Where is Frank Fritz now? Former host's firing from 'American Pickers' came as a surprise amid severe health issues
DAVENPORT, IOWA: Merry Christmas was not very merry for 'American Pickers' former co-host Frank Fritz. In July 2022, he suffered a stroke. Ever since then, Frank has been trying hard to recover from the same.
As of now, Frank is living an unglamorous life. We get the update on Frank's life from the Frank Fritz Friends Facebook group. The group is led by one of his close friends.
It was revealed to the group that the Holidays have always been difficult for Frank as he lost his mother during this time 10 years ago. In the group's photo, we can see Frank sitting in a wheelchair and being surrounded by his friends.
Amid Frank's health issues, he was fired from 'American Pickers,' and relieved of his duties in July 2021. He was replaced by Mike's brother, Robbie Wolfe.
However, Frank said to The Sun, "I didn't leave the show. I finished shooting and then I had a little back surgery and the pandemic came."
Later, Frank had back surgery, that left him with 185 stitches and 1 stem in the spine. After Frank recovered and was back to be on the show, he surprisingly found himself being replaced by Wolfe Robbie.
Since Frank had other health issues as well, 'American Pickers' chose to not move ahead with Frank as the host.
Why did 'American Pickers' hosts Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe land in a fight?
Frank has been friends with Mike Wolfe for around 40 years and they filmed the show together for almost a decade. But, Frank was left disappointed when Mike did not care to check up on his friend's health amid his struggles.
He said, "He knew my back was messed up, but he didn't call me up and ask how I was doing. That's just how it is."
The tension between the two rose over the "presentation and production" of the History Channel's show.
"The show is tilted towards him 1,000 percent. I can't even bend that far down to show you how much," claimed Frank. Calling Mike the "front man," he added, "It's like you've got Aerosmith and there's Steven Tyler and he's the front man. I found my spot, I'm second and he's No. 1 on the show. That's no problem with me, maybe he does have a problem."
What health issues did 'American Pickers' former host Frank Fritz have?
Ever since leaving the show, Frank is reported to have been spending a huge amount of his money on his health. He went to rehab for alcoholism.
Frank also had Crohn's disease, a serious inflammatory system that affects the digestive tract, causing swelling in the tissues.
Frank was reported to have been making around $60,000 with the help of his investments. However, his healthcare costs a lot more than what he gets. His spending on health is estimated to be around $273,984.
Frank's one of the close friends was made his guardian as the former host's decision-making capacity got so impaired that he was unable to communicate or carry out important decisions regarding financial affairs.
Will Frank Fritz return in 'American Pickers' Season 25?
Since Frank is currently focussing on his health, it's not possible to see him back on TV.
Wolfe brothers will continue to be the host of the new season. 'American Pickers' Season 25 is scheduled to release on Wednesday, December 28 at 8 pm ET on History Channel.
