‘Deadliest Catch’ returns for 20th season Tuesday

Discovery sets sail with the 20th season of Deadliest Catch Tuesday night. Nominated for 59 Emmy awards, the reality show follows a fleet of boats and their crews, showing the dangerous reality of crab fishermen on the Bering Sea.

In those 20 seasons, the crews have become TV stars in their own right. Sig Hansen, the captain of the Northwestern, has become a fan favorite.

“I love it!” he enthused to ABC Audio.

“I mean, I can’t say enough about that. It’s flattering. … [I feel] very blessed because I get to do what I feel like I was born to do and what I’ve always wanted to do, and at the same time experience this whole other life.”

He adds, “I love the fact, you know, as soon as I leave my house, it doesn’t matter where we go, someone’s going to want a picture. … And, that just means we’re doing something right.”

He says the show’s fame also boosted the industry’s profile. “It’s done so much for not just crab fishing, but, you know, all the fishermen across the globe. People understand … where the product came from and how it got to their plate. And so that’s something money can’t buy, man.”

Having just welcomed his second grandchild, Sig does admit to jitters he’s never had before following the loss of his good friend Jeff Hathaway, whose boat Destination sank in 2017, killing all six men aboard.

“It bothers me a lot,” he says of the tragedy, caused by an overloaded boat. “I can’t even sleep at the time when we got gear on board … I wouldn’t have never said that, you know, 10, 20 years ago. Ever.”

He adds with a laugh, “It’s weird … I got manopause, it sucks!”