Discovery Channel is sailing the high seas once again. Deadliest Catch Season 21 premiered on Friday, August 1, but one familiar face was missing from the episode: Captain ‘Wild’ Bill Wichrowski.  

‘Wild’ Bill Wichrowski not part of ‘Deadliest Catch’ Season 21 cast 

Unfortunately for fans of the no-nonsense Deadliest Catch captain, Wichrowski won’t be appearing in the latest season of the fishing-focused reality series, a Discovery Channel representative told TribLive. 

Wichrowski was most recently seen captaining the F/V Summer Bay in season 20, which aired in 2024. He first appeared in the show in season 6, when he was at the helm at the F/V Kodiak. 

Unfortunately, Wichrowski had to exit season 20 early due to his prostate cancer diagnosis. In February 2025, he shared an update on his health. 

“Lots of folks asking about cancer treatment progress,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “Recap, Radioactive seeds and hormone treatment. Happy to say numbers Are great. Not complaining purely for information. 

“I seem to be cancer-free now,” he added. “I have always felt 10-15 years younger than my age. The job I have and being around crew 1/2 my age. Feels like the clock has caught up. Maybe small price to pay. Thanks for concern and best wishes. If you have [symptoms], get checked.”

In Deadliest Catch Season 20, Wichrowski explained that he opened up about his health in order to raise awareness and encourage people to get tested if they felt they were at risk. 

“If I can help save one or two people on this planet, that’s a good thing,” he said.

What to expect from the 2025 season of ‘Deadliest Catch’ 

While Wild Bill won’t be back for the new season of Deadliest Catch, fans can still look forward to a dramatic season of the show. 

“When fishermen discover monster red king crab in the far west, a gold rush-style race ignites among the Dutch Harbor fleet,” reads Discovery’s synopsis of the 2025 season. “To claim their share of the billion-dollar bounty, captains and crews must brave unforgiving 50-foot seas to reach abandoned Adak Island, venturing farther west than anyone has dared in over 30 years and beyond the bounds of rescue. Navigating through unfamiliar territory to secure the lucrative haul, the crews face extreme conditions and major ship malfunctions that put them in serious life-threatening situations, leaving the fleet at the mercy of the tumultuous western Bering Sea.”

Deadliest Catch Season 21 airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Discovery Channel. Episodes also stream on Max.

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