Deadliest Catch Captain Suffers Medical Scare — Season 21 in Jeopardy?
Deadliest Catch has made a name for itself by turning life-and-death stakes on the Bering Sea into 20 seasons of must-watch TV.
But for longtime fan-favorite Captain Keith Colburn, Season 20 took a real-world turn that has some viewers worried about whether he'll return when the show comes back on August 1 at 8:00 p.m. on Discovery Channel.
In the back half of Season 20, Colburn suffered a mini-stroke (transient ischemic attack) while at sea aboard the Wizard. He was fishing miles from shore when he told his brother, Captain Monte Colburn, that he couldn't feel his left arm. At first, Monte thought he was joking — until Keith collapsed and lost consciousness, not once, but multiple times, even hitting his head during one fall. He had to be rushed for emergency care.
Doctors made it clear: no immediate return to work. Despite Colburn's insistence, they told him to stand down. Since then, he's kept a low profile, only resurfacing with short social media posts on Christmas Eve and Memorial Day. That silence has led fans to speculate: will he sit out Season 21?
This health scare came on the heels of another terrifying moment earlier in the same season — a fire aboard the Wizard. During the premiere, Colburn alerted his crew to smoke in the bow. It turned out one of his deckhands, Tyler Gateman, was trapped behind the fire, gasping for air and calling for help. He was eventually rescued unharmed, but Colburn later admitted it rattled him — especially since Gateman is the son of one of his best friends.
For a captain known for being one of the safest in the fleet, the back-to-back emergencies were uncharacteristic — and alarming. Still, Discovery hasn't confirmed or denied whether Colburn is returning. What we do know:
- Medical incident: Mini-stroke (TIA), loss of consciousness, required emergency attention
- Onboard incident: Fire aboard the Wizard, with one crew member briefly trapped
- Social media activity: Very limited since the incident, with brief holiday posts
- Next season: Deadliest Catch Season 21 premieres August 1 at 8:00 p.m. on Discovery, episodes stream on Max
Colburn's story is one of resilience — a guy who started in Alaska with a tent, no experience, and fifty bucks, and ended up owning the Wizard by 2005. His approach:
"I'm a gambler, big time... but I don't follow the pack."
The real question now is whether he's got one more season left in him. Fans will be watching.