Why Wil Willis Left Forged In Fire: The Host's Disappearance Explained

Summary Wil Willis likely left Forged in Fire due to the birth of his son, Flash Orion Willis, in March 2020.

The filming schedule for the show was described as brutal by Willis during a podcast interview.

Fans of Wil Willis can follow him on Instagram at @whiskey2whiskey for updates on his life post-Forged in Fire.

Those who watched the History Channel series in the early seasons but then skipped to season 8 or later may be wondering, "Why did Wil Willis leave Forged in Fire?" Forged in Fire is a reality competition show in the vein of Netflix's Blown Away. The History Channel series takes four bladesmiths and has them compete against one another to see who can craft the best-bladed weapon. The show premiered in June 2015 and has been ongoing, lasting longer than similar "craft" reality shows thanks to its unique conceit and compelling personalities.

Forged in Fire has even spawned a popular meme, it's become so influential. One of the key components of the series is the host, Wil Willis. Willis is a former Army Ranger and a decorated Air Force para-rescue specialist with an affinity for weapons, particularly those used in medieval times. As a former host of the Military Channel (now American Heroes Channel) reality series Special Ops Mission and Triggers, Willis was an experienced selection for the role. Well-spoken and full of enthusiasm, Willis hosted the show well from seasons 1-7, but just like that, he vanished in season 8.

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Wil Willis Didn't Give A Reason For Leaving Forged In Fire (But It Was Likely Due To The Birth Of His Son)

Willis Left Before Season 8, A Few Months After His Son Was Born

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Wil Willis never actually stated why he left Forged in Fire when he departed from the show sometime after season 7 ended in August 2020 and before season 8 began in November 2020. But though he never divulged a reason, it's likely that the birth of Willis and his wife, Krystle Amina's, son, Flash Orion Willis, on March 6, 2020, was the deciding factor for his pivot away from the series (via Instagram). It's very likely that with a new infant, Willis did not want to spend too much time away and film season 8, when he would rather be with his son.

According to Willis, the filming schedule for Forged in Fire was brutal. In an interview with the B3f podcast, Willis discussed how long filming even a single episode could take, saying,

"[It could take] three to five days to film an episode..."

Willis also mentioned that filming could be "boring". The contestants are given three hours in the shortest challenges to forge their weapons, so there was likely a lot of standing around as the show was getting filmed. Willis was likely burnt out from his time on the show, and with the arrival of his child, he had a good excuse to depart the series.

From season 8 on, Forged in Fire has been hosted by Grady Powell, a former Army Green Beret who starred in two seasons of Dual Survival.

Where Wil Willis Is Now

Willis Frequently Posts On Social Media And Has Spoken About His Time On The Show

Those looking to catch up with Wil Willis can join his 111,000 followers on his Instagram account, @whiskey2whiskey. His followers often comment that they miss Willis on the show. @neffjokes wrote in a post,

"Wil Will You Ever Be On Forged In Fire🔥 Again ???"

A military veteran, Wil Willis often posts about the profession. He also frequently uploads videos of his son Flash, which are always very popular as the father and son are a loving and cute pair together. Willis has not mentioned anything about returning to Forged in Fire, but as his son gets older, perhaps he'll find time to return to the series.