- Name: Junior Edwards
- Date of birth: 1960s
- Place of birth: Louisiana, United States
- Nationality: American
- Education: NA
- Occupation: Fishing, alligator hunting, reality television star, entrepreneur
- Net worth: $500,000
Right from the inception of Swamp People on History Channel, Junior Edwards has been making regular appearances on the reality television show alongside his son Willie. Formerly a fisherman, Edwards has distinguished himself as an alligator hunter on set, thanks to the Louisiana native’s unique abilities and prowess in trapping enormous reptiles.
Many eyebrows were raised when Junior Edwards didn’t appear for the show’s 7th season, triggering a lot of speculations about the alligator hunter having payment issues with the show’s producers, but Edwards has made conscious efforts toward quelling the rumors.
Junior Edwards is a Louisiana native
Available records didn’t capture Junior Edwards’ date of birth but it is common knowledge that he was born around the 1960s in Louisiana, the United States of America. Obviously a citizen of America, the alligator hunter is of White ethnicity.
In the same vein, nothing has been said about his parents and it is not known if he has siblings or grew up as an only child. Also, Edwards’ academic history has never surfaced in the public space.
He became an alligator hunter from fishing
Junior Edwards wasn’t always an alligator hunter, the reality star previously earned a living as a professional fisherman and it was through his fishing ventures that Edwards’ interest in stalking big reptiles took root. With time, his passion shifted from fishing to alligator hunting; this turned out to be Edwards’ forte and the next big thing for the former fisherman. Since then, he has never looked back from pursuing it like an adventure.
Edwards displayed exceptional expertise in hunting huge reptiles which earned him millions of fans. His adventure eventually developed into the popular History Channel reality series on TV known as Swamp People. Edwards’ interest does not stop with alligators – crawfish and raccoons are also part of the prey the celeb hunter targets.
Those who are familiar with alligator hunting know about its associated risks and it is Junior Edwards’ unique way of navigating his way around these inherent risks that makes Swamp People a mind-blowing show.
Alongside his son Willie, the former fisherman makes a great team. It appears Willie has decided to follow in his dad’s footsteps and spends quality time with him on the bayous and waterways in Southern Louisiana. The hunting duo targets fish, alligators, frogs, deer, crabs, and crawfish.
Junior Edwards in Swamp People reality show
The alligator hunter debuted on the set of Swamp People in 2010 along with Willie Edwards his only surviving son. A show that first aired on the 22nd of August 2010, the Swamp People series centers on the hunting of alligators in Southern Louisiana.
Onset, fans view Edwards as a man who expresses himself by yelling and screaming, leaving people to wonder if he behaves in the same manner with family members, especially his co-star and son, Willie. However, it has been established that both father and son share a great bond.
Edwards’ unique abilities have given the alligator hunter the necessary advantage to excel in the world of entertainment. Appearing on Swamp People has made him a household name and he is loved by many. The reality television star can boast of an amazing skill set, including steady hands with which he hunts down those ferocious massive alligators; we cannot overlook the fact that Junior Edwards seems to achieve this with ease.
His resilience, rare courage, and determination are his distinguishing factors. Armed with these qualities, Edwards has proved that he is man enough to participate in bizarre challenges, what’s more, he overcomes each and every one of them.
What led Junior Edwards to exit from Swamp People
Junior Edwards was one of the pioneers of the Swamp People reality TV show when it first aired in 2010 and as time went on, he gathered millions of raving fans all over the globe. Thus, when he was conspicuously absent during the show’s seventh season, his sudden departure triggered a deluge of questions from the viewing public.
Speculations soon ran rife that Edwards ran into problems with the producers of Swamp People concerning his payments. Another version of the assumptions said Edwards and his son, Willie asked for a salary increment which caused trouble.
Junior Edwards himself came out to dispel the rumors by appearing on other TV shows to quash the discontentment. Though the alligator hunter never mentioned the source, he blamed the rumors on a particular family that also appears on Swamp People.
Junior Edwards and his surviving son have $500,000 as net worth
After taking big risks in hunting huge reptiles, alligator hunters like Junior Edwards also earn big. He shares his recompense alongside his son, Willie, and going by reports from CelebrityNetWorth, father and son share a fortune of $500,000; this is mostly earned from their gig on reality TV.
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Details of his personal life
Junior Edward is one celeb that is not guilty of having a series of short-spanned dalliances. According to reports, the reptile hunter has maintained one relationship for years. He has been married to Theresa Edwards long enough for them to have two grown-up sons and their union is still going strong. Theresa has featured alongside Edwards in Bravura.
Their children, Willy and Randy Edwards both followed their dad’s career path in reality TV and it is believed that Willie is being groomed to take over when Junior Edwards finally takes the bow.
Junior Edwards lost his son Randy
Randy Edwards was the older of the two sons of the alligator hunter but unfortunately, he passed on in 2018. The deceased was in Iberville Parish driving when he was involved in a ghastly accident that claimed his life early one Sunday morning. He hit a utility pole while trying to swerve off the road and lost his life in the process.
Randy was 35 at his death which shook the Edwards family, marking one of their darkest moments. However, time seems to have healed their wounds as the family has bounced back. They are current residents of Southern Louisiana where Edwards and Willie are doing a great job of keeping their family traditions alive.