It’s no mystery why Discovery’s Deadliest Catch is one of the most popular reality shows out there. It has all the elements (besides the cold) of a great show: danger, action, and crabs — hundreds and hundreds of them.
The show painstakingly details the rigors and minutiae of working on a crabbing boat and all it entails. The show has also made stars of some of the more memorable cast members, including fan-favorite Sig Hansen and his boat Northwestern. Sharp-eyed viewers noticed there’s been another Hansen in charge since season 15, but not lately. So what happened? Before we delve in, let’s refresh ourselves on Edgar Hansen.
Who is Edgar Hansen?
Edgar served on his brother Sig Hansen’s boat Northwestern from the show’s 9th season until the 14th season when he mysteriously disappeared from the show. He not only looked like his older brother, but he had a more laid-back vibe than him, which helped endear him to viewers and make him a favorite on the show.
On top of his genial countenance, he was a good fisherman, perhaps the most essential skill of anyone assuming a higher role on a crabbing boat.
The weird part of Edgar’s absence was that it was never covered on the show. He left with no explanation. The truth, however, is particularly troubling.
Why did Edgar Hansen leave ‘Deadliest Catch?’
Edgar was involved in a sexual abuse case involving a 16-year-old girl. The young girl reportedly told a therapist about an incident with Edgar that happened in September of 2017. The news broke about a year later, in July of 2018.
The victim said something happened at a house in Washington State, specifically in Snohomish County. The girl’s identity has not been revealed. Edgar’s wife confronted him about the accusations, and he initially denied it but ended up pleading guilty to the charges.
According to People, Hansen admitted that he touched the girl inappropriately and made her do the same thing to him.
Hansen was charged with fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation. He was given a suspended 364-day sentence, meaning he served no jail time. Instead, he received two years of probation and had to pay fines totaling more than $6,000.
In addition, he had to go through an evaluation for sexual deviancy and give a DNA sample to the police.
In a statement requested by a Snohomish County District Court judge, Edgar said “I committed this assault for the purpose of my own sexual gratification. I am very sorry for that conduct and for the harm I have caused [the victim] and I have commenced treatment to ensure that nothing like this assault ever happens again.”
Predictably, he was fired from the show as quietly as possible. The strange thing is that while he’s no longer on the show, he’s still working on the Northwestern, with some viewers saying they’ve seen him in the background of a couple of shots.
The latest season of Deadliest Catch (19) is available to stream, along with all older episodes, on Discovery Plus.