Why ‘MythBusters’ Stars Adam Savage And Jamie Hyneman Won’t Be Part Of The Science Channel Reboot

Fans of the Discovery Channel’s recently wrapped science hit, “MythBusters,” can already stop grieving the show's cancellation as it’s been confirmed the series will return on another channel. Although the show about applying the scientific method to common myths will be back on the air, it will have to limp on without its original hosts, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman.

When announcing the end of “MythBusters” in October, Rich Ross, president of the Discovery Channel, Science Channel and Animal Planet, made a statement about the show’s continued presence on the Science Channel. Now it seems that he didn’t know just how prophetic he was being.

“Adam and Jamie are enormous talents who have brought learning and science to the forefront of this network,” Ross told Variety at the time. “Their legacy will continue to live on over at Science Channel. The ‘MythBusters’ library will be moving over to Discovery’s sister network in 2016.”

While he was talking about reruns then, the Hollywood Reporter recently revealed that the network will air a rebooted version of the show after the conclusion of its reality competition “Search for the Next MythBusters.” The show will take a group of qualified potentials and put them through a series of myth-busting challenges that will ultimately decide who is worthy of picking up where the previous team left off after 14 seasons.

Currently, the Science Channel is looking for qualified applicants to join the crop of 15 potential hosts that will appear on “Search” at a yet undisclosed premiere date. Those who will be considered are described as naturally inquisitive with experience in building.

“When I got to the network, and we clearly identified ‘MythBusters’ as a franchise and something that was important to Science Channel and Discovery, and it was such a beloved show, I didn't want to let it go," says Marc Etkind, general manager of the Science Channel, in a statement Thursday. "So we looked really closely at what would be the best way to keep it going and invigorate it and thought, 'Let's host a worldwide search for the next ‘MythBusters.’”

According to SlashFilm, Savage and Hyneman explained to fans that they were choosing to step away from the show simply because the time had come, after 14 years, for them to go out on a high note while they still had good ideas for myths to bust.

Fortunately, retirement seems to be going well for Savage, at least, as he continues to work on stunning visual effects projects. On the duo’s web channel “Tested,” the 48-year-old fanboy constructed an authentic Hellboy costume that he used to anonymously walk the floor at the inaugural Silicon Valley Comic-Con in San Jose, California.