Mike Rowe suing for at least $2M in alleged unpaid ‘Deadliest Catch’ money
New York Post • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Mike Rowe, host of "Dirty Jobs" and longtime narrator of "Deadliest Catch," has filed a lawsuit against Discovery Talent Services (DTS) claiming he was cheated out of millions due to unpaid narration fees for spinoff episodes.
- The lawsuit alleges a 2020 agreement required DTS to pay Rowe $40,000 per episode on a "pay-or-play" basis, meaning he should be paid whether or not his narration was used.
- While Rowe was paid for earlier spinoffs, Discovery reportedly did not pay him for narrating 51 episodes across three newer spinoffs, violating the terms of the agreement.
- The suit also claims the pay-or-play deal applies to all original "Deadliest Catch" episodes, including international versions and spinoffs, potentially increasing Discovery's liability.
- Discovery has declined to comment on the lawsuit, which seeks at least $2.04 million in unpaid fees for Rowe and his production company, Lab Rat.
