Discovery Channel has declined to comment that the three captains have quit, but it has me wondering – will you watch without Sig Hansen and the Hillstrands?

A lot of blog comment sections are filling up with disappointed Deadliest Catch fans who say that since the death of Captain Phil Harris, and now these three jumping ship, they will no longer tune in to the reality show.

Seems a lawsuit is at issue – The Hollywood Reporter tells the tale that a Discovery Channel lawsuit against the Hillstrand brothers is to blame. Discovery said the brothers had breached their contract when they refused to finish production on an episode about their lives in Alaska.

Sig Hansen and the Hillstrands released the following statement: “We have been through a lot over the past year and unfortunately given the current situation with Discovery we are unable to continue participating in ‘Deadliest Catch.’ It has been a fantastic ride, and we wish the best to all of the amazing and supportive ‘Catch’ fans we have met over the years.”

If you missed the Deadliest Catch: Captain Phil Tribute, you can tune in to Discovery on Sunday, July 25 at 9 p.m. or Monday, July 26 at 12:00 a.m.

Phil Harris suffered a stroke earlier this year – his death from a pulmonary embolism shocked fans, but Harris wanted his last moments to air on Deadliest Catch.

Watch Phil Harris’ final episode of Deadliest Catch tonight in a special 2-hour episode. If this promo video is any indication, you may want to have some tissues handy.

Deadliest Catch returns in April, with footage of Phil Harris shot in November 2009 for king crab season.

A Captain Phil Harris special will air at some point, but the Discovery Channel has yet to release any specifics.

The Discovery Network released a statement from Phil Harris’ sons about their dad’s death:

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad – Captain Phil Harris. Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end. For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down. We will remember and celebrate that strength. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers.

Discovery issued the following statement about Phil Harris’ death:

“Discovery mourns the loss of dear friend and colleague Captain Phil Harris. He was more than someone on our television screen. Phil was a devoted father and loyal friend to all who knew him. We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart. We share our tremendous sadness over this loss with the millions of viewers who followed Phil’s every move. We send our thoughts and prayers to Phil’s sons Josh and Jake and the Cornelia Marie crew.”

Deadliest Catch’s Phil Harris was the captain of the Cornelia Marie; he had suffered a stroke on January 29, was placed in a coma after surgery, then woke from the coma last week and was reportedly improving.

News that Harris died hit Twitter late tonight, with fans of the reality show shocked about this sudden turn of events.

R.I.P.

Captain Phil Harris suffered a stroke last week and was put into a medically induced coma on Friday. Harris is now awake and his son’s report he “showed some good signs of improvement” yesterday.

Harris’ sons also work with dad on the F/V Cornelia Marie; they say they are “encouraged but still very cautious” about the captain’s health.

Deadliest Catch season five is ramping up this month, and episode two aired last night. This season seems like it’s going to be one of the more intense ever, especially since it is featuring the sinking of the Katmai. The fishing vessel had film crew on board last October when it sank, killing seven of eleven on board.

Discovery managed to get raw footage of the sinking as well as the Coast Guard rescue efforts. The survivors of the Katmai sinking (including the captain, Henry Blake III) had to hang on for over seventeen hours before finally being rescued. Should be some compelling television, although knowing the tragic outcome of the sinking certainly does temper things.