'PAY OR PLAY'

‘Deadliest Catch’ Narrator Sues Discovery for More Than $2 Million

Mike Rowe has narrated the series since 2005.

An American television host and narrator is suing the Discovery Channel over alleged unpaid narration fees for the reality series Deadliest Catch. Mike Rowe, 64, best known for Dirty Jobs, has filed a $2 million lawsuit alleging the network failed to honor a “pay-or-play” 2020 agreement that would pay him $40,000 per episode, as well as compensation for episodes he did not narrate. According to court filings first reported by the New York Post, Discovery Talent Services (DTS) was sued by Rowe and his production company, Lab Rat, for breach of contract. The suit claims the agreement was not upheld for Deadliest Catch spin-offs in which Rowe was not retained as narrator. “Because DTS exercised its choice not to use Rowe as a Narrator in at least 51 episodes of “Deadliest Catch” spinoffs, Lab Rat is entitled to a payment of at least $2.04 million,” the lawsuit said. Rowe and Discovery reportedly held discussions prior to the lawsuit being filed, during which Discovery argued that the “pay-or-play” clause only applies when it chooses to include a narrator in an episode, meaning it would not owe payment if it decides not to hire a narrator for that episode. Rowe has narrated the series since 2005. The Daily Beast has reached out to Warner Bros. Discovery for comment.