Bill Wichrowski made the brave decision to document his cancer journey on Discovery Channel’s long-running reality show, Deadliest Catch.
The latest preview for the series’ 20th season, which returns next Tuesday, begins with the crab fishermen, 67, being told by his doctor that he has prostate cancer that needs to be ‘treated aggressively.’
‘When I heard it, one of the things I thought was that I’m not going to stop. I’m going to keep going until I actually can’t,’ the Navy veteran, also known as Wild Bill, said.
Later as he seemingly drives over to the hospital to receive treatment, he tells cameras that he doesn’t know how he’s going to feel, but he’s ‘here.’
‘How many people get diagnosed with this, and just shut down and crawl into a shell?’ he asked. ‘And, it just makes it worse.’
Bill Wichrowski made the brave decision to document his cancer journey on Discovery Channel’s long-running reality show, Deadliest Catch
While ‘officially starting’ his cancer treatment, Wichrowski puts on a brave face as he checks in, before saying: ‘Oh, boy.’
‘The fact that I allowed the news to be broadcast, I heard from a million people, ‘I hope you’re alright,’ he recalled. ‘There saying you’re going to have all these symptoms that are going to stop you and I said, ‘There’s no way.”’
Wichrowski said he was inspired to show others that if they are battling cancer they can keep working and their lives will keep ‘moving’ along too.
‘I wasn’t going to stop, unless I had too,’ he declared.
Ultimately, the Deadliest Catch’s social media team teased that ‘cancer couldn’t conquer Bill’s spirit, or stop him from fearlessly taking on the Bering Sea.’
Under the recording, shared on X, fans of the show praised Wichrowski’s courage and sent him well-wishes on his recovery.
‘What a guy, through all the adversity he has suffered he’s just dusted himself down and got on with it, a true hero of a guy!’ one wrote.
Another tweeted: ‘Congratulations to him for never giving up.’
The latest preview for the series’ 20th season, which returns next Tuesday, begins with the crab fishermen, 67, being told by his doctor that he has prostate cancer that needs to be ‘treated aggressively’
‘When I heard it, one of the things I thought was that I’m not going to stop. I’m going to keep going until I actually can’t,’ the Navy veteran, also known as Wild Bill, said
Later as he seemingly drives over to receive treatment, he tells cameras that he doesn’t know how he’s going to feel, but he’s ‘here’
‘Sending prayers your way,’ a third added.
Wichrowski’s diagnosis was first publicly revealed on the show’s season 19 finale.
His doctor advised him to undergo a combined of chemotherapy and hormone treatments to fight the disease.
According to IMDb, Deadliest Catch follows ‘crab fishermen who risk their lives on the treacherous and unpredictable Bering Sea for the ultimate payday.’
Under the recording, shared on X, fans of the show praised Wichrowski’s courage and sent him well-wishes on his recovery
‘Congratulations to him for never giving up,’ another wrote while a third said they were ‘sending prayers’ his way
In a statement about its landmark 20th season, Discovery raved: ‘Since its debut, the 59-time Emmy-nominated series has revolutionized unscripted television, utilizing best-in-class cinematography and storytelling to capture every death-defying moment at sea and captivating generations of viewers with authentic, tenacious characters.’
‘Deadliest Catch is the gold standard for unscripted series, paving the way for an entire genre of television that highlights everyday working heroes,’ said Howard Lee, President of Discovery Networks.
He continued: ‘Audiences have grown with our captains and their families, respecting their unwavering determination and experiencing the struggles and successes with them. This season is a celebration of their epic stories and the first page of their next chapter.’
It is set to return with a two-hour premiere Tuesday, June 11, at 8 p.m. ET.
