Andy Bassich is one of the most prominent stars of the reality TV show Life Below Zero. Since appearing in the show’s pilot episode, Andy has faced several challenges and changes, including health issues and relationship struggles.
Despite the challenges, he has been an outstanding cast member on Life Below Zero. His survivalist and self-sufficient skills in the brutal, cold, and isolated Alaskan wilderness have especially impressed many fans of the show.
So, what happened to Andy on Life Below Zero? Below is a look at significant events surrounding him on the show, as well as his current whereabouts since the show ended.
Health concerns following an injury
In season 11 of Life Below Zero, fans noticed that Andy Bassich had suddenly left the reality TV show, with his absence lasting 6 months. It later emerged that he had suffered a hip injury while moving a snow that had been stuck.
He later addressed the injury on the show, revealing that it had become life-threatening.
“I ended up with two infections — one in the muscle, one in the bone — and it almost killed me,” stated the reality TV star.
Following the injury, Bassich had to leave his home in Yukon River, Alaska, and travel to Florida for treatment. While this might seem odd, it was necessary as Bassich’s home in Alaska is pretty isolated and thus lacks proper health facilities to deal with serious injuries.
Fortunately for him, he recovered well and returned to the show six months later during season 8.
Marriage trouble and divorce
Bassich initially appeared on Life Below Zero with his wife, Kate, who became a fan favorite on the wilderness survival show.
According to an interview with the Washingtonian, the couple met in Dawson City, Canada, where Andy was working as a boat captain on the Yukon River. Kate, on the other hand, was a tourist.
The couple met in 2003 and were together for over a decade. However, in 2015, they announced their separation, with the divorce finalised in 2016.
Soon after the divorce, Kate left the show, with her final appearance being the sixth episode of season 5.
New relationship after divorce
After the divorce, Andy found new love with his girlfriend Denise Becker, who also joined the cast of Life Below Zero. According to Distractify, the couple met in Florida around 2017 while on a canoe trip.
Denise is a trauma nurse, and she stood by Andy’s side as he recuperated from his hip injury. He also credited her with helping him move back to his home in Alaska River after he got better.
“If I didn’t have a partner to help me, there’s no way I could’ve come back here and accomplished what I need to do,” stated the Life Below Zero star.
Andy’s partner may be a nurse by profession, but, according to her, she is well-suited for life in the wilderness.
“I was born in Canada, grew up knowing what hard work was about,” revealed Denise. “My family homesteaded up in northern Saskatchewan, a farm, which is still an active, hardworking farm.”
Andy is not the only one who has moved on after his divorce. After leaving the show and Alaska, Andy’s ex-wife, Kate, moved to Newfoundland, Canada.
While it is not clear whether she is dating or has remarried, she has since found a new passion in homemade wine-making.
Controversy about his treatment of women
Andy Bassich may be one of the most popular Life Below Zero stars, but his character has also drawn controversy, particularly for his treatment of women.
After leaving Life Below Zero, his ex-wife, Kate, claimed in an interview with DailyTwoCents that Andy had been abusive during their marriage.
“The hardest part is understanding why I stayed so long in an abusive relationship. I do know I love the land, I loved the lifestyle, but I could not love the man he really is. I lived in a fairytale belief that someday he would become a kind, faithful, loving person. That fairytale was not to be.”
In a Facebook post, Kate claimed that she had been receiving online hate since revealing that Andy Bassich had been abusive.
However, for some fans of the show, the allegation of abuse was not much of a surprise, with Andy having been captured several times on camera yelling at his ex-wife.
Fans of the show have also raised alarm with how Andy is treating his new partner, Denise, with several of them taking to various online platforms to share concerns about his behavior.
“Wow, he treats Denise like CRAP! I do not like the way he talks to her,” one user posted on Facebook.
Another Reddit user claimed that both Andy’s ex-wife and his current girlfriend looked “anxious” after being around him:
“Just an observation, but both Kate and Denise look older than they actually are after living with Andy, and both got more anxious as time went on,” posted one user.
However, some of the show’s fans, while acknowledging that he was horrible to his ex-wife, have been quick to defend Andy, claiming that he seems calmer and that he and Denise appear to work better together on the show.
Life after the show’s cancellation
In 2024, fans learnt that Life Below Zero had been cancelled after airing for 23 seasons. In the show’s final episode, Andy and Denise are still living in Alaska, with scenes showing them hunting for game along the Yukon River.
Andy does not appear to have personal social media accounts, so it’s been hard to keep track of his whereabouts since the show ended. However, Denise is on several social media platforms and has shared several photos of themselves still living in Yukon River.
There were rumors that Denise had passed away. However, these rumours are untrue, as her latest post, shared on May 16 on Instagram and Facebook, shows that she is alive and well, still living with Andy Bassich in the Yukon River.