‘Below Deck Down Under’ Producers Prevented an Assault – but This Isn’t the Only Time They’ve Stepped In
Below Deck Down Under producers intervened when a naked male crew member tried to forcibly lay in an unconscious female crew member’s bunk. They also had to demand that a female crew member leave the bunk of a male crew member – this was after he asked her to leave several times.
Chief stew Aesha Scott ultimately ended up staying with the female crew member to ensure her safety. Captain Jason Chambers fired both offending crew members the next day.
Several fans praised Scott and Chambers for insisting upon a safe workspace. Plus, in light of the current chatter about reality star protections and possible legal action, producers were also commended for stepping in.
But this isn’t the first time Below Deck producers have stepped in when a situation escalated or became dangerous. Below Deck Mediterranean executive producer Nadine Rajabi, who is also the EP of Down Under has said in the past she won’t tolerate dangerous circumstances whatsoever.
‘Below Deck Med’ producers stepped in during season 6
When Below Deck Med Season 6 aired, Rajabi hinted that she had to stop something potentially dangerous from occurring.
“Something happens this season, which we don’t show,” she said on the Melissa Rivers’ Group Text podcast. “Where I’ve had to go out and stop the situation. So there’s a lot of times like that where I will not tolerate that. And it’s not OK. It’s unacceptable and those are the times when I will step in and go this isn’t OK or you’ve got to let people go in those situations.”
She added that she won’t tolerate violence of any kind. “No violence,” she said. “Never violence. Racism, sexism. Any of those things. There’s times where I’ve been prepared if there’s somebody that I feel is too drunk and they’re in danger. I’ve been prepared where I’ve gone out and I’m like hey get out of the jacuzzi this is not OK.”
What situation forced ‘Below Deck Med’ producers to intervene?
Stew Lexi Wilson aggressively came after deckhand Mzi “Zee” Dempers in the crew mess during a drunken night on Below Deck Med Season 6. Chief stew Katie Flood recalled how production put an end to it.
“Production actually stepped in,” Flood said during the Below Deck Med Season 6 reunion. “Yeah, because it was getting so out of hand. They actually stepped in and like lost our sh*t like, “This is not what we are about.’ And if it goes any further I’m pretty sure Lexi would have been removed straight away. But I guess she reined it in at that point.”
Bosun Malia White, who also dealt with backlash from Wilson added, “If anything she was edited nicely that night. She was much worse.”
‘Below Deck’ production member explains that producers make safety a priority
Below Deck hair and makeup artist, Natalie Castillo, who also worked on the production side, said she’s gotten in the middle when crew have fought in the past. Chef Adam Glick came for bosun Wesley Walton on Below Deck Med Season 2 and production swiftly intervened.
“They’re fighting, and I have to go in between everybody because I’m really strict about the fourth wall,” she told Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “If we’re out and about I don’t know you, I’m just here supervising. But, of course, there’s fights, then, of course, we intervene. Like, this isn’t what our show is about.”
Producers also stay close to the crew when they venture out on their night off. “If a cast member is going by herself to the bathroom, we’re not going to send a camera to go follow her to the bathroom unless there’s another girl going with her,” she shared. “So what I’ll do is if nobody’s going to go with her, I’ll go with her to the bathroom. I’m not walking right beside her. I’m kind of, like, stalking her [laughs] just to make sure she’s safe. And then I have my walkie.”
