Frank Fritz, âAmerican Pickersâ star, deadd at 60 â rest in peace
The news was announced by Fritzâs friend and co-star Mike Wolfe, who said that Fritz passed away last night.
âIâve know Frank for more [than] half my life and what youâve seen on TV has always been what I have seen, a dreamer who was just as sensitive as he was funny,â Wolfe wrote in a social media tribute. âThe same off camera as he was on, Frank had a way of reaching the hearts of so many by just being himself.â
Fritz and Wolfe gained fame as the hosts of the reality TV series American Pickers, which premiered on the History Channel in 2010. The series showed the two âpickersâ traveling across the USA, searching for valuable antiques and collectibles in unexpected places.
âWeâre looking for amazing things buried in peopleâs garages and barns,â the showâs opening narration explains. âWhat most people see as junk, we see as dollar signs. Weâll buy anything we think we can make a buck on.â
âWe make a living telling the history of America⊠one piece at a time.â
The series attracted millions of viewers, becoming one of History Channelâs most popular programs. In its debut year it was the #1 non-fiction series among total viewers and adults 25-54.
While the antiques were often interesting, thereâs no doubt it was the chemistry and charisma of the two hosts that kept viewers coming back for more.
In 2021, it was announced that Fritz would be leaving American Pickers after a decade on the hit series. Fritz said the decision was not his own, and that he was pushed out by the network after a back surgery.
âI didnât leave the show,â he told The Sun at the time. âI finished shooting and then I had a little back surgery and the pandemic came.â
He also suggested that his co-hostâs ego was a factor, saying the show had âtilted towards him 1,000 percent.â âI havenât talked to Mike in two years,â Fritz said. âHe knew my back was messed up, but he didnât call me up and ask how I was doing. Thatâs just how it is.â
In July 2022, Fritz was hospitalized from a stroke. In 2023, he had a tearful reunion with Mike Wolfe, and the two resolved their purported feud. However, Fritz declined an offer to rejoin American Pickers, deciding to focus on his health.
Itâs clear that the two former co-hosts have remained friendly since then, and it seems Wolfe was by his side til the end.
âWeâve been on countless trips and shared so many miles and I feel blessed that I was there by his side when he took one last journey home,â Wolfe wrote on Instagram. âI love you buddy and will miss you so much I know [youâre] in a better place.â
American Pickers remains a staple of the History Channel lineup. Fritz has never officially been replaced as co-host, though series regulars like Danielle Colby, Mike Wolfeâs brother Robbie, and friend and antiques expert âJersey Jonâ Szalay will rotate accompanying Wolfe on his antiquing trips.
Colby also shared her own tribute to Fritz on social media. âFrank, I will miss your ability to make everyone laugh, your love for talking tattoos, your epic collections but what I will miss the most are those little glimpses of vulnerability from time to time,â she wrote.
âFrank, you loved your cat and your momma and we bonded on those things. You will be missed for all of these reasons and so many more.
Rest in Peace Road Dog.â
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