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Fans of Deadliest Catch have had to deal with major changes to the show. One such change is the mysterious absence of cast member, Josh Harris.
The series showcases the challenges faced by crab fishermen and their crew on the Bering Sea and highlights the unpredictable nature of life on the seas. So far, there have been 19 seasons of the show, showing the challenges of these brave seamen. But Harris’ departure has been raising quite a few eyebrows across the series’ fandom.
Who is Josh Harris?
Josh Harris, a seasoned fisherman since the early 2000s, began his career as a deckhand in Alaska aboard the Time Bandit. He would debut on the show as a greenhorn on his father’s boat, Cornelia Marie, at the beginning of Season three in 2007. This first appearance was on Deadliest Catch: Behind the Scenes. He was introduced alongside his younger stepbrother, Jake Harris.
Following their father Phil Harris’ passing in 2010, Josh was chosen to be the Cornelia Marie’s new captain, and he had his brother with him. The Harris brothers swiftly became fan favorites, capturing the audience’s admiration. Over time, Josh Harris’ journey would extend beyond the main show, as he appeared in various spinoffs, such as Deadliest Catch: Bloodline, Deadliest Catch: The Bait, and After the Catch. As the years passed, Harris became an integral figure on Deadliest Catch, guiding his crew through turbulent waters, both literally and metaphorically. This was also done amidst the upheaval brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, he was the main star of Deadliest Catch: Bloodline, a series that showcased his exploration of the Hawaiian islands using his late father’s maps in what interested viewers as an emotional journey. However, after appearing in over 200 Deadliest Catch episodes, he suddenly stopped appearing on the show. And his absence began to raise questions.
Why did Josh Harris leave Deadliest Catch?
In 2022, Harris and the Cornelia Marie were removed from the upcoming seasons of Deadliest Catch. This was due to a disturbing incident from Harris’ past resurfacing to shock fans, viewers and even the Discovery Channel.
In 1998, Harris was accused of sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl, the daughter of a fellow deckhand and neighbor. He was 16 years old at the time, and he pled guilty. This led to reduced charges of Fourth Degree Assault and Communicating to a Minor for Immoral Purposes. Harris was sentenced to a 30-day confinement for each count, along with 24 months of supervision and a psychosexual exam.
Upon the revelation of his conviction, Discovery Channel announced that Harris would not be part of future episodes of the series or its spinoffs. Despite maintaining a low public profile since the incident, his Instagram account, which had over 130,000 followers, was eventually deleted. Harris, who is also married with a daughter, has not made any public appearances since his dismissal from the show.
The aftermath
The fallout from Harris’ case also affected Casey McManus, another fisherman on Deadliest Catch. McManus had joined the series as co-captain of the boat in 2014 to support Josh in sustaining his late father’s business. McManus would also remain even after Josh’s brother Jake dropped out due to grief for their father, and his struggles with drug addiction. Following the sexual assault allegations against Harris, Discovery Channel chose not to renew the contracts of either Harris or the Cornelia Marie for the upcoming season.
As expected, this led to McManus losing his job, at least in the television realm. In response to the firing, McManus, in a tweet, expressed his disappointment with the situation. He also made mention of other negative situations in the crab fishing industry that had affected him since the pandemic.
It is unknown how far the events surrounding Harris went and the subsequent repercussions on the Deadliest Catch series and its cast. There have been two seasons aired since Harris’ departure and, given the circumstances, a comeback from the once-beloved fisherman is almost impossible.