Deadliest Catch Season 19 Finale Reveals Wild Bill Is Battling Prostate Cancer
Contains spoilers for "Deadliest Catch" Season 19, Episode 22 — "Nautical Deathtrap"
"Deadliest Catch" fans were thrown for an unexpected loop during the Season 19 finale. After harsh weather forces Sig Hansen to battle with the elements that strand the F/V Northwestern in the middle of the ocean and Jake Anderson struggles to bring the F/V Saga to port, everyone goes home safely. But just when things seem to be going well for the show's favorite skippers, a surprise strikes. Audiences are taken five months into the future. At Mount Pleasant Hospital in South Carolina, Wild Bill Wichrowski, captain of the F/V Summer Bay, waits for news in the oncology ward. His test results confirm a shocking truth: He has an aggressive form of prostate cancer. He's told by his doctor the illness is life-threatening and is recommended a combined course of chemotherapy and hormone treatments to handle the disease.
The episode ends with Wild Bill dealing with the enormity of this news and no further update on his health. Since crabbing season is usually during the frigid winter months, the footage fans saw likely came from spring 2023. Wild Bill appears to be alive as of press time, with his last Facebook post being made on September 9, but he has not released a statement about the status of his prognosis in the wake of the episode's airing.
Audiences left in the dark and waiting for further word on Wichrowsi's fate might remember that one of Wild Bill's crew members had a cancer scare during the show's long run — one that revealed a much deeper problem afoot in his personal life.
Nick McGlashan's cancer scare revealed a deeper issue
Longtime "Deadliest Catch" viewers will recall the story of Nick McGlashan, whose cancer scare ultimately revealed a substance abuse problem that led to Wild Bill Wichrowski firing him from his position as a deckhand on the F/V Summer Bay — and his death.
During Season 13, McGlashan informs Wichrowski that he's undergoing further medical testing after his doctor detected a high white blood cell count. While further examinations reveal McGlashan is cancer-free, his behavior trips Bill's concern. He later finds what appear to be drugs among McGlashan's possessions, leading to Nick's firing.
McGlashan was subsequently found dead in a Nashville, Tennessee motel room on December 28, 2020. The Nashville Center for Forensic Medicine later confirmed that McGlashan passed away from a combined overdose of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. His death was marked during a "Deadliest Catch" episode. Hopefully, Bill will survive his own cancer diagnosis — and audiences will always remember the bright personality McGlashan brought to "Deadliest Catch."
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).