Television personality Mike Rowe, known for hosting “Dirty Jobs,” has initiated legal action against Discovery. Rowe alleges that the company failed to pay him more than $2 million for narrating the popular series “Deadliest Catch.” His lawsuit, filed with his production company Lab Rat, claims Discovery Talent Services breached their contract.
According to reports, the contract Rowe refers to involves a “pay-to-play” agreement initiated in 2020. This contract stipulates that Rowe receives $40,000 per episode, regardless of whether he narrates the episode or not. The lawsuit highlights that Discovery owed him for narrating at least 51 episodes, including various spinoffs.
Rowe, who has been narrating the series since 2005, also mentioned discrepancies during season 21. He noted that international versions of certain episodes were different from those aired in the United States. Rowe’s company asserts that these should also fall under the pay-to-play terms, labeling them as “originally produced” content.
In total, Lab Rat claims over $2.04 million in unpaid wages and seeks compensation for 12 extended episodes, along with interest. The lawsuit pushes for a jury trial in this case.
This is not Rowe’s first legal battle with Warner Bros. Discovery. Previously, in June 2025, he filed a lawsuit claiming residuals were unpaid when “Deadliest Catch” was launched on streaming services.
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