‘Below Deck’: Is Kate Chastain Returning to the Show?

There are certain names that have become synonymous with certain Bravo shows. NeNe Leakes is synonymous with The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Lisa Vanderpump is synonymous with Vanderpump Rules, and Kate Chastain was once synonymous with Below Deck. But last year, Chastain left the show. What would it take to bring the former chief stewardess back to Below Deck?

Kate Chastain’s exit from ‘Below Deck’

Chastain definitely paid her dues at Bravo. She spent six seasons as chief stewardess on the show before calling it quits. She announced her exit on Instagram.

“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, I have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new land-based role,” she wrote, mimicking Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s royal exit announcement. “I intend to step back as a senior member of the Below Deck family and work to become financially independent while continuing to fully support His Majesty Andy Cohen.”

What is Kate Chastain doing now?

Chastain now has two shows on Bravo. She is one of the co-hosts of the new late-night talk show, Bravo’s Chat Room, along with Porsha Williams, Hannah Berner, and Giselle Bryant. She also appears on Galley Talk, a new show where Below Deck alums break down the current season of the show and give their takes.

“‘Galley Talk’ has just been such a treat to do because it’s the best of all the worlds,” Chastain recently told HollywoodLife. “I’m getting to watch Captain Lee and Eddie and Rachel who I all know on ‘Below Deck’ and with Connie who I have known forever, while sitting on the couch, sharing my opinion. I thought it was maybe going to be awkward to watch this season after I left, so I was a little nervous, so I feel like this really was the best way to do it.”

Fans might think that watching Below Deck would make Chastain miss her old job, but actually it’s quite the opposite.

 “I thought it would be weird to watch but turns out, this is even better, drinking a glass of wine on my couch. If anything I just watch and go, ‘Gosh, that was so much work,'” she said.

Would Kate Chastain return to ‘Below Deck’?

Though Chastain is not looking to return to the role of chief stew in the near future, she would do it if Captain Lee needed her.

“If it was Captain Lee and it was a one charter only emergency situation, I’d say yes, but otherwise, I think I’d prefer to go back to the yachting world as a charting guest,” she said of if she’d return to the role.

But fans may still get to see Chastain on Below Deck in the future, just as a guest this time.

“After this past year, I just miss traveling so much and I am ready for it,” she told the outlet. “And watching this season of ‘Below Deck’ on ‘Galley Talk,’ one thing I really, really missed is gosh the Caribbean waters looked gorgeous. I’m ready for a vacation here in 2021 for sure.”