Overview of An Important Announcement from Ashley Flowers
Ashley Flowers shares that she is stepping back from hosting and executive-producing The Deck after four and a half years. She explains that the show was born from a desire to spotlight underreported cold cases, and she reflects on how much impact the team has had—bringing new attention, resources, and hope to families. While The Deck will continue through the end of the summer, Ashley says she needs to focus more of her time on Crime Junkie, her philanthropic work, and her family.
What the Announcement Means
Ashley is leaving The Deck
- She says it is time for her to “fold her hand,” a poker-themed pun fitting the show’s cold-case card concept.
- Her departure is driven by workload and life balance, not a lack of commitment to the show’s mission.
The reason for the change
- Both Crime Junkie and The Deck require:
- deep research
- rigorous reporting
- storyboarding
- asset collection
- fact-checking and review
- She emphasizes that producing each weekly episode takes months and that she wants to maintain the quality and standards listeners expect.
Family is a major factor
- Ashley notes that her daughter was born just before The Deck launched, and now she wants more time to be present as her child grows.
- She says she can’t freeze time and wants to make space to witness more of her daughter’s life.
Impact and Achievements of The Deck
What the show accomplished
Over four and a half years, Ashley says the team:
- traveled across the country
- worked with dozens of agencies and hundreds of families
- helped fund new cold-case decks
- encouraged agencies to revisit files left untouched for decades
- contributed to real movement in investigations
Why she’s proud
- The show helped bring new information and hope to families who had gone years without either.
- She credits the broader Audiochuck team for building a show that reached millions of listeners each week.
What Happens Next
The Deck is not ending immediately
- New episodes will continue through the end of the summer.
Crime Junkie continues
- Ashley says she will remain on Crime Junkie every Monday.
- She reassures listeners that she will continue bringing rigorously reported stories that can drive real change.
Key Takeaway
This is a thoughtful transition announcement: Ashley is stepping back from The Deck to better focus on her family and core work, while celebrating the show’s meaningful impact on cold cases and the people connected to them.