Where These History Channel Stars Are Today
Since its inception in 1995, The History Channel has been popular with TV fans who are fascinated by the secrets of the past. The network is known for its documentary series, which have focused on everything from major turning points like World War II to niche subjects like alleged alien encounters. It has also been recognized for its striking historical dramas, such as The Bible and Vikings. However, it's perhaps most famous for its reality TV programming. Many of its shows, such as Pawn Stars and Ice Road Truckers, give audiences a peek into the daily lives of people with fascinating jobs. Others, such as Alone and Top Shot, are intense competitions that test skills like wilderness survival and marksmanship.
History Channel celebrities hail from all walks of life. Some of them are small business owners and residents of rural towns. Others are big names in Hollywood. All of them are beloved by legions of loyal viewers. Here's what 12 of The History Channel's most famous personalities are up to now.
Roots' rising star Malachi Kirby is making a name for himself
The 1977 miniseries Roots is still remembered today for its unflinching portrayal of American slavery. Based on Alex Haley's book Roots: The Saga of an American Family, it told the story of Kunta Kinte, a Gambian man sold to Virginian slave owners, and his descendants. When The History Channel decided to remake the miniseries in 2016, British newcomer Malachi Kirby was cast in the lead role. Kirby blew the critics away with his talent: The Telegraph called him "exceptional," and Vanity Fair declared him "a new star."
Since introducing Kunta Kinte to modern audiences, Kirby has had a few high-profile roles on other TV shows. In 2016, he starred in "Men Against Fire," an episode of sci-fi anthology series Black Mirror. Once again, he received rave reviews — this time for his performance as Stripe, a soldier who finds himself hunting down strange mutants in a dystopian future.
More recently, Malachi Kirby appeared on Curfew, a 2019 British TV series about an illegal street race that takes place in a pandemic-ravaged society. He also scored a supporting role on Devils, an Italian TV series about a financial conspiracy. It looks as if he has a long, successful career in dramas ahead of him.
Super survivalist Alan Kay of Alone is still kicking
Alone has been one of The History Channel's most popular reality TV programs since it premiered in 2015. The competition drops 10 intrepid souls in the middle of the wilderness, isolated from all other humans (including filming crews — all footage is self-taped). Whoever can last the season without tapping out wins. The show's first champion was Alan Kay, a retired law enforcement officer who taught wilderness survival lessons as a passion project.
What has Kay been up to since his big victory? According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he's still passing down his survivalist wisdom as a private instructor giving lessons across America. His website, Alan Kay Survival, outlines all his areas of expertise. His students can learn how to stay calm in the face of danger, fend for themselves in the woods, and prepare for natural disasters and other large-scale catastrophes. They can also become experts in self-defense (Kay offers training with edged weapons, firearms, and unarmed methods) and learn how to administer emergency medical procedures. Who knows — maybe one of Kay's pupils will become Alone's next star.
Alex Debogorski of Ice Road Truckers is an Alaskan legend
Reality show Ice Road Truckers, which ran from 2007 to 2017, chronicled the adventures of truck drivers in Arctic regions as they traversed through treacherous weather conditions. The series' mainstay was Alex Debogorski, a trucker from Canada's Northwest Territories. Debogorski appeared on all eleven seasons, facing countless trials and tribulations in the midst of harsh Northern winters.
According to his Facebook bio, Debogorski is still living the same thrilling life in Yellowknife (Canada), but he's "so much more than just an 'ice road trucker.'" He often writes articles for his local newspaper, The Yellowknifer. He travels to conferences and conventions to meet fans, mines for gold and diamonds, and makes appearances at food stores promoting healthy living, as well. His website, Ice Road Alex, reveals that he also sells a variety of vehicles, ranging from classic cars to passenger buses to a Zamboni.
Debogorski is a big family man with a big family. When he's not at work, he spends his downtime with his wife, Louise, his 11 children, and his 14 grandchildren. He also posts photographs of his family and Alaskan horizons to his Instagram profile. He may live in a freezing climate, but he evidently has a warm heart.
Lisa Kelly of Ice Road Truckers was a fan favorite
Lisa Kelly is one of the most memorable Ice Road Truckers stars. She was the first female trucker to be featured on the show, and its only female trucker until season 5. Not to be underestimated, she was every bit as bold and fearless as the guys, if not more so. On seasons 3 to 5, and then again on seasons 7 to 11, she braved dangerous conditions while driving down Dalton Highway, once named one of the "World's Deadliest Roads" by the BBC.
Ever the thrill-seeker, Kelly has continued to lead an adventurous life since the show's end. According to an interview with Truck News, she still hauls loads across Alaska. Her Facebook page shows that she stays busy outside of work, too. A former motocross champion, she frequently participates in bike races. She also greets fans at trucking conventions. She spends her downtime with her husband Traves, as well several adorable animal friends, including cats, horses, dogs, goats, and a big pig named Bykes.
It seems that Kelly has remained connected with her Ice Road Truckers family over the past few years. In March 2019, Alex Debogorski posted a photo of the two of them to Instagram, captioned "Hanging out with Lisa." A few months later, she appeared in the music video for "Black Coffee and White Lines," a single by Australian country artist Jayne Denham, alongside fellow IRT stars Carey Hall and Maya Sieber Pyskaty.
Jason Beard of Alaska Off-Road Warriors still isn't on the road
As its name suggests, Alaska Off-Road Warriors takes place in one of America's most wild and wonderful states. The reality show, which premiered in 2014, followed five teams of two as they embarked on a grueling race from the Pacific to the Arctic.
Fans of the show will recall contestant Jason Beard, a former Marine and fisherman with a penchant for zooming across the tundra in Land Rovers. Since his stint as a reality TV star, various news reporters have checked in with him to see what he's been up to. An article in The Morning Sun reveals that he currently resides in Wasilla, Alaska with his wife and two daughters, who are always eager to go for drives with him. He works at Steadfast Offroad, a shop that modifies vehicles to prep them for off-road adventures. Alloy+Grit, a magazine that focuses on Land Rover culture, claims that he's "locally famous for leading off-road groups into the area's wilderness trails and abandoned mining roads."
According to his Instagram profile, Beard is steadily adding to a collection of vintage lanterns and chainsaws: perfect tools for a wilderness lover.
Where 'wood' Shelby the Swamp Man end up?
Since 2008, Ax Men has given History Channel viewers an inside look at the adventures of logging crews across America. Season 3 of the reality show introduced viewers to Shelby Stanga, an amiable New Orleans logger also known as "the Swamp Man." Fans were so enamored by Stanga's escapades that he scored not one, but two spin-off series. The Legend of Shelby the Swamp Man showed Stanga taking on various odd jobs as he saved up for a new houseboat, while The Return of Shelby the Swamp Man chronicled his attempts to help his friends and neighbors recover from a severe bayou flood.
Where is the legendary Swamp Man today? According to his official Facebook fan page, he's still in Louisiana, doing what he loves: "he still hunts and fishes," and "he still has a strong presence in the swamps, creeks, and rivers that he grew up on." He also sells reclaimed driftwood through his online store, Shelby Stanga Treasures, where original sculptures, wall art, and jewelry are all up for grabs. Angela Tikka, who appeared on The Return of Shelby the Swamp Man as his protégé, designs pieces alongside him.
Colby Donaldson was the host with the most
On the thrilling game show Top Shot, teams of expert marksmen competed in sharpshooting challenges to vie for a $100,000 grand prize. Colby Donaldson, actor and former Survivor runner-up, hosted the show for all four years of its run.
It turns out that Top Shot was only the beginning of Donaldson's career with The History Channel. Since the show's demise, he has hosted not one, not two, but three shows for the network. On 2012's Top Guns, a Top Shot spin-off, he delved into the history of various firearms before testing them out in marksmanship competitions with special guest stars. On 2019's The Butcher, another game show, he led several "Master Butchers" in history-inspired butchery challenges. Most recently, he was named the host of Season 7 of Alone, The History Channel's famous wilderness survival show.
Donaldson frequently updates his Instagram profile with details about his personal life. He's married to makeup and skincare spokeswoman Britt Bailey, and the two of them have one daughter, a girl named Brinley Reese. He sells luxury ranches and condos as a real estate agent in his home state of Texas. He also designs fascinating pieces of metalwork as a welder, ranging from ornate boxes to furniture.
Rick Dale of American Restoration kept it all in the family
Since its inception in 2009, the wildly popular Pawn Stars has spawned multiple spinoff series. One such series is American Restoration, which aired from 2010 to 2016. The reality show zeroed in on the life of Rick Dale, an expert antique restorer who often offered his consultation to the folks at the world-famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. In each episode, Dale tried to return worn and beat-up items to their former glory at his shop, Rick's Restorations.
Wondering if you can have your old jalopy or antique soda machine refurbished by Dale himself? You're in luck. According to his website, he still owns Rick's Restorations today, although the shop is currently in the middle of moving locations. It's a family affair through and through: his son Tyler runs the shop now, while his wife Kelly handles business operations. His brother Ron and other son Brettly are pickers, his daughter Ally is office manager, and his niece Michelle is assistant manager.
Dale often makes appearances at car shows and conventions, side by side with Kelly. He also has an online store that sells everything from a restored tricycle to a "Rick Dale Halloween Costume." Fans can mail him self-addressed stamped envelopes to receive free autographs.
Diogo Morgado is more than just The Bible's 'Hot Jesus'
In 2013, Roma Downey and Mark Burnett's miniseries The Bible brought the story of Christianity to the small screen. The final episodes of the show focused on the life of Jesus of Nazareth, played by Portuguese actor Diogo Morgado. Morgado was praised by outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter for his smiling, benevolent portrayal of the religious figure. As E! recounts, he also went viral for his looks, gaining the nickname "Hot Jesus" from fans across the Internet.
Since his big break, Morgado has continued to stay busy as an actor. Not the type to restrict himself to one genre, he's appeared in a wide variety of films and television programs, according to his IMDb page. He awoke from a coma in Portuguese telenovela Ouro Verde and swept a ranch owner off her feet in American romance film Love Finds You in Valentine. He also searched for a long-lost father in Brazilian Western O Matador and investigated supernatural happenings in American horror film Shrine. In a major departure from his most famous role, he even starred in The CW's miniseries The Messengers as a mysterious character known as "The Man," eventually revealed to be the devil.
Amber Rose Revah went from Mary Magdalene to the MCU
One of the standouts of the History Channel's miniseries The Bible was English actress Amber Rose Revah. The up-and-coming star brought a serene presence to the screen as Mary Magdalene, one of Jesus' most devoted disciples and friends.
What has Revah been up to since then? Her IMDb profile shows that she's been busy making appearances on various TV programs — most notably Indian Summers, a drama about British colonial rule in India. More recently, she starred in The Punisher, a Marvel Cinematic Universe Netflix series based on the comic book character of the same name. On the show, which aired from 2017 to 2019, Revah played Dinah Madani, a special agent for the Department of Homeland Security who crosses paths with infamous vigilante The Punisher in New York City. The series racked up plenty of fans: according to the NME, even Eminem was in on the hype.
Revah's Instagram profile reveals another exciting update about her life: she is now a mother.
Travis Fimmel was America's favorite Viking
Fans of History Channel drama Vikings, which premiered in 2013, will remember Travis Fimmel. The Australian model-turned-actor starred in the first four seasons of the series as Ragnar Lothbrok, a warrior, farmer, and king. He turned a lot of heads playing the Norse legend, and not just because of his past with Calvin Klein. The Huffington Post called the part his "breakout role," and The Washington Post praised his "relatable complexity" onscreen.
Since departing from Vikings in 2017, Fimmel has starred in several films. According to IMDb, he played a big-time criminal in American heist movie Finding Steve McQueen, a soldier in Vietnam in the Australian war film Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan, and a gruff stepfather in American thriller Dreamland. More recently, he scored the lead role in Raised by Wolves, an HBO Max series about androids. His bio reveals that he stays humble by making frequent visits to his family's farm and enjoying Australian rules football. He's also kept in touch with Alexander Ludwig, who starred in Vikings with him as Bjorn Ironside.
Giorgio A. Tsoukalos of Ancient Aliens is more than a meme
Giorgio A. Tsoukalos has carved out an interesting niche for himself. In 2009, the self-proclaimed ufologist made his major network debut as an expert on Ancient Aliens, the History Channel's popular show about potential human-extraterrestrial interaction. Now, he's recognized as one of the world's most well-known alien conspiracy theorists.
If you haven't tuned into Ancient Aliens in a while, you may be wondering what Tsoukalos has been up to lately. It turns out he's just as immersed in Ancient Astronaut Theory as ever. Ancient Aliens is still on as of 2020, and he's still the show's go-to guy. He has appeared as an extraterrestrial consultant on various other TV series and talk shows as well. His IMDb profile boasts quite the filmography: he's shared his gnosis with The Joe Rogan Experience, America's Book of Secrets, and BuzzFeed Unsolved: Supernatural. He also served as the host of In Search of Aliens, another History Channel series that searched for proof of early contact between Earthlings and alien civilizations.
When he's not being interviewed about the alien travelers of yesteryear, Tsoukalos is all about interacting with fans. He's a regular at AlienCons — gatherings of extraterrestrial enthusiasts that take place all across America, sponsored by The History Channel itself. He's also active on both Instagram and Twitter, where he frequently posts fanart and memes.