Although it has never been officially confirmed, Glenn thinks that he was let go from Life Below Zero due to creative differences with the show’s production team.
Trying to survive in the most remote regions of Alaska requires expert survival skills, a solid place to take shelter, excellent hunting conditions and a whole lot of determination.
But when you add various cameras and a production team into the mix – things then to get a lot more complicated.
Why is Glenn no longer on Life Below Zero?
Fans and viewers who have been tuning in to watch the expert survivalists of National Geographic, hunt, build, plow and fight their way through this incredibly challenging terrain since the very beginning of the show may be wondering why the old-favorite Life Below Zero cast member, Glenn Villeneuve is no longer featured in the newer episodes.
There has been a lot of speculation about what may have happened between Glenn and the Life Below Zero producers behind-the-scenes.
But this former reality television star has revealed that not even he is entirely sure why he got cut from the show’s lineup way-back-when.
Glenn’s run Life Below Zero
As the story goes, Glenn got in contact with the Life Below Zero producers through a friend of a friend who gave him the right number.
The producers were so impressed with Glenn’s off-the-grid capabilities that they offered him a spot on the show. All in all, Glenn appeared in over 80 episodes of Life Below Zero over the course of more than 10 seasons.
These seasons can be summarized as follows:
| Life Below Zero season | Premiere date |
| Season 2 | October 29, 2013 |
| Season 3 | April 17, 2014 |
| Season 4 | November 11, 2014 |
| Season 5 | April 9, 2015 |
| Season 6 | November 24, 2015 |
| Season 7 | April 7, 2016 |
| Season 8 | October 18, 2016 |
| Season 9 | July 13, 2017 |
| Season 10 | January 1, 2018 |
| Season 11 | September 18, 2018 |
| Season 12 | December 11, 2018 |
Glenn shares his side of the story
Glenn’s somewhat sudden departure from the Life Below Zero franchise has never been publicly addressed by the network or the show’s production team.
And based on what Glenn has shared in the years since, it seems like the show’s production team has never really discussed this decision with him either.
According to what Glenn shared on The Joe Rogan Experience in 2019, he had “a falling out” with the producers of the show.
As Glenn experienced it, the Life Below Zero producers cut all communication with him and he “never heard from them again” after he filmed what has now become his very last episode of the show.
The conflict between Glenn and the show’s production team
While the Life Below Zero production team has never officially shared why they decided not to renew Glenn’s contract for the show, rumors about a rift between these producers and Glenn have been circulating the internet for years.
Some sources have reported that the Life Below Zero production team simply grew tired of dealing with Glenn’s changing whims (which would allegedly see the star sometimes disappear for days at a time in the middle of filming). Others have alleged that Glenn was simply difficult to work with.
Glenn actually alluded to some behind-the-scenes trouble in a Facebook Q&A from back in 2013, in which he stated “I’m a big believer in arranging things so that I don’t have to work or spend time with people I don’t like.
That is a priority for me” in response to a question about the show’s cameramen getting on his nerves.
With regard to his exit from the show, however, Glenn has always insisted that he “did not fit into the concept” that the producers wanted for the show.
And, that he was essentially let go, because he wanted to push the envelope and to “do more” with his time on screen.
What Glenn is doing now
Glenn is no longer spending his time arguing with the Life Below Zero producers about which direction his scenes should be going in. But this does not mean that this former reality television star has left the off-the-grid Alaskan life behind.
In fact, since he left the show, Glenn has taken up even more outdoorsy hobbies, including skiing (often alongside his girlfriend, Shalane), hunting, and even road running in the warmer months.
And while Glenn may no longer have the opportunity to share his unique way of life with the millions of fans and viewers tuning in to watch Life Below Zero – he does share regular updates about what he and his family are up to on his Facebook page and on his other social media accounts.
