

“It had a very good edge and cut beautifully.”Ĭhad Kennedy of Wichita Falls, Texas, won the “Summer Forging Games” with 84 points. “Gary’s blade was not the prettiest, but it did exactly what we asked it to do,” said show judge David Baker, an expert on ancient weapons. Bird opted for the Kachin Dao, a hunting sword used by the Kachin tribe in ancient Burma. In the final challenge, each competitor chose one of four historic weapons to construct. I pushed myself harder than I ever have before,” he said on the show. “I can’t believe I won the final challenge, but overall I am pleased. But he won the last challenge to vault into second place. One competitor was eliminated in the first week, and Bird trailed significantly among the three remaining bladesmiths going into the last two challenges on the Aug. The competition began with four bladesmiths who were challenged to make knives or historic weapons from raw steel.

The father-son duo also enjoys visiting car shows together.Gary Bird ’91 (Marketing) was pleased with his runner-up finish in the History Channel reality show “Forged in Fire.” Bird competed in the show’s special two-episode “Summer Forging Games” competition. In his posts, Willis can be seen taking walks with Flash, reading him a book, and fulfilling daddy duties. Willis often shares adorable pictures with his son on his Instagram account. Meanwhile, he has been spending a lot of time with his wife and son, Flash. Since leaving ‘Forged in Fire,’ Willis hasn’t announced any new projects and is likely waiting for the next good career opportunity.


He revealed that filming an episode took between 3 to 5 days and called the process “slow” and “boring.” Naturally, it seems as though the birth of his son and the lengthy production schedule of the show likely factored in Willis’ decision to step down as the host to focus on his family. Furthermore, Willis expressed his dissatisfaction over the time-consuming nature of the show’s production on the B3F Podcast. While we appreciate Wil Willis and everything he brought to the series, we are excited to start this new chapter and welcome Grady Powell into the ‘forge’ as our new host.” While details about Willis’ exit were kept under wraps, he likely decided to leave the show to spend more time with his family.Ī post shared by Wil Willis all, Willis and his wife welcomed a baby boy - Flash Orion Willis - in March 2020.
#Forged in fire series
History did comment on the matter: “As with any legacy series that has had the privilege of being on the air for five-plus years, fans will notice new names and faces from time to time. He was replaced by Grady Powell, who has taken over the hosting duties for the new season. However, ahead of season 8, it was announced that Willis would not be returning to the series, and no specific reason was given for his departure. His calm and approachable demeanor helped the contestants deal with the pressures of the competition, and his friendly smile pleased the audience. He has served as a host on shows such as ‘Special Ops Mission’ and ‘Triggers.’ His credentials made him an appropriate candidate for the role, and he successfully fulfilled his duties as a host for seven long seasons. Wil Willis is a former Army soldier of the Third Ranger Battalion and also a decorated Air Force Pararescue Specialist. What Happened To Forged in Fire Host? Why Did Wil Willis Leave?
