'Deadliest Catch' Stars Quit in Discovery Lawsuit Fallout

Deadliest Catch is ending with three popular stars jumping ship. Cast members and ship captains Sig Hansen, Jonathan Hillstrand, and Andy Hillstrand are leaving the show after the Discovery channel filed suit against the Hillstrand brothers for breach of contract seeking over $3 million in damages.

Sig Hansen is quoted in People, "We have been through a lot over the past year and unfortunately given the current situation with Discovery we are unable to continue participating in Deadliest Catch. It has been a fantastic ride and we wish the best to all the amazing and supportive Catch fans we have met over the years."

The discovery lawsuit against the Hillstrand brothers was over a spinoff show Discovery was making with the duo entitled Hillstranded. The reality show was based on the brother's sea adventures, but problems arose when the Discovery Channel claims they failed to finish filming for the first season, causing the company to loose significant ratings and potential revenue. Sig Hansen, captain of the Northwestern, was not part of the lawsuit but decided to quit the show to stand by his good friends and fellow crab fisherman.

In leaving the Deadliest Catch, are the three captains just facing another breach of contract lawsuit? Not exactly. The three men leaving the Deadliest Catch can be better classified as a breakup rather than a breach. In contracts, there is almost always an opportunity to get out the legal relationship when parties no longer find the terms or the partnership to be agreeable. That seems to be the case here as the three captains have decided to leave the Deadliest Catch. 

Related Resources:

• Three Deadliest Catch Captains Quit Show (FindLaw)
• Breach of Contract and Lawsuits (FindLaw)
• Types of Contracts (FindLaw's LawBrain)