Former Below Deck Mediterranean star Hannah Ferrier was recently in the news for shading current Below Deck Mediterranean chief stew Natasha Webb. Ferrier told Showbiz Cheat Sheet that she felt the chief stews shown on the series since she's left haven't been entertaining, including Webb. She said, "The one that’s on there now [Webb] doesn’t seem like… Like she could be very good at her job, but doesn’t sound like interesting television."
Ferrier was on the series for five seasons and joined the likes of other Below Deck stars who were on the series for a long time (like Kate Chastain). Over the years, Below Deck stars have said things about other series in the franchise while also releasing small tidbits about their yachting routines. Just like the charter guests, the cast and crew also have rules they need to follow, or it could result in them getting kicked off the boat.
Long-time fans of Below Deck may have noticed that the crew are barefoot while working on various charters. Even when the guests board the boat, they're asked to remove their shoes. While some theorized it was specific to the yacht or season, it's a known rule in the yachting world.According to Bravo, "The crew members and guests are generally not permitted to wear shoes on board the yacht so as to prevent damaging the floors, which explains why they don't always look the cleanest after a hard day's work." And while reality TV has some fake parts about it, the crew's dirty feet is not one of them.
No One's Allowed To Speak To Production
Like Bravo's The Real Housewives, the cast cannot break the fourth wall. The fourth wall acts as a hypothetical shield between the cameras, the stars, and the viewers. Even though the crew work in close quarters with production, they're not allowed to interact with each other while the cameras are rolling. The same can be said for the charter guests.According to The New York Times, interacting with the crew is a no-no. There are times when the cast act silly and make comments to the producers who follow them around all day, but it's generally ignored.
There's No Fraternizing With The Guests
There have been some horrible guests throughout the Below Deck franchise. But there have also been some nice, flirty ones as well. For the most part, the cast stay professional among flirtatious guests, but every once in a blue moon, a cast member can't help themselves.Both Hannah Ferrier and Kyle Viljoen have been scolded by the captain for fraternizing with the guests. This has been made known publicly in confessionals so that viewers knew that the cast members were breaking the rules. Staying professional is the cast's first priority. Anything else is distracting.
There Are Bathroom Privileges
Other reality TV shows like Below Deck don't have the same camera operation that the Below Deck franchise has. Since Bravo films on a yacht, there are mics and hidden cameras throughout including the laundry room. The only place there aren't cameras is the bathroom for privacy reasons.Funny enough, even the bathroom isn't safe. Noah Samton, Senior Vice President of Production at Bravo, told the Daily Dish about bathroom exceptions. If a cast member is by themselves, they're allowed to be in the bathroom alone, but if they're with another person, "a camera will likely not be far behind." Samton said, "Not just because of sex, it could be they’re having a conversation they hate so-and-so. We need to know that.”
Every Worker Is Drug Tested
There have been some great chief stews throughout the Below Deck franchise, and it's for good reason. As the leader of the interior, the chief stewardess is in charge of making sure the guests have everything they need to be safe and comfortable during their stay on the yacht.Hannah Ferrier didn't always love her job, but she was good at it. In a shocking twist, Ferrier was fired for breaking Maritime Law after not telling the captain about prescribed medication she had on the boat. Because the captain didn't trust her, she was let go. It was explained in season 5 that the cast members are regularly drug tested. Captain Sandy said in an Instagram live (via Monsters and Critics), "If a crew member gets hurt, and they’ve been under the influence, and we all get drug tested, guess who goes to jail? Not the crew member."
Here's The Legal Amount Of Hours The Crew Can Work
It's not a surprise that the cast and crew work incredibly long hours. Throughout the charters shown on Below Deck, the crew are seen up before the sun rises and well into the night. Their primary goals are to make sure the guests have a good time while taking care of the yacht's condition at the same time.Viewers will often see chefs bothered by how much they work in comparison to the stews or deckhand, but that's because there's only one chef whereas the other positions have teams. In one season, one of the best chefs on Below Deck (Ben Robinson) complained about how little Hannah Ferrier worked. She later broke it down on Twitter: "10 hours of rest a day or 77 hours a week.” Super Yacht News validated Hannah's statement, proving that the stews are merely following the law.
All About Those Confessionals
The confessionals from the cast are some of the best moments in the franchise. It's a time to hear the inner-workings of a situation and what the cast thought during a charter. But with so much work to be done and a charter every week, when does production have time to film these confessionals?According to a Reddit thread and evidence on the crew's social media profiles, the cast is sent to a hotel after each charter to film a series of confessionals. There's even an extra bedroom on the vessel used for production, hair, and makeup.
Production Is In Charge Of Turning On And Off Their Bedroom Lights
There have been a few Below Deck questions about the crew's living situations. The deckhands and stews typically share a room and sleep in bunk beds. In such small living spaces, there's not much these workers can hide from each other.Knowing that a lot can happen in the crew's bunks, those working production are the ones who can turn on and off the lights. In a tweet from former chief stew Kate Chastain, she showed an example of what needed to be done. Once she jumped in bed, she waved at the cameras until they turned off her light.
The Cast Has "Dark" Days
In an interview with Cosmopolitan, one of the most liked captains, Captain Lee, and deckhand, Eddie Lucas, were honest about behind-the-scenes moments on Below Deck.Lucas said that the cast and crew are "iced" when transitioning between charters. "That means no more talking to each other, because the cameras have to move positions." Going on "ice" is also referred to as a "dark day." During this time, most cast members are separated from each other until production is ready again.
There's No Consumption Of Alcohol Allowed
If there's one thing Below Deck has taught viewers, it's that the cast cannot drink alcohol with the guests. This is not just because of professionalism but because of safety.According to The Tab, former bosun Malia White said, "We as crew have to be ready at ALL times to fight a fire, rescue a man overboard, deploy life rafts, launch rescue tenders, administer aid, etc... Meaning when we are at sea everyone must be sober.”
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