If you’ve spent any time watching the chaotic, wave-battered deck of the F/V Summer Bay, you know that Captain "Wild" Bill Wichrowski isn’t exactly the type of guy to let a storm—or anything else—keep him down. But lately, the rumors have been swirling faster than a Bering Sea gale. Fans are asking the same heavy question: is Wild Bill from Deadliest Catch still alive today?
The short answer? Yes. Wild Bill is very much alive. But man, has he been through the wringer. This isn’t just about dodging 40-foot rogue waves anymore. It’s about a fight happening inside his own body. Honestly, it’s a bit of a miracle he’s still standing given the news that dropped at the tail end of Season 19.
What Really Happened With Wild Bill’s Health?
Back in 2023, the Deadliest Catch world stopped for a second when Bill revealed he’d been diagnosed with prostate cancer. It wasn't just a minor scare. He described it as something that required "aggressive treatment."
Most guys his age—he’s 68 now—would have checked out, sold the boat, and headed for a lawn chair in Mexico. Not Bill. He literally told the cameras, "I'm going to keep going until I actually can't." And he did. He filmed Season 20 while undergoing the kind of medical procedures that would floor most people.
- Diagnosis: Prostate Cancer (revealed in the Season 19 finale).
- Treatment: A brutal combination of radioactive seed implants and hormone therapy.
- The Side Effects: Bill was open about the hormone treatment dropping his testosterone to near zero. He said it made him feel the weight of his age for the first time in his life.
Basically, the "Wild" Bill we saw for a decade—the silver-haired maverick who could out-work men half his age—suddenly looked human. It was tough to watch.
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Why Isn’t He on Season 21?
If you’ve been keeping up with the latest episodes, you probably noticed a huge Summer Bay-sized hole in the lineup. As of early 2026, Captain Bill is largely absent from the current season.
This led to a fresh wave of "is he okay?" posts on Reddit and Facebook.
The truth is, he had to make a choice. After pushing his body to the limit to finish filming Season 20, he finally hit that "I actually can't" wall. He’s taking a break to focus on recovery. There’s a rumor he’s "retired," but knowing Bill, that’s probably a bit of a stretch. He’s more likely just "on the beach" until the numbers look right.
Is He Cancer-Free Now?
Here is the good news. In mid-2025, Bill gave an update that had fans breathing a massive sigh of relief. He posted on Facebook saying his "numbers are great" and that he "seems to be cancer-free."
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That’s huge.
But "cancer-free" doesn't mean "back to 100%." The hormone therapy he underwent is notorious for wiping out energy levels. He mentioned that it felt like the "clock had caught up" with him. Even for a Navy veteran who has spent 40 years on the water, that kind of recovery takes time.
He’s been spending time with his wife, Karen Gillis, and reportedly mending fences with his son, Zack Larson. If you remember their history on the show, you know that’s a win just as big as beating the Big C.
The Legacy of the Summer Bay
For years, Bill was the guy who could handle the deckhands nobody else wanted. He was loud. He was grumpy. He was... well, wild. But seeing him face a diagnosis like this with the cameras rolling changed the way people saw him.
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He didn't want pity. He said he kept filming because he wanted to show other guys that a diagnosis isn't a death sentence. He wanted people to go get checked.
"How many people get diagnosed with this and just crawl into a shell? And it just makes it worse." — Wild Bill Wichrowski
What's Next for the Captain?
While he might not be yelling at a greenhorn on your TV screen right this second, Wild Bill is still very much in the game of life.
- Recovery first: He’s prioritizing his health over crabbing quotas for the first time in his career.
- Social Media: He stays active on Facebook and Instagram, often sharing photos from Mexico or updates on his restored '72 Chevy Blazer (which he famously sold for a staggering $330,000 recently).
- Future Appearances: Don't count him out for a guest spot or a return in later seasons if his energy levels bounce back.
The takeaway? Wild Bill is alive, he's fighting, and he's currently winning. He’s proved that even the toughest old lions have to rest sometimes, but the fire is still there. If you’re a fan, the best thing you can do is keep an eye on his official social media pages for the most direct updates.
If you or someone you know is skipping their annual physical, maybe take a page out of the Captain’s book and get the bloodwork done. It’s what he’d want you to do.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out Bill’s official website at
captwildbill.comfor authentic merchandise and personal updates. - If you're looking for more Deadliest Catch updates, keep an eye on Discovery’s official Season 21 press releases to see if he makes a surprise cameo.