Summary
There are many controversialBelow Deckcast members who should return to the franchise despite their reputations.Below Deckis infamous for its unique format, which highlights the lives of the crew working on superyachts. Crew members typically get fired or leave their superyachts for varying reasons. Throughout theBelow Deckfranchise, there have been crew members who stand out from the rest for being highly controversial. It can bedifficult for the crew to keep up with the demands of working on a superyachtwhile juggling the pressure of filming a reality series.
Reality shows arenotorious for casting complex characterson their show, with theBelow Deckfranchise included. Some of those people can return to their shows, while others have been blacklisted.Ben Willoughby is the villain ofBelow Deckseason 11, and he’s disliked for his lack of accountability. However, just because acrew member exhibits villainous behavior, it doesn’t mean they should be exiled from the franchise. There have been crew members who do not exhibit questionable behavior but have taken time away from the show.
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8Kate Chastain
Below Deck Seasons 2-7
Kate Chastain is the most recognizable person from theBelow Deckfranchise. She worked alongside Captain Lee Rosbach fromBelow Deckseasons 2 to 7. Some believeChief Stew Kate was the worstand had a sour attitude. Kate took her job as chief stew seriously, which came off as combative and dismissive at times. In 2016, she was arrested for an alleged assault that involved her ex-girlfriend, though the charges were dropped. It was a huge story at the time, butKate has since moved on from the case.
After season 7, Kate moved onfrom the show. She’s expanded her businesses, appeared on other reality TV shows, and had a son. It’s unlikely that Kate would return toBelow Deck, but it would certainly make headlines if she did. Kate is still a beloved crew member of the franchise despite her dismissive work style. She’s been present in theBelow Deckuniverse since exiting the show,starring in the rewatch seriesBelow Deck Galley Talk.Kate will never be able to get rid of herBelow Deckroots, so she might as well return to the show.
7Dave White
Below Deck Mediterranean Season 7
Dave White was the chef duringBelow Deck Medseason 7. He was an appropriate chef, but his controversy came from outside the kitchen.Chef Dave had a secret relationship with Chief Stew Natasha Webbduring the season. She didn’t want to tell the rest of the crew about their relationship, and he threatened to reveal their secret. Because of all the drama, his cooking started to suffer. Despite it all, Captain Sandy Yawn said Chef Dave was “the best chef” she had onBelow Deck Med.
6Ryan Mckeown
Below Deck Down Under Season 1
Captain Jason Chambers fired Chef Ryan Mckeown fromBelow Deck Down Underseason 1 for many reasons. Chef Ryan was rather disrespectful to his fellow crew members and captains alike. He did not greet the guests when they came onto the charter and lacked the basic skills every chef should have.Chef Ryan was not prepared for his appearance onBelow Deck Down Underseason 1. With some more practice and a more positive attitude, Chef Ryan could return and excel as a chef on a superyacht.
5Kyle Viljoen
Below Deck Mediterranean Seasons 7 & 8
Kyle Viljoen knew how to stir up the dramaonBelow Deck Med. He first appeared inBelow Deck Medseason 7 and exited because of an injury. Captain Sandy invited him back for season 8 of the spin-off, and he ignitedTumi Mhlongo and Natalya Scudder’s feudbefore they stepped foot on Mustique. As a friend to both women, Kyle talked about them to each other. Before Kyle and Tumi made it onto the superyacht, he warned her about Natalya. Their relationship was tainted from that point, moving forward.
Naturally, Tumi and Natalya clashed when they first met. The pair couldn’t get on the same page throughoutBelow Deck Medseason 8. Kyle made things worse as he continued to text Tumi and Natalya about each other. He told Natalya what Tumi was saying about her behind closed doors. There was no reason for Kyle to meddle in their relationship. However,he’s since mended his relationship with Natalya, meaning he could come back toBelow Deckwith her sometime in the future. Kyle needs a break from the franchise for now, but not forever.
4Lexi Wilson
Below Deck Mediterranean Season 6
Lexi Wilson was not the best crew memberonBelow Deckseason 6. She was highly controversial for her treatment of the rest of the cast. Lexi disrespected Chief Stew Katie Flood and Bosun Malia White andgot into a physical fight with Deckhand Mzi Dempers. When she started drinking, her behavior got worse. Lexi revealed that three months before her leaving to filmBelow Deck Medseason 6, her father died. She was likely struggling with his death and didn’t know how to cope. Her actions aren’t justifiable, but she still deserves a second chance on the show.
3Lara Flumiani
Below Deck Mediterranean Season 5
Lara Flumiani is one ofBelow Beck Med’smost forgettable crew membersbecause she was only on the show for three episodes. As a second stew, she butted heads with Chief Stew Hannah Ferrier during her short stint on the show. Lara didn’t get along with anyone, and Hannah begged Captain Sandy to step in.She randomly left the boat in the middle of the nightand came back, only to quit the next morning. Since leavingBelow Deck Med, she’s stayed in the yachting industry, so her return to the franchise may be inevitable.
2Ashton Pienaar
Below Deck Seasons 6 & 7
Ashton Pienaar became a fan-favorite crew member onBelow Deckseason 6 after his foot got caught in a tow line, and he was dragged into the ocean. His near-death experience was one of the scariest moments in the show. He was invited back forBelow Deckseason 7 as Bosun, but it was much different from his first time around. Ashton’s biggest flaw was his behavior when drinking.He became very aggressive when drunk, andhe didn’t get along with Chief Stew Kate. Since the season, he’s become sober. If Ashton maintains his sobriety, he could return toBelow Deck.
1Hannah Ferrier
Below Deck Mediterranean Seasons 1-5
Hannah is the best Chief StewBelow Deck Medhas had. She served as Captain Sandy’s Chief Stew for the first five seasons of the spin-off. While Kate coinedBelow Deck, Hannah left her stamp onBelow Deck Med. She is one of the most popular reality stars to emerge from the franchise, but she had an abrupt controversial exit. DuringBelow Deck Medseason 5,Captain Sandy fired Hannahwhen she found outshe had a vape pen and Valium onboard with no prescription.
Her exit fromBelow Deck Medwas a devastating blow for the series.Captain Sandy has been unable to find a resident replacementfor Hannah. Instead of trying to replace her, Captain Sandy could rehire the former Chief Stew. This would undoubtedly increase the show’s ratings. However, like Kate, it’s unlikely that Hannah will come back to the show. She started a podcast, got married, had a daughter, and appeared inThe TraitorsAustraliaseason 2. It would be game-changing if Hannah came back, but it probably won’t happen.
There are many former controversialBelow Deckcast members that should come back to the franchise. From fan favorites like Kate and Hannah to former crew who deserve another chance like Ashton and Kyle, there’s a plethora of people to choose from.Below Deckshould tap some of these yachties to reappear in one of their many franchises.
Below Deckairs Mondays at 9 p.m. EDT on Bravo.
Below Deck
Below Deck is a popular reality TV franchise that focuses on a group of crew members as they work on luxurious yachts and cater to their client’s needs. After the original series proved to be a success, Bravo developed a handful of spinoff shows including Below Deck Selling Yacht, Below Deck Adventure, Below Deck Down Under, and Below Deck Mediterranean.
