As Josh Gates pursued his dream of exploring places he had never seen and showing them to millions of viewers from home, he hardly knew that he was embarking on a career that would pay off beyond Benjamin’s. In this way he found fame, wealth, goodwill, meaning and even love. Of all his works, Gates is perhaps best known for his shows – Destination Truth and Stranded.
Gates is currently co-producer of the travel channel series Expedition Unknown and the series Legendary Locations. But this article is not only about his job. As in his television shows, we take you behind the scenes and reveal never-heard details of Josh Gates’ personal life, including his wife and children who are with him in his quest for the truth.
Who is Josh Gates?
Josh Gates was born on August 10, 1977, in Manchester-by-the-sea, Essex County of Massachusetts, USA. Although not much is known about his parents, we know for sure where Gates got his research instincts from. His mother was a housewife while his father was a deep-sea diver. Gates characterized his childhood as eventful. His father never kept his boy away from the details of his job as a diver. After visiting several places with his father, it didn’t take long for little Josh to tip the scales.
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When he was very young, Gates had many funny moments with his parents, especially with his father. As a recreational diver, Gates Sr. took his son on expeditions that broadened the boy’s horizons, to say the least. It is no wonder that Josh began diving at the tender age of ten. We’re not sure if Gates had all these experiences alone or if he had other siblings he grew up with. Nevertheless, the information we have gathered seems to tend towards the narrative “Josh is the only child”.
After high school, Gates went to Tufts University in Boston, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in archaeology and drama. He then moved to the University of Maryland, where he became part of the school’s archaeology team from 1996 to 1998.
Josh Gates’ Fact Card
How Did He Become Famous?
Soon after graduating, Josh Gates found not only his father’s succession but also progress that his father could only dream of. As a certified recreational diver, Gates has participated in several marine expeditions, including an underwater archaeological dig off the coast of Israel. Besides travel, much of Josh Gates’ work includes photography. He has visited over 100 countries, including Bangladesh and Nepal. And he has been to the highest peak in Africa, Kilimanjaro, and to the highest mountain in South America, Aconcagua.
His screen career began in 2007 when he appeared for the first time in an episode of Destination Truth. Over the next five years, Josh Gates would delight over 1.7 million viewers with his unique exploratory spirit. However, he had already appeared on several television shows, including ESPN’s reality game show Beg, Borrow & Deal (2002), Budweiser’s Truly Famous (2006), and Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files (2012). Since then, Gates has also appeared on other shows such as Ghost Hunters and Legendary Locations before joining the Discovery Channel expedition Unknown.
His Breakthrough With Expedition Unknown
Since 2015, Josh Gates has been the host and executive producer of Expedition Unknown on the Discovery Channel. The show revolves around Josh who goes on various expeditions, uncovering secrets and legends in the process. So far, the show has had eight successful seasons and five extras. The series’ more than 163 episodes have been viewed by millions of Americans, both on the Travel Channel and the Discovery Channel.
The first episode of the eighth season, “Digging into D-day”, was broadcast on February 6, 2020. In this episode, Josh Gates leads an expedition to Normandy to investigate the fighting of World War II by air, land, and sea. He also reveals a gigantic Nazi bunker complex that was hidden for about 75 years. The series has made Josh one of the most popular researchers and his fan base has continued to grow. It was also revealed that the show’s spinoff series, Expedition X, will air on February 12, 2020.
Who Is His Wife?
Gates was married to his research colleague Hallie Gnatovich. They first met during the second season of Destination Truth. Hallie was part of the research team then and did most of her work behind the camera. Over time, however, she began to appear on the screen as Gates’ co-star.
It didn’t take too long for her romantic feelings to build up. As a result, the duo started a relationship, and after a few years, they got engaged. On September 13, 2014, the couple was married in a private wedding ceremony at the luxury resort Hidden Pond in Kennebunkport, York, Maine. Their wedding was well attended by close friends and family members. On their wedding day, Josh put up a photo of a car with the sign “Just Married” with the caption “The greatest adventure of all.
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His wife, Hallie Gnatovich, was born in 1981. She received her bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College in 2004, then went to Alliant International University to earn a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. In addition to research, Hallie Gnativich is also a certified therapist who is working with more mothers between the ages of 20 and 30. She also advises LGBTQ couples and runs an official website called HallieGTherapy.com
Do They Have Children?
Josh Gates and his wife have been married for five years and are proud parents of a son. On February 12, 2016, the couple welcomed their first child named Owen. When she learned of her pregnancy, Gnatovich called her husband by satellite to tell him the news. It was perhaps one of the most heartbreaking moments in this special episode “The Secrets of Christopher Columbus”. And everything was captured by the camera.
For the future, Josh Gates didn’t reveal much about his big plans. What fans and viewers should expect are more interesting episodes of “Expedition Unknown and Legendary Places”.
