You know that feeling when you watch a show for twenty years and the characters start feeling like distant uncles? That's the vibe with Captain "Wild" Bill Wichrowski. For over a decade, we've watched him scream at greenhorns, battle 40-footers, and rock that signature silver hair on the Bering Sea. But lately, things have been different. If you’ve been looking for wild bill on deadliest catch recently, you probably noticed a heavy shift in his story.
It wasn’t just about the crab anymore. It became about survival in a way that had nothing to do with rogue waves.
The Diagnosis That Changed Everything
In late 2023, right as Season 19 was wrapping up, Bill got the news no one wants to hear. Prostate cancer. Not just a "wait and see" kind of thing, either. It was aggressive. Most guys his age—he’s in his late 60s now—might have just hung up the Grundens and headed for a golf course in Florida.
Not Bill.
He decided to film the whole thing. Honestly, it was a gutsy move. We saw him in oncology offices instead of the wheelhouse. We saw him grappling with the reality of radioactive seed implementation and hormone therapy. He told the cameras he wanted to show people that a diagnosis doesn't mean you have to "crawl into a shell."
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Working Through the Pain
During Season 20, we watched something pretty rare for reality TV. It was raw. Bill was undergoing treatment while trying to keep the F/V Summer Bay profitable.
There’s a specific episode where he nearly hits a breaking point. His doctors were breathing down his neck. He had a surgery scheduled, but the crab were finally biting. Most captains are stubborn, but Bill took it to a new level until his body basically forced his hand. He eventually had to hand the keys to his crew and head back to land early.
It was a reality check for everyone watching. The Bering Sea doesn't care if you're sick. The machinery is heavy, the hours are 20-plus a day, and the stress is enough to redline a healthy person's heart.
Where is Wild Bill Now?
So, here is the big question: Is he still on the show?
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As of early 2026, the status of wild bill on deadliest catch is a bit of a "good news, bad news" situation. The good news? Bill shared an update on social media stating he is "cancer-free." The treatment worked. His numbers look great, and he’s been vocal about thanking the fans for the literal thousands of messages he received.
The bad news for fans of the show's current roster is that he took a significant step back for Season 21.
- Recovery is a beast. Even when the cancer is gone, hormone therapy wreaks havoc on your energy.
- The "Clock" caught up. Bill admitted on Facebook that while he always felt 15 years younger than his actual age, the battle with cancer made him feel like the clock finally caught up.
- The F/V Summer Bay. While the boat is still a legend, Bill has been prioritizing his health over the brutal winter seasons that define the show.
Why He's Not on Season 21
Discovery representatives confirmed that Bill wouldn't be a main fixture in the 2025/2026 broadcast cycle. It makes sense. If you’ve ever seen what testosterone-suppressing drugs do to a person's stamina, you know that standing on a rocking bridge for 72 hours straight is basically a death wish.
He's been spending more time with his wife, Karen Gillis, and his family. He’s also been doing a lot of sport fishing—the kind where the water is blue and you don't need a survival suit to stay alive.
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The Legacy of the "Wild" Persona
Bill wasn't always the "elder statesman" of the fleet. When he first showed up in Season 6, he was a total maverick. He had spent years in the Navy and then decades in the king crab game before the cameras even found him. He was known for being hard on his crew, including his son, Zack Larson.
Their relationship was a major plot point for years. It was messy. It was real. They didn't see eye-to-eye, and Zack eventually left his father's boat to work for Sean Dwyer on the Brenna A. It’s those human layers—the family fallout and the eventual softening of his "Wild" persona into something more "Mild" but wise—that kept people searching for updates on him.
What's Next for the Summer Bay?
Is he retired? Not officially. Bill has teased that he still has a few years left in him. But at 68-69 years old, the physical toll of the Bering Sea is no joke.
We’ve seen other legends like Sig Hansen deal with heart attacks and keep going, but cancer is a different kind of marathon. If Bill does return for a future Season 22, it’ll likely be in a modified capacity. Maybe more of a mentor role, or perhaps just for a shorter "derby" style opening.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you've been following Bill's journey and want to stay updated or take something away from his story, here's the deal:
- Check the Facebook Updates. Bill is actually pretty active on his official Facebook page. He posts more there than anywhere else, often giving direct health updates that don't make it into the Discovery press releases.
- Get Screened. This is Bill’s biggest message. He went public specifically to urge men to get their PSA levels checked. If you're over 50 (or 45 with a family history), just do it. Early detection is why he’s currently cancer-free.
- Revisit the Classics. If you miss the "classic" Wild Bill, Discovery+ and Max have the older seasons. Watching him navigate the 2010-2015 era shows just how much he transformed as a leader and a person.
The F/V Summer Bay might be quieter these days without Bill's voice booming over the intercom, but his impact on the show is permanent. He proved that even the toughest guys on the planet have to face their own mortality eventually, and doing it with grace is the real "wild" move.