Why Was Josh Harris Fired From Deadliest Catch?

Life on the open sea can be challenging, especially when there’s difficult work to be done. That’s what the cast members of Discovery’s reality series Deadliest Catch deal with every day, but some fare far better than others. So, why was Josh Harris fired from Deadliest Catch?

Why Was Josh Harris Let Go From Deadliest Catch?

Josh Harris‘ fishing journey starts a lot differently than most. He didn’t find his career by happenstance; his father, Phil Harris, was one of the best fishermen in the world and made his passion a family affair, bringing his sons along for the ride. By the time he appeared on Deadliest Catch, Phil was captain of the F/V Cornelia Marie, one of the most successful ships in the history of the show.

Everything was going well until Phil passed away due to complications from a stroke in 2010. It was a tragic moment for the Harris family, as well as Deadliest Catch, as Phil was one of the faces of the popular show. However, Josh wasn’t going to let that be the end. He, along with Casey McManus, purchased the F/V Cornelia Marie and continued to appear on TV. In fact, they didn’t miss a beat, with the boat continuing to be one of the most successful on the show.

In 2017, Josh wasn’t part of the cast of Deadliest Catch, and he claimed it was a decision made by the producers. It was one that didn’t last all that long, though, as Josh returned the next season like nothing happened. However, after a couple more seasons, Josh ended up in hot water, which led to his removal from the show for good.

Related: What Happened To Sean Dwyer From Deadliest Catch?

Disturbing allegations were made about Josh in 2022, with him being accused of raping a child in the 1990s. He didn’t end up serving time for it but went to jail for another crime. Once Discovery caught wind of the situation, they cut ties with Josh, editing him out of the 19th season of Deadliest Catch and removing all of the episodes of his spinoff, Deadliest Catch: Bloodline, from Discovery+. Josh has been out of the spotlight ever since, and his impact on Discovery’s massive reality series has become a complicated topic.

And that’s why Josh Harris was fired from Deadliest Catch.

New episodes of Deadliest Catch air Tuesdays at 8 PM EST on Discovery Channel.