Deadliest CatchCaptainKeith Colburn’s fate has been revealedahead of the upcoming season of the popular Discovery Channel series. While some were concerned about what would happen with Keith onDeadliest Catchseason 21after last season saw him in peril, others were convinced he would be sidelined. The long-timeDeadliest Catchmainstay left viewers hanging in the balance.
According to a sneak peek (viaTV Insider),Keith will be returning for the upcoming season of the series after much speculation. After Keith"collapsed and lost consciousness on board,“viewers were uncertain about his future, but after getting checked out, his diagnosis was revealed. Keith suffered"a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or mini-stroke"but chose to return for another season.
Knowing that Keith’s health is in jeopardy, his time onDeadliest Catchwill be even more interesting moving forward. Throughout the series,Keith has been one of the more outspoken, well-known Captains to fans of the show. Hearing that he’s been dealing with health problems that have left him moving forward with a new normal is going to be interesting to see play out on screen.
What Keith Colburn’s Return Means For Deadliest Catch
He May Be Facing His Toughest Season Yet
WhileKeith’s return toDeadliest Catchwas up in the air for the majority of the hiatus, it’s now clear that he’ll be coming back to the series after his major health issues. Despite knowing that he’ll be facing tough conditions simply by being on the show,the fact that his health is in jeopardy will be an issue for the long-time Captain.
WithDeadliest Catchseason 20having seen Keith in a compromising position after his mini-stroke, it wasn’t clear if he would be able to move forward with the show because of his health. Rather than taking the easy route and choosing to retire from the dangerous career he’s chosen,Keith decided to come back toDeadliest Catchto eventually go out on his own terms.
Though Keith is a long-runningmember of theDeadliest Catchcast, it made sense for him to take some time away when his health began to fail. Seeing him back on the show will be surprising to some viewers, especially after hearing about his official diagnosis. While Keith will likely need to take precautions on board, his return to Deadliest Catch is in his character.
Our Take On Keith Colburn Returning To Deadliest Catch
He Seems To Be Looking To Leave On His Own Terms
WhileKeith is returning toDeadliest Catchknowing about his diagnosis and medical limitations, it appears his time on the series is going to be similar to what viewers have seen before. In moving throughDeadliest Catchseason 21 similarly, it seems likely that rather than going out with a whisper after medical problems,Keith is looking to go out on his own terms.
While he may not be interested in retiring in general, Keith’s health seems to be dictating that he has no choice but to leave the series behind at some point. As he was moving towards retirement as it is, Keith’s time onDeadliest Catchseems close to finished. With his decision to stay on,Keith wants to leave on his own accord.
Source:TV Insider
Deadliest Catchseason 21 premieres Friday, June 30, 2025, at 8 p.m. EDT on Discovery.
