COLD RUSH: DEADLIEST CATCH Fleet Faces Brutal Business Downturn, Harshest Winter Yet

Season Eight Premiere Marks Series' 100th Episode

Emmy(R) Award Winner for Best Reality Show Bows Tuesday, April 10 at 9pm e/p

(Silver Spring, Md.) It's must seaworthy TV - the masters of the maritime, fishing's fearless are back as the Emmy(R) award-winning DEADLIEST CATCH returns celebrating its 100th episode with the season premiere Tuesday, April 10 at 9pm e/p on Discovery.

Captains Andy and Johnathan Hillstrand (F/V Time Bandit), Captain Sig Hansen (F/V Northwestern), Captain Keith Colburn (F/V Wizard), Captain "Wild Bill" Wichrowski (F/V Kodiak) and returning newer skippers Captain Scott Campbell Jr. (F/V Seabrooke) and resident badboy, hot shot Captain Elliott Neese (F/V Ramblin' Rose) take to the icy Bering Sea searching for their own version of buried treasure - the highly prized Alaskan king crab.

"From the very first day it has been a privilege to share this amazing journey with the fishermen of the Bering Sea", said Thom Beers, Emmy(R) Award-winning executive producer and creator of DEADLIEST CATCH. "Everyone at Original Productions is proud to be a part of such a groundbreaking and successful series," added Beers.

This season DEADLIEST CATCH crews have their fishing quota slashed by almost half bringing home a cold economic reality -- how will they make enough money to support their families and literally keep their businesses afloat? With the change in quota, the captains are faced with choices in strategy and tactics - who will go for the more elusive blue crab? Which boat will risk changing pots and gear in order to reap higher profits? And later in the season, fishing opilio or "snow crab," the fleet faces some of the harshest weather conditions any of them have ever experienced in more than a quarter century of fishing.

Decks are shuffled this season on DEADLIEST CATCH as Jake Harris joins the crew of the Northwestern quickly learning Sig's golden rule: "There's the right way, there's the wrong way, and then there's the Norwegian way." And will Josh Harris be able learn "the Hillstrand way" as a newly minted Time Bandit deckhand?

Bonds of family and friendship are also tested. Seabrooke skipper Junior has begrudgingly hired back little brother Chris "Whipper" Welch but will he regret giving him a second chance? Will Elliot's new engineer, longtime buddy Aaron Steiner, be better served as a friend than a crew member? And will Keith's latest short-lived greenhorn hire confirm him forever as the Murphy Brown of the Bering Sea?

DEADLIEST CATCH is produced for Discovery Channel by Original Productions. Executive Producers are Thom Beers and Jeff Conroy. Co-Executive Producers are John Gray and Bill Pruitt. For Discovery Channel, David Pritikin is Executive Producer.

About Original Productions, A FremantleMedia Company

Founded by Thom Beers, Original Productions produces authentic non-fiction programming featuring everyday heroes in extraordinary situations including the Emmy(R) Award Winning Deadliest Catch, Bering Sea Gold, Ice Road Truckers, Ax Men, Wild Justice, Storage Wars, Storage Wars: Texas and Black Gold. Beers' steadfast focus on top-notch storytelling with engaging personalities in high risk circumstances has produced more than 1,400 hours of original programming. www.originalproductions.com/ www.fremantlemedia.com

About Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.4 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 210 countries, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com

About Discovery Communications

Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in 210 countries and territories. Discovery is dedicated to satisfying curiosity through 130-plus worldwide television networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science and Investigation Discovery, as well as US joint venture networks OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, The Hub and 3net, the first 24-hour 3D network. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools and owns and operates a diversified portfolio of digital media services, including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.