In some of the most heartbreaking personal news involving one of my favorite shows, three main participants in Discovery’s “The Deadliest Catch” have jumped ship. This, in addition to last year’s death of Capt Phil Harris, does not bode well for what has been one of the most popular shows on cable television.

The latest trouble started when Discovery sued Capts. Johnathan and Andy Hillstrand for allegedly bailing on the voice over work needed to complete their horribly named spin-off special, “Hillstranded.” A PR war ensued claiming that the Three Million Dollar Lawsuit would cause the Hillstrands to have to sell their boat, the Time Bandit and fire their entire crews.

In an act of solidarity, Capt. Sig Hansen, of the Northwestern, decided to leave the show with the brothers. Here’s what they had to say on the matter.

“We have been through a lot over the past year and unfortunately given the current situation with Discovery we are unable to continue participating in ‘Deadliest Catch. It has been a fantastic ride, and we wish the best to all of the amazing and supportive ‘Catch’ fans we have met over the years.”

Now, with season 7 set to begin filming in less than a month, the show is down 2 boats and Capt Phil. The big draw this year will be to see how the Harris boys do at stepping into their father’s shoes, but everyone was expecting to see both The Northwestern and The Time Bandit there to guide them a bit.

Source: THR