American Pickers will continue to pay homage to Frank Fritz following his death last month.
History Channel is set to dedicate an American Pickers marathon to Fritz, which will take place on Wednesday, October 9, per TVLine. The marathon is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, with a set of “best of” episodes surrounding Fritz airing from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET.
The marathon is slated to lead up to Wednesday’s season 26 premiere, which begins at 9 p.m. ET. At the top of some episodes, there will be an “In Memoriam” title card for Fritz.
History Channel previously honored Fritz on October 2.
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Fritz died at age 60 on September 30. The following day, former costar Mike Wolfe shared the news via Instagram.
“It’s with a broken heart that I share with all of you that Frank passed away last night,” Wolfe wrote on October 1. “I’ve known Frank for more than half my life and what you’ve seen on TV has always been what I have seen, a dreamer who was just as sensitive as he was funny. The same off camera as he was on, Frank had a way of reaching the hearts of so many by just being himself.”
Fritz and Wolfe hosted American Pickers together for 10 years after its 2010 debut. Fritz departed from the series in 2021. (Shortly after his exit, Fritz told The Sun that he hadn’t “talked to Mike in two years.” Wolfe, for his part, reacted to the remark in a statement to Us Weekly, calling Fritz “a brother to me.”)
“Who would have ever dreamed we would share the cockpit of a white cargo van in front of millions of people interested in our adventures. Before the show we would take off together to places we never knew existed with no destination in mind and just the shared passion to discover something interesting and historic,” Wolfe continued. “We’ve been on countless trips and shared so many miles and I feel blessed that I was there by his side when he took one last journey home. I love you buddy and will miss you so much I know your [sic] in a better place.”
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Fritz’s rep also paid tribute to the star, writing in a statement, “Frank Fritz was an exceptional human being. He loved life, he cared about people, he always had a kind word to say and he knew more about Americana and antiques than anyone I ever met. He was the anchor of American Pickers. He will be missed by his friends, family and fans.”
The rep told TMZ on October 1 that Fritz died from the effects of a stroke. He was in a hospice facility and was surrounded by friends at the time of his death. Per the outlet, Fritz’s Crohn’s disease may have played a role.
Fritz had been outspoken about his battle with Crohn’s disease. “There’s no cure, it’s like a dragon. Every day is a crap shoot,” he told The Sun in 2021. “One day I could have a double chimichanga with hot sauce pouring out of it and have no problem. Another day I could have a piece of toast with some scrambled eggs and have a flare-up. I haven’t had any flare-ups recently. I’ve been really good and quit drinking.”
