Below Deckhas been an entertaining franchise for years, but producers have made various errors that prove they don’t care about their cast members. While it’s expected for shows to be produced to some level, there have been times when the crew or guests' safety has been compromised for entertainment. Additionally,producer plants inBelow Deck Mediterraneanhave nearly ruined the show.
Below Deck Mediterraneanseason 9has highlighted the need to call out producers. Chef Johnathan “Jono” Shillingford, Elena “Ellie” Dubaich, andBri Muller might be producer plants. Additionally, there have been safety issues in the past that the franchise shouldn’t have ignored.Below Deck Sailing Yachtmight not return because ofGary King’s bad behavior. Here’s why producers don’t care about their cast.
8Producers Didn’t Fire Gary
He Faced Sexual Misconduct Allegations
One of production’s greatest sins was not firing Gary after his sexual misconduct allegations. Samantha Suarez, a makeup artist on the show, claimed that Gary assaulted her during filming in 2022. She alleged that after escorting Gary, who was very drunk, back to his hotel room, he grabbed her from behind and physically restrained her. She managed to escape, but she criticized the production team for failing to limit Gary’s alcohol intake and putting her in a dangerous situation.
Production prioritized Gary’s presence on the show over the safety of those on set, which is inexcusable.
AlthoughBelow Deckproducers investigated the incident,keeping Gary on the show was inexcusable. Gary initially accused Samantha of seeking attention, but he later deleted his comments on Instagram. Despite the controversy, Gary returned to filmBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 5, though he was pulled from attending BravoCon 2023 amid public backlash. He might get edited out of the season entirely or the new installment could get pulled, but production majorly messed up.
7Producers Kept Ashton On After Fight With Kate
His Behavior Was Scary And Caused Kate To Leave The Boat
Ashton Pienaar’s attack on Kate Chastain was shocking and inexcusable, but he wasn’t fired immediately after. The incident unfolded during a drunken night out where Ashton and several other crew members were partying. Ashton was super drunk and became increasingly aggressive as the night went on. Tensions escalated when Kate tried to leave the group, andAshton, in a shocking fit of anger, punched the window of the van they were riding in, shattering the glass.
Ashton then verbally lashed out at Kate in a moment where production should have stepped in, but they let the moment unfold for drama. Finally, production intervened. Kate was visibly shaken by Ashton’s behavior and later explained that she felt physically threatened by his outburst. She left the boat after the incident, citing her emotional distress over the toxic environment. However, Ashton wasn’t immediately dismissed.
6Producers Kept Lexi On After Attacking Fellow Crew Members
She Should’ve Been Fired Sooner
Lexi Wilson had several heated arguments with the crew, but it took forever for her to finally get fired because producers loved the drama. A major confrontation occurred during a crew night out where she insulted Chef Mathew Shea. She called him derogatory names, insulted his cooking, and even physically pushed him. This altercation should’ve gotten her fired, and while she was eventually dismissed, it was almost too little, too late.
Lexi was volatile many of the times she drank with the crew, and she was also consistently insubordinate and entitled as a stew onboard. Captain Sandy Yawn likes to give multiple chances, but it seems likely that production stepped in to continue the drama with Lexi until it became obvious that she couldn’t be onboard anymore. However,this was an issue of well-being with the other crew membersand wasn’t worth the drama.
5Charter Guest Brandy Shouldn’t Have Been Allowed On The Yacht
She Was Visibly Intoxicated
The incident involving charter guest Brandy onBelow Deckseason 7 was one of the most memorable moments in the series, but production should have intervened sooner. Brandy was part of a group of charter guests led by Helen Hoey. From the beginning, Brandy already seemed drunk. She arrived visibly intoxicated and continued drinking heavily throughout the trip, a definite red flag for the crew.
It’s theBelow Deckcrew’s job to ensure safety onboard, and Brandy should’ve never gotten on the yacht.
As the day progressed,Brandy’s condition deteriorated, and she became incoherent, unable to sit up straight, and slurred her speech. At one point, she wandered away from the group during a beach picnic, causing Captain Lee Rosbach and the crew to become seriously concerned. Captain Lee ultimately decided to get a doctor onboard. Brandy was diagnosed with extreme dehydration and overconsumption of alcohol. The doctor provided her with fluids, and she later recovered. However, she should never have been allowed onboard.
4The Addition Of Alleged Producer Plants
It’s Hard To Tell What’s Real On The Show
The addition of alleged producer plants on the show decreases trust in theBelow Deckfranchise’s process and authenticity. Chef Jono nearly killed a guest with an allergy midway through the charter season by serving raw seafood, Bri Muller couldn’t figure out how to do the laundry, and Ellie stirred up unnecessary trouble with lead deckhand Joe Bradley and Chief Stew Aesha Scott. Meanwhile, Captain Sandy allowed everybody to stay onboard amidst chaos, which feels staged.
All reality TV shows are produced to some degree, butBelow Deckmay have taken it too far. There’s enough drama on the show without casting producer plants to enhance the entertainment value. TheBelow Deckproducers don’t care about the real cast memberswho are trying to do their job and provide entertainment authentically. The producer plants are damaging to the franchise.
3The Jean-Luc & Dani Pregnancy
They Exploited Dani’s Pain
The pregnancy scandal involving Jean-Luc Cerza Lanaux and Dani Soares fromBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 2 became a major source of drama, and production had a heyday. While onboard, the two developed a romantic relationship that was complicated by Jean-Luc’s immaturity, since he was only 24. Although their relationship had ups and downs, it culminated in Dani getting pregnant. In April 2021,Dani announced her pregnancy on social media, though she didn’t initially share the father’s identity.
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Jean-Luc publicly questioned whether he was the fatherand insisted on a paternity test. Dani, who gave birth to her daughter, Lilly, in May 2021, maintained that Jean-Luc was the father. She also added that Jean-Luc wasn’t involved in Lilly’s life. In January 2022,Jean-Luc confirmed that a paternity testhad proven he was Lilly’s father. He acknowledged his role publicly and expressed a desire to be part of his daughter’s life going forward. Despite this, Dani appears to be a single mother.
2Unsafe Men Were Cast For The Show
Production Prioritized Drama Over Safety
Unsafe men were consistently cast for theBelow Deckfranchise. Gary was an uncontrollable alcoholic who allegedly assaulted a makeup artist and got away with it. It took forever for production to fire Ashton, even after he threatened Kate. Peter Hunziker was fired mid-season after Bravo became aware of a racist social media post he made. During his time on the show, there were already complaints about his sexist comments and dismissive behavior toward female colleagues, particularly toward Malia White.
The examples keep going.Bosun Luke Jones' behavior led to one of the most shocking momentsinBelow Deckhistory. After a night of heavy drinking, he climbed into bed with a sleeping Margot Sisson without her consent. Luckily, this led to his immediate dismissal from the show. The incident raised serious concerns about safety for women on the yachts that still haven’t been addressed, since Gary was never fired and even allegedly filmedBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 5.
1Production Doesn’t Always Interfere When Needed
They Don’t Care About The Cast
Overall,Below Deck’s production has proven that they don’t always interfere when needed for the sake of drama. The Ashton and Kate situation is the most notorious, but there are more. InBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 5, Malia White’s decision to report Hannah Ferrier’s prescription medication to Captain Sandy led to Hannah’s firing. Production should have mediated the issue more openly before it turned into a controversial plot line.
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Jean-Luc’s situation with Dani is another painful example of this neglected responsibility. Production should have helped facilitate a conversation between the two to prevent the situation from escalating publicly. As another example, Rhylee Gerber endured bullying and hostile behavior from her male crewmates, particularly from Ashton and the other deckhands. The aggressive and sexist behavior went unchecked, and production should have stepped in. Given all the evidence, it’s clearBelow Deckproduction doesn’t care about the cast and crew’s well-being.
Below Deck Mediterraneanairs on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo and streams the next day on Peacock.
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.
