Tickle Breaks His Silence: The Moonshiners Star Finally Reveals What Really Happened After He Vanished

For years, fans of Discovery Channel’s Moonshiners have wondered what happened to Steven Ray Tickle — the rowdy, quick-witted, and unpredictable fan favorite who brought chaos and laughter to every still site he touched.

Known simply as “Tickle,” he was a defining personality of the show, embodying the rebel spirit of Appalachian moonshining.

But after years of fame, legal trouble, and vanishing from the spotlight, Tickle has finally broken his silence — and what he revealed has left fans stunned.

It all began early this week, when Tickle appeared in a surprise livestream filmed near his home in rural Virginia.

Looking thinner, older, and more reflective than fans remembered, he addressed the rumors that have circulated for years about his health, legal struggles, and relationship with Moonshiners.

“There’s been a lot said about me,” he began, his Southern drawl unmistakable.

“Some of it’s true, some of it’s not.

But I reckon it’s time folks heard it from me.”

Tickle’s announcement marked the first time he has publicly spoken since quietly stepping away from the show in late 2022.

Rumors of relapse, jail time, and even his death had spread across social media in his absence.

Now, sitting on the porch of what looked like a small cabin, he seemed ready to set the record straight.

“I ain’t dead,” he said with a grin, “and I ain’t done with life neither.

I’ve had my share of bad days, but I’m still standing.

Maybe not where I thought I’d be, but I’m here.”

Tickle went on to describe how fame from Moonshiners had both elevated and destroyed parts of his life.

“When the cameras first came around, I thought it was all fun — just me being me, making shine, having a laugh.

But that kind of fame… it changes folks.

It changed me, too,” he admitted.

“Next thing you know, everybody’s watching, judging, wanting a piece of you.

And when you stumble — and I sure did stumble — they don’t forget.”

For long-time fans, his words echoed what many insiders have said about him for years.

Known for his easy charm but unpredictable behavior, Tickle became both a breakout star and a cautionary tale.

His repeated arrests between 2013 and 2019 — for public intoxication, illegal possession, and probation violations — painted a picture of a man at war with himself.

Yet every time, fans rooted for his comeback.

His relationship with fellow moonshiner Tim Smith also came up during the livestream.

“Tim’s like a brother to me,” Tickle said with emotion in his voice.

“We’ve had our fights, sure, but that man’s done more for me than I deserve.

He never gave up on me, even when I gave up on myself.”

Tickle revealed that after leaving Moonshiners, he spent much of his time rebuilding his life and reconnecting with his family.

“I had to get away,” he explained.

“I was tired of being the punchline, tired of waking up every day wondering what headline I’d see about myself.

So I went back home — really home.

Started fixing things, working with my hands again, staying sober.”

Viewers watching the stream flooded the chat with supportive comments, many expressing relief that their favorite outlaw was alive and seemingly healthy.

“We missed you, Tickle!” one wrote.

Another added, “You don’t owe anyone anything, brother.

You gave us years of entertainment.”

When asked if he planned to return to Moonshiners, Tickle paused for a long moment before answering.

“I don’t know,” he finally said.

“I ain’t saying never.

But if I come back, it’ll be on my terms — not as a joke, not as a headline.

Just me, doing what I love.”

He also hinted that he’s been working on something new: a small-scale project documenting real Appalachian life without the filters of TV production.

“It ain’t about fame anymore,” he said.

“It’s about truth — real people, real stories, real shine.”

As his livestream drew to a close, Tickle grew quiet.

“I know I let people down,” he said softly.

“I let myself down too.

But life’s funny.

You can’t fix what’s gone, but you can build something new if you’ve got the guts to start again.”

His confession left fans emotional — a rare glimpse into the man behind the laughter and wild antics.

In a culture that glamorizes rebellion, Tickle’s honesty cut through the noise.

He wasn’t a caricature anymore; he was human — flawed, scarred, and fighting to stay grounded.

Since the livestream, his name has once again trended online, but this time, the tone is different.

Instead of gossip or scandal, fans are sharing messages of hope.

“Tickle’s still out there, still fighting,” one user wrote.

“That’s all that matters.”

While Discovery has yet to comment on whether the network will feature Tickle again, insiders suggest the door isn’t closed.

“Tickle has always been part of Moonshiners’ DNA,” a former producer said.

“He’s the reason so many people fell in love with the show in the first place.

If he’s truly ready to tell his story, people will listen.”

For now, Steven Ray Tickle’s unexpected comeback feels less like a headline and more like redemption.

From the chaotic highs of reality TV fame to the quiet stillness of a Virginia porch, he’s seen it all — and somehow lived to tell the tale.

As the sun set behind him in the final moments of his broadcast, he smiled one last time and said, “They warned y’all about me.

Maybe this time, you’ll listen.”