ALASKAN Bush People has ended after 14 seasons as Discovery has been dragged into a $500,000 legal war between late star Billy Brown’s estate and his former business partner.
Alaskan Bush People aired on Discovery from 2014 to 2022, and the successful series once brought in over a million viewers.
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The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal the series is no longer filming future episodes.
Billy’s business partner Robert Maughon filed a breach of contract lawsuit against the late star’s estate and business Alaskan Wilderness Family Productions in April 2021, just two months after Billy died in February 2021.
Billy’s wife Amora “Ami” Brown was later listed as a defendant in the case, as she is the executor of the estate.
Testimony from Ami taken in April 2024 revealed the current state of the show, as the documents read, “Testimony acknowledging that the show ‘Alaskan Bush People’ ultimately had 14 seasons, with the last season being filmed in 2022.”
Read more on the Brown family
Throughout the lawsuit, Alaskan Bush People is referred to in the past tense, as another example reads, “These breaches occurred despite the significant profits generated by [Alaskan Wilderness Family Productions], particularly through the television series ‘Alaskan Bush People’ which was featured on the Discovery Channel network.”
On the Discovery Channel’s media page, Alaskan Bush People is not listed as one of the company’s “properties,” as shows from Naked and Afraid to Gold Rush are included.
While the show is listed on the network’s main page, they haven’t posted an update on the series since September 2022.
A rep for Discovery and Ami did not respond to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
SHOW LAWSUIT
The lawsuit against Billy Brown’s estate could also be the reason for the series ending.
As The U.S. Sun previously reported, Robert claimed he entered into a contract with Billy on January 6, 2009 and invested $20,000.
He claimed Billy, who is an author, agreed to pay him 10 percent of income from the publication and sales of Alaska Wilderness Family Productions derived from books written by the patriarch.
Robert claimed in the court papers, “Billy Bryan Brown failed to pay to Plaintiff Robert Micky Maughon the monies called for in the Ten Year contract.”
He then alleged a second contract was made on January 25, 2009, where he invested $10,000 for a “lifetime.”
Robert claimed Billy agreed to pay him 10 percent “of the gross income of Alaska Wilderness Family Productions from the creative works of Billy Bryan Brown, specifically including books, movies, television and documentaries.
“Billy Bryan Brown and [the business] have failed to pay to Plaintiff the monies called for in the Lifetime contract.”
Robert said the amount cannot be known without accounting, but that he believes Billy earned $500,000 per episode of Alaskan Bush People.
In the trial brief filed by Robert in January 2025, he revealed how Discovery has been pulled into the case.
The court papers read, “Plaintiff also anticipates issuing a trial subpoena for the appearance and testimony at trial of corporate representative of Discovery Networks regarding financial earnings from and payments related to the ‘Alaskan Bush People’ television program.”
In February 2025, Ami filed a motion to dismiss the claims against her.
She claims the alleged contract was entered in Alaska, where there is “no joint community obligation of a spouse for the debts of the other spouse.”
The court papers continued, “The simple (and admitted) fact that Amora L. Brown was married to the decedent Defendants Billy Bryant Brown when he separately entered a contract and on the date of his death does not give rise to joint marital obligation of Amora L Brown to the Plaintiff, without factual allegations that the obligation was engaged as a community obligation or joint contractual obligation somehow obligating her separately or as to her share of community property.
“Nothing in the Amended complaint alleges a joint obligation of Defendant Amora L. Brown.”
A settlement conference has been scheduled for April 25.
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FAMILY PROBLEMS
The family’s recent issues could also have made filming difficult.
The U.S. Sun previously reported Alaskan Bush People’s Noah, 32, and his estranged wife Rhain, 34, filed a Petition for Order of Protection against his sister Merry Christmas Kathryn Raindrop, who goes by Rain, on August 5, 2024 for “protection from someone who has committed unlawful harassment.”
A temporary order was denied without a court hearing on the ground of “no basis.”
In the restraining order, Noah revealed there was drama the last, and possibly final, time the family filmed with the network.
On July 19, 2022, Noah claimed, “We were in the elevator and Raindrop said something along the lines of ‘my life would be so much easier if you were dead, if only I wouldn’t get caught, I think that my gun is in my room.’”
The U.S. Sun was unable to contact Rain after making multiple requests for comment.
Noah then announced his separation from Rhain in February 2025.
The family continues to post on social media and give life updates to their fans.
Alaskan Bush People Family Members
Alaskan Bush People fans have followed the Brown family for 14 seasons on Discovery. Billy and Ami married in 1979 and welcomed seven children together. Billy and Ami’s children are:
-Matt Brown
-Joshua Bam Bam Brown
-Bear Brown – married to Raiven and father to River, Cove and Everest
-Gabe Brown – married to Raquell and father to Sophia and a second daughter
-Noah Brown – separated from Rhain, they share sons Eli and Adam
-Snowbird Brown
-Rain Brown
NEXT STEP?
Though the family members have remained tight-lipped about the future of the show, Bear revealed a spinoff called Alaskan Bush People Behind The Scenes with Bear Brown is in the works.
He captioned an Instagram video over the spring, “Over the past year, I have been asked if there will be a new season of Alaskan Bush People, while I can’t answer that question at this time, I am excited to announce, Alaskan Bush People Behind The Scenes With Bear Brown.
“It’s starting with the first season, I will be talking about both things in front of the camera, and behind it! The first episode is dropping summer 2024. In the meantime, you can stream all the old episodes of [Alaskan Bush People] on [Max].”
Bear has not provided any other updates on the new series.
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