Which ‘Below Deck’ and ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Cast Members Used To Date?
Two Bravo shows crossed like ships in the night when Aleks Taldykin from Below Deck and Kristen Doute from Vanderpump Rules briefly dated.
Taldykin who was the first officer on Below Deck Season 1 made a few appearances on Vanderpump Rules, usually as Doute’s “plus one.” The two started dating shortly after Doute broke up with James Kennedy and was fired from SUR.
She told Bravo’s The Daily Dish in 2015 about her connection with Taldykin. “Aleks and I had been friends for a year and a half,” Doute said. “I was really desperate for a serving job so I asked Aleks if he would hire me. Clearly my balance isn’t the greatest and shouldn’t be working on a boat [she laughs].” She added, “No, but seriously, we have been great friends and once I became single he asked me, very gentlemanly on a date!”
Kristen Doute and Aleks Taldykin remained friends
Their relationship on the show never seemed to be passionate, but instead more cordial. When Taldykin arrived to pick up Doute for a date, he seemed nervous and almost awkward. Of course, the line of questioning coming from Stassi Schroeder didn’t make him feel at ease either.
“Should I ask you awkward questions,” Schroeder said to Taldykin during an episode. Adding, “Like how many times have you guys had sex?” That’s when Taldykin turned bright red and looked ready to dash.
The romance remained more in the friendzone and Doute admitted she wasn’t sure what she wanted from a partner. “I didn’t really know what I wanted. I knew what I didn’t want. That’s really all I had to go on because I’d never really been single ever in my life,” she told Bravo’s The Daily Dish in 2016. “This whole summer to me was navigating those waters of not having a boyfriend and not having someone around 24/7 and meeting new people.”
Other Bravo shows have had crossover moments
Cast members from Southern Charm, Vanderpump Rules, and Summer House have also crossed paths. “Summer House, Southern Charm and Vanderpump Rules cross at times,” Scheana Shay explained during the Vanderpump Rules After Show.
Shay had a “near-miss” hookup encounter with Shep Rose from Southern Charm at Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright’s wedding. Shay said Rose was just too drunk so the two did not hookup.
“That was definitely an intention,” she said. “We hooked up like a year before that. Never had sex. Did not sleep together. He’s not the best at rounding all the bases. By the time he gets to second, going onto to third base he’s too drunk to remember what he’s doing.”
Southern Charm met Summer House when Craig Conover briefly dated Jules Daoud last season. Conover, Shep Rose, and Austen Kroll visited the Summer House crew, which is when Conover and Daoud made a connection. The relationship, while casual, fizzled when Conover ghosted Daoud.
“You know I’m dating someone new now,” Conover on the WWHL After Show. “We had a lot of fun. But [Daoud] actually just texted me that she was coming to Charleston and unfortunately I did not text her back because I did not think that would be appropriate.”
