Gold Rush: Who Created The Discovery Show?

As far as popular Discovery shows go, it doesn't get much more iconic than "Gold Rush." The long-running series has amassed enough name recognition to rival juggernauts like "Deadliest Catch" and "Naked and Afraid," and it's still pumping out new seasons and spin-offs like a well-oiled machine. However, as hard as it is to imagine, there was a time when the massively successful gold mining reality show was little more than a clever idea.

The concept behind "Gold Rush" was actually developed by one of the series' most enduring stars. According to longtime "Gold Rush" executive producer Christo Doyle, it was mining veteran Todd Hoffman who first pitched the idea. "It's kind of a long story but Raw TV, the company who makes 'Gold Rush,' was casting for a show in Alaska," Doyle told Family Review Guide. "A completely separate show, a completely different show, and Todd Hoffman saw the casting call and reached out to Raw and said, 'Hey look, I've got a better idea for you.'"

An internal sizzle reel with a rough version of what "Gold Rush" might look like was produced, and Discovery was impressed by the results. They commissioned the 1st season of "Gold Rush, and the rest is history. 

While the idea behind "Gold Rush" may seem like a novel concept with relatively timeless appeal — hence its longevity — the show is a product of the time in which it was created. Todd Hoffman began seriously pursuing gold mining in the wake of the Great Recession in 2008, which caused him and many other Americans to lose their jobs and financial security. Hoffman recognized that his unexpected and admittedly risky turn to gold mining made for a compelling story, and, "Gold Rush" was subsequently conceived with this engaging bit of real-world context in mind.

While the early seasons of "Gold Rush" were filled with miners who had similar stories of economic troubles to that of Hoffman, he gained a special star status to viewers as an embodiment of the rags-to-riches underdog story that "Gold Rush" originally sold itself as. In an interview with Insider, Hoffman said that he wanted the show to inspire viewers similarly impacted by the financial crisis. "I try to encourage people to go out and try it again," he said.

Of course, more than a decade has passed since the start of "Gold Rush," and both the show and the U.S. economy look quite a bit different. Nonetheless, those involved with "Gold Rush" note that it still carries that core aspirational theme. "There's a huge amount of hard work, there's a huge amount of uncertainty," longtime series star Parker Schnabel told The Malestrom. "There's also a lot of risk and a lot of reward. So it's got all of those elements that make something appealing."