'Gold Rush' Star Fred Lewis Discusses His Comeback With Fans on Instagram — Details
Fred hinted on Instagram about his future with 'Gold Rush.' Discover what he revealed and whether a return is in the cards.
Published Nov. 12 2024, 2:13 p.m. ET
Military veteran and Gold Rush star Fred Lewis, known for his appearances on Discovery’s hit show in Seasons 11 through 13, surprised fans with a brief return in Season 14.
While he’s not a regular on Season 15, which premiered on Nov. 8, 2024, there’s a silver lining. Curious about what happened to Fred and what he's up to now? Here’s what we know so far!
What happened to Fred Lewis on 'Gold Rush?'
Fred may no longer be on Gold Rush, but he’s still mining. In the comments of a May 18, 2024, Instagram post, a fan asked if he’d be returning to the show or doing his own thing. Fred responded, "this is my comeback and the Misfits comeback and we will share with everyone up to date, real mining real time!"
When another follower asked if it meant he wasn't returning to Gold Rush, Fred confirmed, saying, "nope you gonna have to follow the adventure here and on YouTube." The comments accompanied a photo of Fred beside an excavator with evidence of some serious digging, showing he’s been keeping busy with new mining projects.
Fred has continued to share updates about his mining activities on social media. In June 2024, he posted a humorous update on Instagram, saying, "Scorcher today so it’s mining in your skibbies day!!!!!" along with a photos of him working in the heat in, well, his skibbies.
It seems Fred decided to step away from Gold Rush after Parker Schnabel reportedly felt it didn’t make sense to bring him on board in Season 14, according to TV Line. In a November 2023 interview with the outlet, Fred shared that his life hasn’t changed much since leaving the show, saying, “I’ve been very sporadic since I was a little kid. I’ve never lived in the same place longer than three years.”
He also explained that while gold mining “still makes sense,” it doesn’t stop him from pursuing other activities. He added that he has other things to keep him busy like contracting jobs, nonprofit work to help veterans, and adaptive sports.
So, what is Fred Lewis doing now?
As of November 2024, Fred and his wife Khara Lewis have been vacationing in Maui (and heavily focused on staying in shape). In a Nov. 11, 2024 Instagram post, Fred wrote, “Soaking it all in — sunshine, saltwater, and my boo @kharalewis.”
He reminded fans to “Embrace the moments you have!” and hinted at upcoming challenges, mentioning that “the next few months are definitely going to be a challenge for my family, but we are ready for it.” They used this time to “recharge” for the obstacles that lie ahead.
Fred also hinted at a potential move, captioning another Instagram post featuring a Maui view: "Gonna miss this place, hopefully next time we come we won’t leave." When a fan asked if there was gold, Fred playfully replied, "This place is made of gold." It seems Fred is eyeing new opportunities and possibly a new home.
