Mike Rowe, the founder of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, recently appeared at the BlackRock Infrastructure Summit in Washington, DC, highlighting the expansion of U.S. infrastructure. However, Rowe is making headlines for a different reason.
The TV personality is suing Discovery for over $2 million, alleging unpaid fees for his narration work on the popular series ‘Deadliest Catch.’ According to People Magazine, Rowe and his production company, Lab Rat, filed the lawsuit claiming that Discovery Talent Services breached their contract by not paying for at least 51 episodes of the show, along with its spinoffs.
Rowe, who has been the series’ narrator since 2005, entered a ‘pay-to-play’ agreement with Discovery in 2020. This contract stipulates he earns $40,000 per episode, regardless of whether he narrates. The lawsuit notes that he did not narrate five episodes during season 21 of ‘Deadliest Catch.’ Additionally, his company discovered that international versions differed significantly from those aired in the U.S., suggesting these episodes should also fall under the pay-to-play terms.
The total amount owed, according to Lab Rat, is at least $2.04 million, which includes potential payments for 12 extended episodes, plus interest. Rowe seeks a jury trial in this matter.
This is not Rowe’s first legal battle with Warner Bros. Discovery. In June 2025, he filed a lawsuit over unpaid residuals from ‘Deadliest Catch’ being available on streaming platforms.
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