Life Below Zero is currently in the middle of its 14th season. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the cast members and crew went hard at work and filmed the reality show, which aired its 8th episode in October 2020.
Fans are eagerly awaiting the ninth episode, which should be coming out soon. There’s even a new spin-off of the series called Life below Zero: Next Generation. Talk about massive success!
The series, which follows the lives of Alaskan hunters, is everything a reality show should be. The cast members survive in the frozen tundra with no internet connection, electricity, plumbing, and other luxuries.
The climate is too harsh, getting a meal is not always a guarantee, loneliness is a constant reality, the roads are inexistent, there’s no law in place, and the government doesn’t care much about the residents.
There’s every reason not to live out there. Viewers can’t get enough of the harsh reality, wonder, awe, and entertainment the show provides.
Who Are Kate and Andy?
Life Below Zero’s main man is Andy Bassich, a survivor with over ten years’ experience living in frozen climates. He goes by the nickname of American musher as he trains sled dogs for Alaskan residents.
His business was so successful that BBC Worldwide caught hold of him and asked him if he would like to be a part of Life below Zero. At one point, Andy, with his ex-wife, Kate, controlled 37 sled dogs.
Andy is always seen moving out and about with his canines. He is so good at his job that he has been featured in several other popular shows, including Jessie Holmes, Chip, Agnes Hailstone, and Sue Aikens.
In Life below Zero, his survival skills are something else.
Apart from the flood that swept over his properties, the guy has not recorded major ordeals on the show. He manages to survive despite what the unforgiving wilderness throws at him.
Kate Rorke is Andy’s ex-wife from the earlier seasons of the show. The two met in 2003 when Kate toured up north alongside a team of other tourists.
Back then, Andy was a riverboat captain. They fell for each other.
Three years later, Kate decided to move to Alaska to be with her man. They settled in Calico Bluff, a town located a few miles from Alaska’s Eagle town. The couple got married and had one daughter.
What Happened?
Kate and Andy were portrayed on the show as a happy couple trying to make it in the wilderness.
They smiled for the camera, worked as a team, supported one another, and made fans think they were cool with each other.
While this might have been true for the earlier seasons, the story was different later on.
Fans were shocked when Kate didn’t show up for Life below Zero season 11. All the cast members were back except her. In 2015, the couple announced that they were getting a divorce.
It was finalized in 2016, and afterward, Kate moved away from the tundra. Ultimately, this ended her tenure on the series.
As it turns out, the reality star was too unhappy to pretend anymore. She later spoke to several media houses claiming that she endured mental and physical abuse during her marriage.
According to the blonde beauty, she tried all she could to make the marriage work. After ten years, she couldn’t fight any longer. That’s when she chose to leave and start a life elsewhere.
Where’s Kate now?
Leaving Nat GEO’s Life below Zero might have been the best decision Kate made. She moved to Canada and settled in one of the towns in British Columbia.
According to her social media profiles, she also seems to enjoy taking vacations in warmer climates like the Caribbean Islands.
She once posted a photo of her and her brother on her Facebook page with the following caption.
“Great to hang out with my wonderful bro, Tolson. It’s been 16 years since I saw him. Far too long.”
Kate is having the time of her life away from the cameras. Rumor has it that she is planning to write a book about her life experiences in Calico.
She hopes to profile everything relating to living life up north. Kate also intends to write a second book that will focus on the dangers of domestic abuse.
She will include several survivors and how each was able to recover.
Upon her departure from the show, Andy was left all alone with his dogs. He suffered a terrible loss when one of his dogs, Iceberg, died.
The death dealt a major blow to him, but he has since recovered. He now has a girlfriend, Deniz, who helps him with his tasks on the show.
Kate Rorke’s exit from Life below Zero broke many hearts. She was warm, hardworking, full of life, and free-spirited. She also made a good teammate for Andy. It’s a good thing that she’s doing well away from the limelight.
Having her back on the show is unlikely at this point, so fans are only left to follow her on social media.
Here is what fan-favorites Jessie Holmes and Chip Hailstone have been up to.
