REVEALED: Deadliest Catch star Nick McGlashan, 33, was found dead in $80-a-night Nashville Holiday Inn as friends fear 'he slipped back into drug and alcohol abuse over Christmas'

Friends of the late Deadliest Catch star Nick McGlashan say they fear he may relapsed back into alcohol and drug abuse over the holiday season, after he was found dead in a Tennessee Holiday Inn room over the weekend. 

McGlashan, a seventh-generation fisherman and crabber who appeared on the Discovery Channel reality series for seven years, passed away on Sunday in Nashville.

The 33-year-old was found unresponsive by a friend in a $79-per-night room at the Holiday Inn Nashville-Vanderbilt on West End Avenue at 12:30pm. He was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders shortly after.

Friends of the reality TV star told The Sun McGlashan had been in good spirits in the days leading up to his death.

Friends of the late Deadliest Catch star Nick McGlashan say they fear he may relapsed into alcohol and drug abuse over Christmas

However they say they fear the father-of-two, who for years had struggled with drug and alcohol abuse before getting clean in 2017, may have recently relapsed.

'There is a lot of drama surrounding his death and there is an investigation ongoing. It's all pretty rough right now,' the friend told the outlet. 

'We fear something may have happened and he slipped up in Nashville. He was a great guy and this is a tragedy.'

A second friend reportedly also heard rumors of McGlashan relapsing and said authorities are investigating the matter. 

He was found dead by a friend Sunday inside a hotel room at the Holiday Inn on West Avenue in Nashville

In a statement, Nashville police said preliminary evidence 'indicated the possibility of drug involvement' in McGlashan's death.

A toxicology report has not yet been carried out by coroners and a specific cause of death is yet to be determined. 

The Nashville Police Department has not yet returned a DailyMail.com request for further comment. 

McGlashan, an Alaska native, joined deadliest catch in 2013 and appeared as a deck boss on the Discovery show in 78 episodes across seven years.  

His career was thrown into chaos when he was suspended from the show in 2017 due to struggles with alcohol and drug addiction that landed him in rehab.

At the height of his addiction, McGlashan was drinking a half-gallon of vodka and shooting up a gram of meth and heroin each day. 

In September 2016, he reportedly overdosed on heroin three times. 

McGlashan, a seventh-generation fisherman and crabber, appeared on 78 episodes of the Discovery Channel reality series from 2013 to 2020

The father-of-two suffered from alcohol and drug addiction for years, but got clean in 2017

McGlashan later admitted himself to rehab and got clean in 2017, before going on to use his experience to inspire others to stay sober.

'All I ever wanted to do was be a fisherman, and I lost that,' he told the Anchorage Daily News in May of that year. 'I lost the ability to work at sea because I forgot how to live on land.'

He also opened up about his struggles in a recent Chosen Magazine article, in which he said: 'My life went from Bering Sea badass to full-blown junkie very rapidly. Hidden from me was that passion I had for life.

'Taken from me was my ability to live. I was at war with my addiction and it was winning.'

McGlashan characterized his mind, body, and spirit as being 'so diseased' that he 'welcomed' the idea of his own death.

'To say I was lost would be an understatement. I was broken and soulless. I was living without any hope of happiness. All I wanted was to stay loaded.

'Every bit of happiness stripped away by a powerful, cunning, and baffling disease.'

Clayton Gore credits McGlashan for helping him get sober. They're pictured with Mahlon Reyes who died last year from a heart attack

In one of his last tweets before his death, McGlashan wrote about his 'trauma' on December 9

Cast member Clayton Gore spoke to the Sun about how McGlashan helped him achieve sobriety.   

'Nick was the biggest motivator in the sober community. He helped me find the sober life.

'He wanted to help and pick up anyone that wanted to be sober. He was the light in the darkness for people.'

In one of his last tweets before his death, dated December 9, McGlashan tweeted about his 'trauma'. 

'Trauma be making me fall asleep randomly. It also wakes me up randomly. Navigate carefully,' he wrote.  

McGlashan's passing marks the eighth tragic death linked to Deadliest Catch in the past decade, coming five months after deckhand Mahlon Reyes died from a heart attack in July.

Fishing in the Bering Sea is notoriously dangerous, with perilous and icy waters putting boats at high risk of capsizing as their crews wrangle heavy equipment on deck.

But as with McGlashan and Reyes, many of the deaths surrounding Deadliest Catch did not take place on the sea.

THE OTHER SEVEN DEADLIEST CATCH CAST MEMBERS WHO'VE DIED SINCE THE SHOW BEGAN 

Mahlon Reyes 

Mahlon Reyes

Reyes' death aged 38 'completely shocked' the family, as he did not suffer from any known pre-existing health conditions.

He was pronounced dead at a hospital in his hometown of Whitefish, Montana, soon after suffering a 'massive heart attack' on July 25.

Reyes, who last appeared on Deadliest Catch in 2015, was reportedly in the recovery process from a torn Achilles tendon, which he suffered while crabbing.

He was planning on going back to Alaska for the beginning of the next fishing season.

To honor his memory, Reyes' wife revealed she and his Deadliest Catch crew made plans to spread some of his ashes in the Bering Sea. 

Blake Painter 

Blake Painter

Before Reyes, former Deadliest Catch captain Blake Painter was found dead at his home in Astoria, Oregon, in May 2018. 

Authorities never released a specific cause of death for painter, but TMZ reported that a number of drugs were found near his body, including heroin, meth and the prescription painkiller Tramadol.  

His death was rumored to be from an accidental overdose after police found no evidence of foul play. 

Joe McMahon

Joe McMahon

Joe McMahon, who served as an associate producer on nine episodes of Deadliest Catch in 2013, was shot and killed aged 24 near his parents' California home in July of 2015.  

The LA Sheriff's Office determined that he was killed in a murder suicide after the suspected shooter was found dead in his car with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

Reports at the time suggested that McMahon had gone outside to investigate a noise coming from the street when he was shot. 

Witnesses reported hearing seven gunshots followed by the sound of a car driving away.  

Investigators later identified McMahon's killer as 24-year-old Brandon Rafiepour. They did not say how the pair knew each other.  

Tony Lara 

Tony Lara

Tony Lara, former captain of the Cornelia Marie, died aged 50 after suffering a heart attack while sleeping in Sturgis, South Dakota, in August 2015.  

Though he had only appeared in six episodes of Deadliest Catch, his death was felt deeply by members of the cast and crew.  

'No conversation was cut short. No call unreturned,' Lara's crew said in a statement after his death. 'When the Cornelia Marie needed him, he was quick to respond with a "When" and "Where." 

'He offered his support and his advice. He taught and he educated. At the end of the day, Tony made all of us just a little bit better.' 

Justin Tennison

Justin Tennison

Justin Tennison, a deckhand on the Time Bandit, died aged 33 in 2011 at a hotel room in Homer, Alaska, just four days after returning from sea. 

His death was ruled to be from complications with sleep apnea.  

'Justin was tough as a bull and was an all-around good hand,' the ship's crew said in a statement announcing the news. 

'The captains and crew appreciated his hard work and many contributions this past year. We will miss him terribly and wish his family all the best during this most difficult time.' 

Keith Anderson 

Keith Anderson

Keith Anderson, the father of Deadliest Catch star Jake Anderson, went missing in 2010 and his skeletal remains were found two years later in rural Washington state. 

His death was ruled a homicide but eight years later no one has been arrested.  

Deadliest Catch cameras captured the moment Jake Anderson learned that his father had gone missing, providing some of the most haunting scenes of the entire series. 

After Keith Anderson's body was recovered, his son spoke candidly on the show about how the trauma had motivated him to be the best fisherman possible.  

Phil Harris 

Phil Harris

Phil Harris, captain of the Cornelia Marie, died aged 53 in 2010 - ten days after suffering a stroke while unloading crab in Alaska. 

Immediately after the stroke Harris was transported to a hospital in Anchorage where he underwent surgery and was placed in a medically-induced coma. 

A little over a week later he was brought out of the coma and pronounced dead. 

Harris' son Josh opened up about his father's death in an interview with People at the time, revealing the comfort his family found in his final days.  

'We had nine days total that we were there to enjoy a few moments with him,' Josh said. 'We had our closest people there, and it was awesome.'