Deadliest Catch Severs Ties With Josh Harris Amid Alarming Allegations

The following article includes allegations of sexual assault.

Finishing up its 18th season, Discovery's "Deadliest Catch" has been a longtime staple for the cable channel since 2005. New and older fans that have been following the dangerous lives of these brave crab fishermen will be upset to learn that Factz has reported the disturbing news that Josh Harris, one of the show's stars, has been permanently removed from the series due to sexual assault allegations.

Harris was not only one of the original fishermen featured in the early seasons of "Deadliest Catch" along with his brother Jake and his captain-father Phil, but he also currently stars in the spinoff series, "Deadliest Catch: Bloodline." In recent seasons, fans of the show have followed Harris' emotional journey from making a living as a deckhand to eventually stepping into his late father's shoes, and becoming a captain himself.

However, Harris' accomplishments have now been greatly overshadowed by the unsettling details behind the allegations of sexual assault that actually go back more than 20 years. The public revelation of these crimes has led Discovery to publicly announce Harris' immediate termination from the popular series. 

As the seasons of Discovery's "Deadliest Catch" have gone on, viewers have seen different deckhands and captains rotate in and out of the spotlight. However, Josh Harris is one of the few that has remained a seemingly permanent fixture in the series. But allegations of sexual assault coming to light have now ended Harris' "Deadliest Catch" tenure.

Factz reports that Harris was accused of sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl back in 1998 when he himself was 15 or 16 years old. Without laying out the graphic details of the assault, the unnamed child was the daughter of a deckhand and neighbor. The report goes on to say that due to a delay in DNA processing, Harris wasn't arrested until 1999, when he eventually pled to a lesser charge: assault 4 and immoral communication with a minor.

It appears currently unknown why it took more than 20 years for these awful allegations to come out, but Discovery is surely not letting time heal all wounds. The cable channel's representative plainly told RadarOnline, "We've been made aware of this issue. Josh will not appear in future episodes of the series." Besides the flagship show, Harris is also starring in the spinoff series "Deadliest Catch: Bloodline," and it's safe to assume that his current expulsion will expand to that one, as well.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).