Mike Rowe says Discovery got the catch but skipped the check. The longtime narrator of Deadliest Catch is suing Discovery Talent Services, alleging the company stiffed him out of millions in agreed-upon fees tied to the hit series and its spinoffs, according to court filings. Rowe, 64, and his production company Lab Rat claim a 2020 “pay-or-play” deal set his rate at $40,000 per episode, including for installments he didn’t actually narrate, People reports.
The suit alleges Discovery didn’t use him for five episodes in season 21 and skipped payment for at least 51 spinoff episodes, plus 12 longer shows and some international versions that Rowe’s team argues qualify as original episodes, per Us Weekly. They say they’re owed at least $2.04 million, plus interest. Discovery previously said it had honored its obligations to Rowe after he sued for streaming residuals last year. The company has not yet commented on the new filing. Rowe, also the host of Dirty Jobs, is seeking a jury trial, per Vulture.