Ben Kissel Left 'LPLH' and is Focusing on His Mental and Physical Health

The Gist:

• Ben Kissel has been absent from The Last Podcast on the Left since around September 2023.
• His fellow hosts said that he is taking time away from the show to focus on his mental and physical health and reportedly later revealed he would no longer be on the show.
• Ben is also facing allegations that he was abusive and mistreated a woman during their relationship, although it's unclear whether those allegations are connected to his absence from the show.

On any great podcast, the chemistry between the hosts is key. It's what makes you want to listen for hours on end and establishes a certain feeling of comfort between the listeners and the shows they love. The Last Podcast on the Left (LPOTL) has earned a dedicated following in part thanks to the chemistry between its hosts, which is part of the reason so many people noticed when host Ben Kissel went missing from the show.

Ben was hosting the show alongside Marcus Parks and Henry Zebrowski. Since he's been gone, fans can't help but wonder what happened to him. Here's what we know about Ben Kissel and why he's no longer on LPOTL.

During a September 2023 segment on LPOTL (Side Stories: Bullet in the Backseat), Marcus and Henry discussed Ben's absence from the show and said that he was in treatment and would be taking a break from his hosting duties.

“Ben is going into treatment but he will be back," the hosts shared, adding that he is “looking after his mental health and his physical health.” They emphasized the importance of seeking treatment, and said they had been concerned about Ben's health for "a minute."

"Sometimes we get wrapped up in it and we forget to take care of ourselves," they said. The show will continue as usual during Ben's absence, and Marcus and Henry said that they have a lineup of friends and family who will be filling in while he's out. “Mental health is not your fault but it is your responsibility,” they added.

Per Yahoo, it wasn't until October 2023 that Ben's fellow co-hosts announced via Instagram that he wouldn't be returning to the show.

Although Ben has yet to make any sort of public statement following these announcements, on Dec. 30, 2023, he shared a post via Instagram acknowledging the completion of what we’re assuming was a self-help course.

In the photo, Ben is holding a certificate of completion and in his post he writes, “I was really looking forward to sharing with you what I learned at my time in Passages on my show but unfortunately that never happened so here’s a few quotes from a book I read there. I was able to graduate a week before I actually left the program! The counsel I received was impactful beyond belief and many people I met are still friends today.”

In addition to the news that Ben would be stepping away from the show to focus on his mental and physical health, one of Ben's exes, who goes by @booboobirdie online, has made allegations about their time together. She has yet to refer to him by name, but has called this "podcaster" an alcoholic who mistreated her and said "you'll never get to drunkenly pin me to the bed and call me a pathetic f--king loser or stupid f--king b---h ever again."

In September 2023, she posted a video on TikTok addressing the allegations, although she again chose not to use any names. In her TikTok video, she discusses the way Ben's fans got her kicked off of Instagram. Clearly, then, the fan community around Ben has chosen to be fairly hostile in their interactions with her, and it's very possible that these allegations are part of the reason that Ben isn't on the show.