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"American Pickers" star Frank Fritz is getting candid about his relationship with co-host Mike Wolfe.
The popular History Channel reality series, which premiered in 2010, chronicles the adventures of the pickers as they travel across the country in hopes of finding and rescuing prized objects with stories deeply rooted in American history. Danielle Colby provides much-needed assistance when the two minds find themselves in comedic binds along the way.
But the friendship between the beloved duo has been strained. Fritz recently told The Sun that he has left the series and is no longer in touch with Wolfe, 57.
"I haven’t talked to Mike in two years," the 55-year-old told the outlet. "He knew my back was messed up, but he didn’t call me up and ask how I was doing. That’s just how it is."
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Frank Fritz (left), who has since left History Channel's 'American Pickers,' admitted his relationship with former co-host Mike Wolfe (right) is strained. (Photo by D Dipasupil/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
While Fritz wouldn’t detail the exact reason for his departure, he described feeling like he was in "second" place on "American Pickers."
"The show is titled towards him 1,000 percent," he claimed. "I can’t even bend that far down to show you how much. That’s fine. It’s like you’ve got Aerosmith and there’s Steven Tyler and he’s the frontman. I found my spot, I’m second and he’s number one on the show. That’s no problem with me, maybe he does have a problem."
Fritz also revealed that audiences could easily identify with him more, making him a "bigger" star among fans.
"I’m not arrogant and I’m more of a regular ol’ guy," he explained. "The guy that connects with me is the guy who buys a 30 pack of Busch Light and a pizza on the weekend. That’s my guy. My guy buys a $150 sign, not an $8,000 sign. I’m more of the common man guy, I haven’t found a $100,000 vase or any Michelangelo stuff. I’ve never really had a big, big score like that. But all the small scores are the bread and butter and that’s my deal."
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Frank Fritz (right) claimed audiences could easily identify with him more in the series. ( Photo by Ray Tamarra/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
A rep for The History Channel and Wolfe didn’t immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment. However, the network confirmed to People magazine that Fritz has left the show. And in a statement sent to the outlet, Wolfe said he will miss his former co-host.
"I have known Frank for as long as I can remember, he’s been like a brother to me," Wolfe’s statement read. "The journey that Frank, Dani (Danielle) and I started back in 2009, like all of us, has come with its highs and lows, blessings and challenges, but it has also been the most rewarding. I will miss Frank, just like all of you, and I pray for the very best and all good things for him on the next part of his journey."
Fritz admitted that it would be difficult to "put the show on after not talking to somebody for two years."
"I think Mike wants to get his brother Robbie in there to replace me," Fritz claimed. "I don’t know why he’s behaving like that towards me. You couldn’t just stick two people in a van and get the chemistry you get from me and Mike. We’ve known each other for about 40 years. We can finish each other’s sentences. When everybody is getting along and there’s no drama, me and him are very good together."
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'American Pickers,' which first premiered in 2010, has become a popular reality TV series on The History Channel. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
The celebrated collector said he’s now eager to move on and start a new chapter in his life. Most recently, he unveiled a 65-pound weight loss to keep his Crohn’s Disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, "under control the best I can." He credited the transformation to healthy eating habits.
"I’m just trying to get through life like everybody else and be as happy as I possibly can," said Fritz. "Life is what you put into it. If you don’t put much into it you don’t get a lot out of it."
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