

And a tragic one it is.

[@namii1016]

p

[@N0Xa880iUL]

Interesting timeing! I must say

[@BardsOnAHill]

I literally thought this was about SHARKS!!!

[@mildredthegoat8340]

Over 20 years ago, my sister and I got a bit lost in Oxford, and ended up driving down this street. We'd never heard of this, so to suddenly come across a giant shark tail, sticking out of a roof, in one of the most normal looking streets in England, was hilarious! It really made our day!

[@Cyba_IT]

I wonder how many thousands of other people have been similarly confused and amused.

[@tarananajaika]

@@Cyba_IT I wonder how many car crashes it caused because people got distracted.

[@Smiley957]

@@tarananajaika none

[@Zack-fu4lo]

@@tarananajaika that's on them. Not the shark.

[@DarkGladiator]

@@Cyba_IT is that an arch linux logo on your pfp

[@elliotlyster6180]

I grew up just around the corner from this and I must say it brought me and my brothers endless joy as children trying to figure out how it got there. My dad sportingly insisted for years that it was real, blowing our little minds.

[@mimii694]

I live nearby too and when I had hospital appointments and walked up to the JR and past this house my Mum would ALWAYS say it was real too. Took me longer than it should've to realise that it wasn't.

[@lovelifeandothers6784]

Do you remember the legs sculpture on the building opposite?!

[@danielr82]

I used to live on Lime walk, when I moved there people would say have you seen the shark, - I had no idea what they were on about. all I could see out of my window was some scaffolding over the house behind our house, then one day, the scaffolding and tarpaulins were gone, and the shark was there, restored, painted and the roof was fixed... - was quite a shock to wake up and see that outside of my bedroom window!

[@TheMcPhersonTape]

Sharknado innit

[@rjjcms1]

It is real. They fed it all the councillors who are now gone,and when no-one's looking it has a wriggle and flaps its fins and tail.

[@TheNewCoverGirl]

As a local I'm always proud when people talk about the headington shark, it's such a landmark installation you truly can't miss it

[@EnergeticSpark63]

hey

[@iPlayDotaReligiously]

@@EnergeticSpark63 hi

[@EnergeticSpark63]

@@iPlayDotaReligiously hey

[@johnfisher247]

That's flakey.

[@benhall2235]

Me too.

[@thatADHDguy]

This is the true aftermath of a Sharknado that no-one wants to talk about

[@paulpollock3804]

Nicely done sir, nicely done 👏🏼

[@jamesengland7461]

Happens every year here in Oklahoma.

[@toaster-real]

@@jamesengland7461 da fuc going on in Oklahoma 💀

[@unniFI]

is a sharknado like a horse tornado but with sharks tornading instead of horses?

[@ivangh94]

I knew it was real!

[@heatherhanlon2799]

When I saw the title of this video I thought it was going to be about the "Sharks!" sculptures that CGP Grey did a video about. I was not expecting that there would be another shark sculpture built without planning permission in the UK

[@MichaelAW17]

Sharks are very well known for their anti establishment stances.

[@andrewjones575]

The timing of this video's release made me think it'd be about Rishi Sunak.

[@Kibannn]

lmaooo same

[@tsunamie1126]

Maybe it is the locked away Megalodon.

[@MazHazPazzaz]

@Teamgeist CGPGrey, funny, genuine, and intelligent KZbinr. Does animations about educational topics, like "What is the solution to traffic?" Or "Who really owns the Statue of Liberty". One of his videos was one about a art group creating a instillation of five sharks, literally titled "Sharks!", And how the artists are in a battle with the Hackney Council

[@SoupStoreManager]

I'm really glad the shark house has the very important blåhaj shark as part of interior decoration, wouldn't be complete without it

[@elaineb7065]

YES!!! Came for Blahaj, stayed for roof shark xxx

[@vividandlucid]

blåhaj my beloved

[@Mats-Hansen]

Magnus Hanson-Heine - there surely must be some Scandinavian influence here?

[@KamoSensei]

BLAHAAAAAAJ mine is named Kwak because that's ducks crie and I love ducks :D

[@ThAlEdison]

*nods*

[@Sergeantstuntman]

I was born with a Chronic illness and had to travel to and from the JR Hospital almost my entire life, with some inpatient visits lasting months. I can honestly say I used to get excited about seeing this shark as I grew up and it still brings me a smile when I see it as an adult. I never knew it's meaning, I never had any reason to explore further. I just loved the smiles it brought me on every trip. It always lifted my spirits on the way to a very grim and scary hospital visit. I LOVE THIS ARTWORK.

[@anywallsocket]

Absolutely love how you can see this dude smiling from the very beginning as he explains the shark, like it’s gotta be an endless source of ridiculous yet positive vibes

[@israelisjeshuas7009]

It’s definitely all positive vibes. Except the leaky roof issues!

[@thewardenofoz3324]

nah it's just garden-variety attention seeking.

[@mbrunnme]

@@thewardenofoz3324 no.

[@thewardenofoz3324]

@@mbrunnme yeh

[@claredavies21]

(;´༎ຶٹ༎ຶ`)(;´༎ຶٹ༎ຶ`)

[@andrewgiles6192]

As a renowned marine biologist I can confirm that is in fact the very rare Terraced Headed Shark.

[@PWNDON]

they're critically endangered, right?

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Ah, yes, _sphyrna ceilingus._

[@donoimdono2702]

Giles - 😆

[@anxiousearth680]

@A Megalodon With Internet Connection Dude, how are you getting internet in the ocean. Ship workers would probably kill to get service. What's your ISP?

[@cormoranoimperatore8413]

@@anxiousearth680 it evolved a Wi-Fi antenna duh

[@fawncashew]

It has already been immortalized as a key case study in planning and property law in university lectures, it being physically protected is just a footnote in its magnificence

[@eadweard.]

Would it have been equally magnificent had it been created to protest immigration, or something like that?

[@ricardokowalski1579]

It is not being protected..it is being now mandated to bankrupt the owner Soon they will start requiring a schedule of mandatory paintings per year

[@Schattengewaechs99]

@@ricardokowalski1579 Couldn’t the owners delegate the maintenance to a foundation?

[@fawncashew]

@@ricardokowalski1579 That is precisely what protection is - requiring the individual, authority or business in charge of a valued asset to maintain said asset. That is why we still have maintained so many culturally important pieces of architecture across the country. Your views on this being some ridiculous grand conspiracy don't change that. As someone working within the property development industry, I am acutely aware of the shortcomings of our planning system, and have to deal with them on a daily basis - that being said while the system may be flawed, the outcome is predominantly good.

[@ricardokowalski1579]

@@Schattengewaechs99 The point is why does the government mandate the maintenance?... not if a foundation does it.

[@millygribben5267]

As an Oxford local it’s super surreal and fascinating to see you covering this. It’s a local icon but I didn’t know a lot of the history behind it.

[@Riverbed_Dreaming]

The fact that there is a blåhaj on the fireplace is one of the best bits about this house they know exactly their theme and are running with it

[@evanray8413]

Explain plz.

[@CA-9526]

@@evanray8413 A shark soft toy produced by Ikea.

[@gonk986]

Blahaj sweep

[@nightsfool2693]

The fact that Tom Scott did a panning close shot of blåhaj is so funny to me. Hats off to the guy being interviewed putting that there.

[@KunoMochi]

Look up IKEA Japan Blåhaj real estate

[@johnniesalomon1942]

Decorating your house without asking your neighbors for permission, as a protest, is so British that now I need tea

[@BeetleBuns]

happens in the US quite a lot too, it's a very common thing. Maybe not protesting the government like this shark, but very similar

[@fwmh]

@@BeetleBuns yea! Carhenge in Nebraska

[@moosemaimer]

My previous landlord, ages ago, wanted to put a pool in his backyard, behind a fence, but the historical society said it wasn't allowed. He threatened to paint the whole house in polka dots because there wasn't anything in the regs about repainting.

[@noire1001]

@@BeetleBuns Its way worse in the US with HOAs etc. People get fined for not mowing their lawns, never mind installing a giant shark on the roof.

[@fds7476]

I'm German, and our neighbours once threw a dead mole on our lawn. Between that and calling the police, this is the standard German way of carrying out neighbours' feuds.

[@averagewhiteguy9289]

I was born in Oxford and lived down the road from here, when I was little we moved to Wales and I used to tell all my friends in school about this house but none of them believed me and thought I was mad. Many years have passed now and I completely forgot about it till this video popped up in my subscriptions. Guess who’s sharing this video with all their old school friends?!?!

[@holger_p]

I'm sorry for the neighbors who got invasions from tourists now.

[@handsoffmycactus2958]

Love this story!

[@Conniestitution]

I moved to Oxford for uni and the shark is so fun! A lot of the historical sites in this city are all connected to the University of Oxford - only really used by academics who've moved to the area, or students who pass through and leave. The shark is firmly a part of the history of the 'town', a fun part of the local area where the permanent residents live and work, I really like it for that.

[@Supremax67]

A shark's tale about a shark's tail.

[@oinkymomo]

the blahaj was by far the most important part of this video

[@TheGreaterDane]

100%

[@goldenpiston8449]

yessssssss

[@wattieiscute]

this

[@eddiecomerford8307]

I live 5 minutes from that shark and I didn’t really know the history, so thank you for this video.

[@nightmarextreme4371]

u ever used it as a landmark? like saying, turn to the left and keep going untill the shark in the roof, then turn right.

[@babababoiboiboiboi]

you were in the tom scott danger zone

[@akho47]

How can anyone be so incredibly lacking in curiosity. Your life must be boring

[@MeiEri]

Same here, lived just round the corner all my life and never cared for the backstory till now

[@Jenks1]

I'm a local parish Councillor nearby, but I didn't really know this history. Very cool.

[@RisingRevengeance]

I never considered that it might be a pain to have a "protected" property. On one hand it's nice that art like this remains on the other I wouldn't want to be stuck with it.

[@150booyadragon]

Well you say that but really it wouldn't be that much work, at least in this case. I think the main thing that scares people is "Having" to. But really, people tend to keep their houses in good conditions in nice neighbourhoods anyways. Some repaint their picket fences more often than the shark would need to be repainted

[@TheRealiindividual]

Tom has a previous video - "The broken building that must not be destroyed" which goes a bit more in depth about how owning protected properties is a such a headache, worth a watch :)

[@JuneTooJuly]

It's known that houses with thatched roofs in England "mysteriously" burn down due to owners getting sick of constantly repairing them and being forbidden from changing them due to their protected status.

[@Icalasari]

I would definitely try to install some plexiglass around it, just under the shingles, before it gets protected status specifically to let the roof still act like a roof

[@goatfood1504]

@@JuneTooJuly I heard people due that because re-thatching houses costs a lot and is a nightmare. Honestly I think sometimes they’re overzealous about protecting properties, but there should be some protections

[@albertoperezposada9183]

I was going to Uni that morning and imagine my face when I see Tom getting out of this house. I knew what was going on immediately. I nervously babbled ‘Hi I see your videos! Nice!’. And that really made my day!

[@whazee]

Having grown up in Oxford and seeing the shark multiple times as a kid, I can honestly say that I'm glad it's there to stay. 😊

[@rajeshbista2690]

Did you know that the artist was an American?

[@Simon-ui6db]

Same here.

[@discowhistle]

Seen it many times. Good to be reminded of it.

[@ava8340]

me too!!

[@kaitlyn__L]

I’ve been away for a decade, this is how I found out the guy died. My parents chatted with him a couple times. Sometimes we’d drive the long way home to look at the shark.

[@abbewinter9249]

This video is absolutely wild to me, because not an hour ago, while I was waiting for it to drop, I got to thinking about what kind of story Tom could possibly cover that would bring him to my neck of the woods, and I came up with the story of our local theater, and how it getting registered as a national landmark has saved it and damned it in equal measure. You see, now that it's a protected site, this 72 year old building, which is the only theater in town and has not charged above $10 a ticket for as long as I can remember, cannot be bought out and torn down to make room for a more modern setup. However, from this point on, everything from the seats to the carpet cannot be replaced, no matter how battered and worn they get, unless the owners can track down the *exact* items that were used. This means that slowly but surely, our little theater is going to die of attrition, as the owners don't have anywhere near the money it would cost to keep up with the damage of time. It's amazing to think, though, that my little corner of small-town America has even just a little something in common with a house in England that has a shark sticking out of the roof.

[@Xeddicus427]

That exact issue is why the law it stupid too many times. It's importance is its function, not its carpets. Idiot law makers.

[@reachandler3655]

It is a shame that a law designed to preserve a building can ultimately lead to it's demise.

[@GradyHouger]

Just like the protest shark, the unrepairable theater can be removed without permission. Just tip off the fire department and they will keep the surrounding buildings safe while it goes.

[@jakegarrett8109]

@@reachandler3655 That's how you know it was designed and written by government.

[@impactkingdelux]

The UK has Listed Building consents, which allow alteration, demolition etc. to protected buildings - applications that involve this are scrutinised based on the importance of said Listed Building. The shark is locally listed and not nationally protected. If the owner can make a robust case then there usually is a way. Conservation doesn't mean stagnancy or having buildings fall into disrepair. The problem in quite some cases likely isn't the protection of the site but the funding.

[@mikaelabowen5781]

I remember stumbling across this in about 1992, when I was working in Oxford, completely by chance. Utterly gobsmacked and utterly brilliant! I'm so pleased to see it's still there and still looking good.

[@realMaverickBuckley]

It's one of the most English things I've ever seen or heard of. I hope the English continue being weird.

[@mikaelabowen5781]

@@realMaverickBuckley Hehe, it's one of the things I love about this country.

[@maninthestreet01]

Same experience for me when I moved to Oxford in 1988.

[@TheDancefreak35]

The only thing you have to watch out for when it comes to maintenance are the shark edges.

[@carlmanvers5009]

That pun nearly jumped the shark.

[@youssefbencheikh8637]

It'll get repaired one day, shark my words!

[@danp420]

Isnt his mum a bit of a hero? Big ups to all caring mothers out there.

[@qushay20019]

somehow I wasn't surprised to hear that dad's endeavor would require mum's intervention to sort everything out 😆

[@vladimirimp]

5:15 I’m pleased that he mentions that ‘the council’ is not a fixed thing but a group of individuals who have changed.

[@Terminarch]

And they will change again. It would be foolish to put the project in their hands...

[@alisonhill3941]

Ah, that moment on the bus where you can tell exactly where you are because someone who hasn't been to Headington before has just glanced down the side road and said "Is that a shark?!"

[@kieranmarsden9439]

Indeed. I have seen many a bewildered tourist travelling to city centre on the number 8 do a double take

[@pelago_]

I’m a town planner with a council in Sydney. Our unit manager is a brit, and whenever we’re hung up on small things in planning assessment he points to this and says that this was allowed to stay and not to worry about that stuff.

[@dasancostandi3161]

4:22 Tom Scott saying he wouldn’t want to be “part of the art” but he’s already a masterpiece ❤️

[@emilybond7556]

And now is almost definitely part of the art as without him millions wouldn't have known it existed.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Tom Scott should be a listed building. I don't care that he's not a building, he needs to be PROTECTED!

[@evilbaconchaos2275]

There's a part of me that's interested in the art of the shark and the statement it makes, but I'll admit there is an even larger part of me that just says "look at the cool shark in the roof! You gotta keep the cool shark in the roof"

[@1882osr]

this guy gets the real art of the shark

[@theheadingtonshark]

I wouldn't take it down unless they tried to force me to keep it up.

[@ThrottleKitty]

hu hu shork

[@rescdsk]

Lovely point about how now the planning council are part of the art no matter what they do. It has a Terry Pratchett flavor to me, like installing the art has cast a narrative spell and everyone finds themselves carried along in it helpless. The initial planning council tried to force it down to avoid the obvious geas, but once it had stood for a day, their struggles only got the headless shark's teeth to sink deeper.

[@rescdsk]

@John Smith ahahahaha nice

[@theheadingtonshark]

This is a brilliant description. Thanks Thomas.

[@andrewweitzman4006]

I believe Pterry would have called the shark "anticrime".

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

"If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." - the shark

[@P-Mouse]

Shark, no shark, they don't care as long they are the ones who control it

[@N0N0111]

The art i see is that the people protecting it and attacking it all passed of old age. Marvelous art.

[@derpymule7977]

I’ve seen that shark multiple times just from randomly going past it but I never knew the whole story, this is why I love Tom Scott

[@rjjcms1]

When I saw a report on the local news in 1986 about the shark and the battle to stop the council getting it removed I was hoping the shark would stay but never imagined it would still be there all these years later. I wanted to deviate off from our trip to the chippy and go and see it when I went to watch my footy team Watford play against Oxford United at the Manor Ground in Headington in the 90s.

[@MDG509_]

This is brilliant. I love that someone just installed a shark on their roof. It also really says something about the person, which is super cool.

[@0638]

i agree i think

[@kakt]

i like turtles

[@k.r.99]

@@kakt apparently, i do like them too.

[@bigwizard807]

it says they are an attention seeking person who does not care about the wellbeing of their neighbours

[@MoontownMoss]

@@bigwizard807 "wellbeing" ?

[@gingermatchstick]

The Headington Shark is an absolute icon of Oxford, when I lived just down the road I would walk past every morning with a smile. I've been tempted to book a stay in the house since I saw it on AirBnB.

[@Garbelerian1234]

It is a legend.

[@markfryer9880]

Well you should book a stay while you can. I mean, suppose something were to happen to the shark and it was removed for whatever reason and you missed out on the opportunity to stay in the house while the shark was there. You would be kicking yourself for years at your missed opportunity.

[@Palmit_]

OXFORD CITY COUNCIL tho! what complete and utter wankers. and county council. Especially with the absolute mess they are making of the cities roads. Block major routes. traffics forced to take another route, clogging everything up even more.. now they are going to prevent people using the roads that they forced all the traffic on to... UNLESS YOU HAVE A LICENSE/PERMIT of course. I seriously want to the folks making these or supporting decisions to have their brain checked. its ludicrous.

[@cf453]

Don’t support AirBnB, it ends up screwing up rent prices for whole neighborhoods.

[@Garbelerian1234]

@@Palmit_ lmao are you getting worked up at the ltns?

[@kelvincasing5265]

Take it down quietly in the night and spend the next 20 years with the council demanding it's put back.

[@thisusernamewasnttakensomehow]

Petition for “the shark in the roof” to officially replace “the elephant in the room.”

[@0638]

the elephant in your mom

[@jdatlas4668]

Yes please!

[@z31drifterlf]

Seconded

[@khalilahd.]

Lmfaoo yes please

[@tjenadonn6158]

The shark in the elephant.

[@maaaybegreat]

I wonder, how exactly does one go about installing a giant metal shark IN SECRET?

[@MrMonkey2150]

@@ragnkja would be very noisy

[@harbl99]

People over here mind their own business to an almost pathological degree. "Fella over the road is tearing off his roof." "Uh huh." (rustles paper) "Now a crane and a lorry with a big shark on the back have turned up." "Hmm. Not my problem." "They're putting the shark into the hole in the roof." "Alright nosey parker."

[@anttibjorklund1869]

@@MrMonkey2150 Especially if it was really *dropped* as was speculated(?) in the video.

[@paulsullivan9697]

Easy instead of cats & dogs , it's raining sharks !

[@PandaCake978]

Quickly

[@Eiroth]

It's got a little Blåhaj brother inside! That's precious

[@TheFilipFonky]

a little wot

[@eterna_light]

blahaj my beloved

[@ScarletQuiver5856]

@@TheFilipFonky Blahaj, plushie sharks sold by Ikea

[@saechiru6750]

Blahaj my beloved

[@buttnutt]

Need money for my bottom surgery 😪

[@DizzyHotSauce]

It's fun when I find out about new local (tourist?) spots in my area. This artistic icon is only 20 mins from my home and 5 mins from my nan's house and yet I never knew it existed until today!

[@clareshaughnessy2745]

Noooooooo!! It’s so famous!! Although I suppose like lots of bits of art, if it’s not mentioned anywhere and you don’t see it….?

[@Afif.anNayem.asSalafi]

How old are you? You don't go out much do you?

[@crescentceleste]

I don't live in Oxford but I've only just found out about this today and I'm like "How did I go this long without knowing we had a roff shark here???"

[@gallavanting2041]

I feel like the most shark thing ever would be, if you knew it was about to be listed as a heritage site, vanish it just before it officially became one.

[@pakde8002]

Yes! An artificial reef was my suggestion.

[@Envy_May]

it would be really funny to move it to another house in the middle of the night the day before

[@MonkeyJedi99]

@@Envy_May Ooh! have a group of car kitters turn it into a vehicle then park it out front.

[@pineapplesandjellies]

This is the solution!

[@gregortheoverlander4122]

imo, they should definitely wait until it is officially listed and then take it down if they really want to make a point. I also like the idea of moving it to someone else's house.

[@TheChocoboWhisperer]

I looked out for 'the shark house' every time we made our way up to my late grandparents' house in Headington, ever since I was little. Thank you for sharing it with such a wide audience.

[@alyx6427]

love that there’s a blahaj to go with it

[@timelwell7002]

I've driven past this house many times and always wondered what prompted the owner/s to want to have a giant fish stickng out of their roof. I just took it for another English eccentricity. Now I know, after all these years! Thanks for a great video.

[@made-of-amelium]

I like to imagine the shark on the roof is the parent of the plushie and is trying to save their child

[@Slushee]

The plushie is a Blåhaj!

[@vosskreit]

redstone

[@logicaltips4107]

Or the parent wants to visit their kid in their house but is too big to fit through the door, so the parent shark improvises

[@leap6908]

blåhaj 🏳️‍⚧️

[@gearshift7174]

@@Thisguy12345-m yes that would be the point

[@AlexTurpin]

The original owner's son was very articulate about why he thinks protection goes against the idea.

[@sarowie]

I think the son wants to protect it, as long as "the goverment" is against it and some people think that it is great. Resolving the conflict of his dad against "the men" by "the men" forcing someone to keep it up removes the nature of protest, while keeping it up their without permission is continued protest.

[@DeezNuggz]

@@HighlandLaddie gets people talking, just because you don't get it doesn't make it stupid. outing your ignorance!

[@alexnicolaou3579]

the original owner was the kind of legend that would have taken it down (overnight in secret) and repaired the roof as soon as it had been officially listed as protected, and i totally love that

[@zwenkwiel816]

@@sarowie maybe it's just reverse psychology? XD

[@lmonk9517]

@@DeezNuggz If I shat on the floor of my local supermarket it would 'get people talking' doesn't mean that that I would be praiseworthy. Getting people talking is what idiots say to defend low concept art.

[@aidenmb7932]

3:25 Blahaj appearance

[@P-Mouse]

3:25 Blåhaj cameo

[@tashawilliams9460]

I live 5 minutes away from this shark and it is MASSIVE! Definitely can't miss it. It's definitely worth having a look for yourself if you live in Oxford.

[@toolfinderhq]

I went to Oxford a few months ago, we accidentally found this on the way to a Greek restaurant - it is crazy! 🦈

[@dcocz3908]

I've seen it too some years ago. Back then the issues bought up were from neighbours complaining about ingress of weather conditions into their shared roof

[@maryjones104]

It's so bizarre to open up youtube and see a Tom Scott video about the Shark I walk past whenever I go grocery shopping - thanks for covering this, Tom!

[@___dmsk]

doxxed?????

[@jefftheworld]

This is actually rather close to where I live and I go past it all the time. Like most people in the area I knew about its history but it's super neat seeing the story reach a wider audience.

[@theheadingtonshark]

That's the hope!

[@emmalouise7837]

I always see it when I am on the 270 bus.

[@catherinekilgour2563]

It made the news here in New Zealand. I visited my brother (then living in Oxford) mid 90s and was aware of it but hadn't remembered where it was. Then we drove past it and I thought it was really cool that it was still there.

[@anonnymousperson]

Nice to see you doing local stories Tom! I remember seeing the shark every time we drove past it when term started or ended. You're right it is very interesting how the interaction with local authorities is now part of the art, very cool.

[@alexnicolaou3579]

something tells me the recent LTN debacle will join this shark in Oxford authorities' history of things :D

[@jannituts]

The fact that there is an Ikea shark in the house just makes it perfect

[@happi-entity]

i like how Tom explicitly made sure to get a close-up shot of it

[@zachzee590]

Lived round the corner from this 2/3 years of the time i was at uni, always wondered what it was and stood for, but just found it funny and a cool art piece. nice to finally learn the history behind it.

[@jacintocosta5206]

I lived in close to that street for 6 years but every time I asked for the story people just used to tell me this is a story for another time, but today finally the story!

[@_GH05T]

My dad saw this every day on his way to Oxford he told me about it and how amazing it was for him and his friends to see it.

[@jasmarioking1]

This was my suggestion for a video! Glad it made it to video, it's definitely an icon of the area and something I show everyone that visits!

[@markfryer9880]

It was a great suggestion for a quirky video. Well done. Mark from Melbourne Australia

[@harryhirsch3637]

If it wasn't art it would easily pass as british humor. Love that!

[@JustWasted3HoursHere]

Looking at how it interfaces with the actual roof I can imagine that keeping leaks under control must be an extreme challenge to say the least.

[@brianw1620]

I was kind of hoping that Tom would explain how the obviously substantial water intrusion is handled. Maybe by some unapproved means that would cause more controversy?

[@Cyba_IT]

@@brianw1620 There looks to be quite a bit of unpainted fibreglass on the recessed roof part so I'm guessing they glassed it up as much as humanly possible.

[@mrbeeoutdoors3213]

@@brianw1620 the internal shot shows a boxed area, I'd guess that the felt from the roof would lead into that box, so any water that makes it to the felt would end up in the box, I'd guess that the box is heavily fibreglassed, waterproofed, felted, and that it has a slight fall to it, so that the water in it, runs off naturally down to the guttering.

[@JustWasted3HoursHere]

@@brianw1620 If it were me I'd have drainage pipes connecting that opening to outlets outside, but it would still be likely to leak.

[@farmcat3198]

I wish he would have gone into rainwater management. Perhaps there is little to none?

[@zakamoriarty]

I remember when this was happening and installed. It was all over local news. I was 11 years old and lived just down the road. I’ve always liked it - even my conservative father did!

[@DeezNuggz]

true conservatives are anti war

[@Lellow]

I like how Tom felt the need for three shots including the Blahaj, two of which specifically encompassing it

[@Soulus101]

I lived/worked around Headington for a while and it always made me giggle, I think as a university town it would be weird if Oxford didn't have something like this in the town somewhere.

[@ava8340]

as someone who grew up in oxford i used to adore going past that shark! it always made me so happy so i’m glad it’s staying

[@archsteel7]

If I had a quarter for every time there was a Shark Sculpture based legal dispute in Britain, I’d have two quarters! Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice!

[@chris4536]

No, you would have forty-four Pence Stirling.

[@mrmonkeboy]

Dunno where you'd get quaters or what you'd do with them in the UK. I guess just show them off and become known as Mr Two Quater Fancy-Pants, ooooh, won't ya just look at him, basking the glory of his two quaters.

[@Username-le4eq]

@@mrmonkeboy monke

[@archsteel7]

I can’t tell if people in the replies just don’t know the reference I’m making, or if they’re insufferably pedantic.

[@Virgil-Arcanum]

@@archsteel7 we're british, it's definitely the second.

[@shanechurilla]

Have you heard of the Anton Anderson memorial tunnel? It’s a 2.5 mile long, one lane wide tunnel shared by cars and trains going both directions. It’s located in Alaska. I would definitely recommend a visit next summer.

[@VideoDotGoogleDotCom]

I looked it up. That's something I would never have imagined! But it seems to do its job.

[@CA-9526]

Searched. Literally insane and marvellous.

[@sleepwalksidewalk]

I went through this last month!

[@dw2channel818]

really love that they've even got an ikea blåhaj on the inside of the house

[@XiTheta]

I knew it was the Headington Shark without seeing the thumbnail. I used to live a couple of streets away and it's much loved in the community. The local brownies have a shark on their badges and the chippie has a shark of their own.

[@ringsystemmusic]

Oh that’s adorable!

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

I love it. It could have been anything outrageous. Just two blokes having a pint and without planning or permission just DID it. That's the part of the story I love.

[@BaeYeou]

Not sure if you did the camera work yourself or had someone else do it, but I very much appreciate the close-up on the Blahaj at 3:30 :)

[@NeahSheMaeve]

proud of my flag

[@Anagusame]

I was screaming when I saw it!

[@guishenStreetB]

YIPPEE

[@KusaneHexaku]

hell ye shork

[@sharkdrago8452]

We love the Haj

[@fenix2k1]

I remember driving through this town many years ago when I was staying nearby before the British GP. I had to do a double take when I saw it down a side street. Its a magnificent feat of engineering and i'd always wondered, why?

[@nutsbutdum]

The call to the crane operator might have been one of the funniest conversations ever... "You want me to do what!??"

[@jamesengland7461]

Right? Is he drunk, and is this his ex-wife's house, or is he about to lose it in the divorce?

[@samreid6010]

@@jamesengland7461 in some places that last case is illegal. Purposefully sabotaging property you’re about to lose to divorce, bankruptcy, etc. is illegal in a lot of places here in the states

[@jamesengland7461]

@@samreid6010 duh.

[@samreid6010]

@@jamesengland7461 there are also places where it isn’t technically illegal. The recipient can take you to court if the damage is extensive enough but if you’re simply changing it for the worse and not actively damaging it, there are jurisdictions where there is no remedy

[@Kplehn]

I walked past this house everyday for several years but never once I thought Tom Scott would make video about this. Tells you how granted things you take when you are so used to it.

[@LastofAvari]

I consider it a BLÅHAJ monument and (of course) it should be kept up for generations to appreciate. 🦈

[@simonthomas1672]

I used to live a couple of streets away and went past this every day on the bus - always fun to watch the reactions of people who didn't previously know about it!

[@TheMissWin]

I had no idea about Headington shark when I studied in Oxford a few years ago and it was quite the shock when glancing down the road on the bus!

[@x--.]

This would be the best way to discover a shark in the roof. Just matter of factly minding your own business.

[@theheadingtonshark]

That is exactly how it was intended!

[@1hesperiidae]

Imagine waking up, popping off to the the shops, and seeing a shark in your neighbour's roof

[@davida1d2]

Having watched sharknado last night.

[@alexnicolaou3579]

that's exactly what hapened. the sculptor made it in a different location, if i recall right, not even the crane operator was aware of what he's installing until it was unwrapped

[@woodrobin]

I'm not sure what is exactly on the opposite side of the Earth from that flat, but if it is a land mass, I would dearly love for someone to put a sculpture of the shark's head emerging there, and title the piece "Longshark is long."

[@theheadingtonshark]

I oddly like this!

[@33link333]

The antipodal point of Oxford is in the ocean, with the closes land being New Zealand about 885km away.

[@LocksVid]

I’ve seen this in person, my sister lives in the neighbourhood and it’s super cool!

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

I appreciate the close-up shot of the Blahaj. You know what the people want to see.

[@sharkypanda414]

3:30 BLÅHAJ Replay button

[@LunaWuna]

Blahaj my beloved

[@skewerscribbles5259]

I watched this with my Blåhaj and i got very happy at this bit

[@toastpeople395]

Blåhaj ♡

[@doommarauder3532]

I wish stuff like this was everywhere. I work at a museum and honestly there is just a massive back storage of things that never see the light of day. Things that would enrich every corner of the world if displaying it like this was allowed.

[@delfinenteddyson9865]

I have seen my fair share of modern art installations and I can confidently say that the world doesn't need more of them. It's just an eyesore which spoils the neighbourhood.

[@drvurruct2274]

@@delfinenteddyson9865 I think that rows and rows of the same building is actually incredibly boring and much more of an eyesore than an occasional art exbibit using the layout of a cityscape.

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

Loses its impact if they are everywhere.

[@entropino9928]

We should have more brave souls who just place it without care what the fascists think.

[@delfinenteddyson9865]

@@drvurruct2274 I respectfully disagree. Especially if the art exhibit is just there for shock value rather than aesthetic considerations.

[@aaronwadzinski5761]

Thank you once again for showing the world something we can smile about.

[@anonymous_memer7397]

I know I’m half a year late but I live less than a 10 minute walk from here and I pass it everyday on the bus and knowing the history behind it makes it feel a bit more special.

[@josepholiveira2873]

Now I'm curious about the logistics of the house maintenance. Specifically, having a big hole in the roof seems like it'd create a real nightmare for keeping the place sound over years of rainfall. Maintaining those rafters must be an expensive pain.

[@FilmscoreMetaler]

Whenever there's something new: Everyone: "Disgusting! What even is this BS?!" 10 years in: "We kinda learned to just live with it." 50 years in: "THIS IS WHO WE ARE NOW!"

[@joansparky4439]

Amen to that.

[@SwitchAndLever]

People were shocked, or were they simply...sharked? Thank you, I'll be here all week!

[@McBruce999]

It's Awesome, Artistic, Astonishing, Aspiring and an Amazing piece of work.

[@ibahart3771]

I was really expecting this video to explain how this roof still functions as a roof. Like, did they build an internal roof under the shark? Where does the rain go?

[@massimookissed1023]

The attic seemed to show a lower-pitched roof inside the main roof. I guess the rain could run down into the same gutter as the rest of the roof.

[@OntarioTrafficMan]

Yes at 2:15 you can see that they did build a second roof under the original roof

[@MrHomita1503]

3:28 Okay, that Blahaj did it for me. Great Idea, great continuation of it!

[@oddsockable]

I live down the road from the Headington Shark but actually didn't know about its origins in protest. It's certainly much beloved by the local residents that I know, if only because of its sheer audacity.

[@petermostyneccleston2884]

Oxford City Council wanted to move the shark to the swimming pool at Cowley. The original owner of the house, and the shark, was a radio presenter for BBC Radio Oxford.

[@theheadingtonshark]

Talk about bad taste!

[@gordonrunsurbathon]

"Of course, English planning laws do not allow someone to install a giant shark in the roof of their house." Of course.

[@alisonpahlkotter3013]

Oddly enough American zoning probably would have to leave it in place as political speech if it were up to code and no HOA. 😅

[@NoNameAtAll2]

@@alisonpahlkotter3013 hoa ARE american planning law

[@alisonpahlkotter3013]

@@NoNameAtAll2 you don't have to have an HOA. I don't live in an HOA. Zoning is American planning law.

[@bioticsla]

I CANT INSTALL A SHARK IN ***MY*** HOUSE???

[@luxford60]

Although, to be fair, there was no specific mention of sharks previously.

[@fishmeister2625]

I remember seeing this a few years ago when visiting Headington. I think it is best spotted when you had literally no idea it was there.

[@cipherrephicsamplename554]

Love the shark! I would contest the claim that Headington is *near* Oxford (it's in it) - it's somewhat sharknadoesque, as there's actually ANOTHER shark on top of a fish and chip shop in Headington.

[@F1MichaelGT]

Walking past posh fish everytime smells incredible

[@cipherrephicsamplename554]

@@ragnkja Probably. You'd need to ask someone older than I.

[@AtanaaTheCurious]

I kept expecting him to mention that

[@tashawilliams9460]

yes, posh fish! They used to decorate the shark for Christmas with fairy lights, and dress it up for Halloween etc.

[@Phazaar]

This was my absolute favourite part of going to Oxford to visit family as a kid. It was just so big and expressive. I'm so glad it's still there.

[@EmperorRahem]

He bought a BLÅHAJ! I approve of everything in this video

[@Snakatorium]

I also approve of this shark.

[@khalilahd.]

Same 😂

[@LMacNeill]

1:43 -- "... as a one-off, it can stay." Translation: "We're not giving *YOU* permission to do this, but because this guy fought so hard, and we're tired of fighting over this issue, we'll let it slide."

[@victoriab8186]

Lived in walking distance of the shark my whole life (and loved it) but never knew why it got put there. Thanks for giving me a new perspective on it