What happened to Rick Ness’ face? Gold Rush star Rick Ness has drawn attention due to noticeable changes in his facial appearance, especially his nose. Since his return in Season 14, fans have speculated about changes in his appearance, citing factors such as alleged cosmetic surgery and stress to possible effects of substance use and mental health struggles.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Rick Ness’ face appearance changed after his hiatus after Season 12 of Gold Rush and returned for Season 14, with the change in appearance being noticeable by Season 15.
- Rumours have been circulating online claiming he underwent cosmetic surgery and faced past substance use and emotional struggles following his mother’s death from cancer in 2018.
- Rick Ness has not addressed speculations concerning his facial transformation.
Profile summary
|
Real name |
Rick Ness |
|
Gender |
Male |
|
Date of birth |
5 March 1981 |
|
Age |
44 years old (as of 2025) |
|
Zodiac sign |
Pisces |
|
Place of birth |
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States |
|
Nationality |
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States |
|
Ethnicity |
White |
|
Religion |
|
|
Sexuality |
Straight |
|
Height in feet |
6′ |
|
Height in centimetres |
183 |
|
Weight in pounds |
172 |
|
Weight in kilograms |
78 |
|
Hair colour |
Blonde |
|
Eye colour |
Blue |
|
Mother |
Judy Marie Bedard Ness |
|
Father |
Richard Ness |
|
1 |
|
|
Relationship status |
Single |
|
School |
Escanaba Area High School |
|
Profession |
Gold miner, reality TV personality, former musician |
|
Net worth |
$3 million |
|
|
@thebigrickness |
What happened to Rick Ness’ face?
Gold Rush, star Rick Ness’ face, appeared noticeably different upon his return for season 15. The gold miner had taken a break from the show following a brief hiatus after season 12. This visible transformation, particularly to his nose, immediately sparked rumours among viewers.
One prevailing speculation is that the changes are a result of stress and mental health struggles following the death of his mother. Judy Marie Bedard Ness passed away in 2018 after battling cancer. In an exclusive September 2023 interview with People, Ness acknowledged:
I was having some mental health issues. There were a lot of things going on. I’m a gold miner, with the stigma there. I don’t really ask for help, you know what I mean? I’ve always been that way.
Source: Original
Ness also faced significant financial struggles after a decade in the mining industry, which led to the closure of his Yukon mine. According to TV Insider, he sold his mother’s house to rebuild his life and fund his comeback.
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Given the noticeable change to his nose, fans have also speculated about past drug use, some of which can damage nasal tissues. While Rick has been open about personal issues in his past, he has not directly linked this to his appearance. In a statement on Facebook, he shared:
As many of you know, I’ve had a rough couple of years dealing with stuff, personal issues, things that probably a lot of people can relate to. I made some bad decisions, and ultimately, it cost me a year in mining.
Rick Ness’ age and family background
Source: UGC
Rick Ness is 44 years old as of December 2025. The gold miner was born on 5 March 1981. His zodiac sign is Pisces.
Rick Ness was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Richard “Rick” Ness Sr. and Judy Marie Bedard. His parents ran a commercial construction company, Roy Ness Contracting and Sales Inc. Ness’ mother passed away in 2018 after battling cancer. He has a twin brother, Randy Ness, who works as a mechanic in the family business.
Rick Ness’ career before and after joining Gold Rush
Rick Ness is a Gold miner, reality TV personality, and former musician. He is currently a gold miner on Discovery’s TV show Gold Rush. Ness met Gold Rush reality star Parker Schnabel during one of his music tours in 2006 in Alaska. He joined the show in Season 3 and launched his own operation after Season 8.
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Source: UGC
Before joining Gold Rush, Ness was a musician. He was the bass guitarist for the .357 String Band alongside Derek W. Dunn, Joe Huber, Billy Cook, and Jayke Orvis. The band released albums like Ghost Town (2006) and Fire & Hail (2008), and Lightening from The North (2010).
What happened to Rick Ness in season 13?
Rick Ness took a deliberate hiatus from mining during Gold Rush Season 13, which aired from September 2022. He later confirmed the break was due to him grappling with mental health issues and pressure following his mother’s death in 2018. In an exclusive September 2023 interview with People, Ness stated:
I was having some mental health issues. There were a lot of things going on. And so I just thought I’d deal with it myself and try to figure it out, which is tough when you don’t know what you’re dealing with.
Source: UGC
The reality star returned briefly to explain his time off after episodes like A Seismic Shift and Searching for Rick Ness highlighted his initial disappearance. Ness focused on personal recovery rather than competing, and he returned stronger in Season 14.
The TV personality sold his mother’s house to fund a comeback, using secondhand equipment and partnering with Brian “Zee” Zaremba.
Rick Ness’ engagement and split from Leese Marie
Rick Ness is not married and has never been married. The TV personality was in a long-term relationship with Leese Marie, who appeared on Gold Rush Season 12 as part of his crew. The two started dating around 2013 and went public in 2020.
The couple got engaged in October 2022. However, their relationship, which Ness admitted was marked by infidelity, ended when they broke off their engagement in February 2024.
Following the breakup, Leese Marie publicly shared on Instagram that the end of the relationship was due to his alleged drugs use and prostitutes. According to Nick Swift, she posted:
After 3 years of constant cheating and lying, I never learned, but after finding out that he did it again today, I can officially say that I have learned my lesson. I will never be able to win over his addiction to drugs and prostitutes.
FAQs
- Who is Rick Ness? He is an American gold miner, reality TV star, and former musician who appears on Discovery’s Gold Rush.
- How old is Rick Ness? The gold miner is 44 years old as of December 2025. He was born on 5 March 1981.
- What did Rick Ness do to his face? The TV personality has noticeable changes in his facial appearance, sparking speculation about surgery, stress, or drug abuse.
- Why does Rick Ness look different now? He looks different now due to his nasal alteration.
- Is Rick Ness married? Rick Ness is not married and keeps his personal life private, with no public records of a spouse or current partner.
- Which Gold Rush star was found dead? One of the people who died on the Gold Rush mining was Jesse Goins, a crew member who died in 2020 from a heart attack.
- Who is Rick Ness’ wife? He is not married and appears to be single as of December 2025.
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Rick Ness’ face has sparked intense speculation among Gold Rush fans due to changes in his appearance upon his return in Season 15. While rumours swirl about cosmetic surgery, drug abuse, and depression after his mother died in 2018, he has not confirmed or denied the rumours.
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