Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic
American Pickers’ Mike Wolfe is setting the file straight about his friendship with late costar Frank Fritz.
Shortly after Fritz departed from the collection in 2021, he advised The Solar that he hadn’t “talked to Mike in two years.” In response to the remark, Wolfe, 60, advised Us Weekly in an announcement that Fritz was “a brother to me.”
Whereas opening up about their dynamic in an interview with Folks revealed on Monday, November 4, Wolfe admitted that the buddies had a rift — however claimed he and Fritz “by no means disconnected.”
“I stepped away for slightly as a result of I used to be watching what he was doing, however I nonetheless fought for him to go to rehab and I nonetheless had these conversations,” he stated. “I by no means stepped away from him fully. That may be unattainable for me to do. However I watched all of it unfold. I attempted to assist him as greatest I may, and we did communicate.”
American Pickers stars Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe had a number of ups and downs of their decades-long friendship. The pair started working collectively on hit collection in 2009 and the present premiered on the Historical past Channel the next yr. The collection adopted Wolfe and Fritz’s travels throughout america trying to find antiques to […]
When he reunited with Fritz, Wolfe known as the second “stunning.” Wolfe added, “He was battling dependancy. I understand how judgmental the general public may be. And in order that’s why after we did find yourself talking once more, it was really easy for me to forgive him as a result of I knew it wasn’t him speaking. It was his dependancy speaking.”
Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz on “American Pickers”. A+E Networks
Wolfe and Fritz hosted American Pickers for 10 years after its 2010 debut. Two years after his 2021 departure, Fritz died at age 60 in September. His rep advised TMZ in October that Fritz was in a hospice facility surrounded by associates on the time of his dying, including that the star died from the results of a stroke. At some point following Fritz’s dying, Wolfe uploaded a candy tribute for his pal by way of Instagram.
“It’s with a damaged coronary heart that I share with all of you that Frank handed away final night time,” Wolfe wrote in October. “I’ve recognized Frank for greater than half my life and what you’ve seen on TV has at all times been what I’ve seen, a dreamer who was simply as delicate as he was humorous. The identical off digital camera as he was on, Frank had a manner of reaching the hearts of so many by simply being himself.”
“Who would have ever dreamed we might share the cockpit of a white cargo van in entrance of hundreds of thousands of individuals all for our adventures. Earlier than the present we might take off collectively to locations we by no means knew existed with no vacation spot in thoughts and simply the shared ardour to find one thing fascinating and historic,” Wolfe continued. “We’ve been on numerous journeys and shared so many miles and I really feel blessed that I used to be there by his aspect when he took one final journey residence. I really like you buddy and can miss you a lot I do know your [sic] in a greater place.”