The Below Deck franchise had a first this week when Below Deck Down Under had two crew members fired for sexual misconduct.
Captain Jason Chambers fired bosun Luke Jones and second stew Laura Bileskalne after they crossed many lines, especially during a drunken crew night out.
The aftermath of two near-sexual assaults on Below Deck Down Under has left fans and members of the Below Deck family speaking out on the impressive way the situation was handled.
Chief stew Aesha Scott, Captain Jason, and production have been praised, earning every bit of it too.
Stew Margot Sisson, who was passed out when a drunk naked Luke hopped in bed with her, leading producers to intervene, shared several messages to her crew members that were very powerful.
More stars from Below Deck Down Under and other Below Deck shows have addressed what happened this week.
Captain Lee Rosbach and Captain Sandy Yawn react to Below Deck Down Under episodes
During an interview with Us Weekly, Captain Lee Rosbach was asked about his reaction to the Laura and Luke consent scandal.
“Their behavior was despicable. Both of them. And I’m sure they’ll be paying the price for it for a long time to come. As they should,” he shared.
The stud of the sea was also beyond impressed with how Aesha and Captain Jason handled the situation without getting rattled, remaining calm the entire time.
“I don’t know if I would have had the wherewithal to remain as calm as Captain Jason did, but he certainly stepped up to the plate and did it right,” Captain Lee expressed to the magazine.
The captain also gave a shout-out to producers for stepping in immediately and taking the right action.
Captain Sandy Yawn from Below Deck Med used Instagram Stories to express her thoughts that were all about giving Captain Jason and Aesha mad respect. The captain also gave the producers their credit for preventing a sexual assault.
Katie Flood reshared a post that featured the group hug of Aesha, Margot, and Tzarina after discussing what happened the night before with Luke.
“THIS MIGHT BE THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENT OF THE WHOLE EPISODE. TRUE LOVE SUPPORT AND FRIENDSHIP,” she wrote.
Below Deck Down Under stars address sexual misconduct incidents on the show
Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph took to Instagram to share a picture of her and Margot to express her thoughts on the episodes.
“Sending all the love and light to my dear friend, Margot. Your courage is truly inspiring during this journey and challenging time,” Tzarina began her lengthy caption that spoke about standing together and fighting to keep women in yachting safe.
The chef revealed she has started a petition to bring about change in the yachting world while also sending more love to Margot as the latter shares her story.
Aesha also used Instagram to speak out and share a message to Margot.
“My little Cherub 👼 What a light of the season you were for me!!! Women should always support women and I will always support you 🧡🧡,” was the caption on her Instagram Post.
Later, the chief stew shared a post to thank fans for their love and support. Aesha encouraged people to keep talking about consent and also having each other backs.
For her part, Margot shared an IG Story with a picture of Aesha hugging her, saying everyone needed an Aesha in their lives, and we couldn’t agree more.
Deckhand Harry van Vliet sent a special message to his friend Margot after the sexual misconduct incident on Below Deck Down Under aired.
“Dearest Margot, what you went through should never have happened. I am so sorry that you had to go through something like that. I know that since it happened you have been recovering and getting on and living your awesome life which is so great to see considering the situation. Keep pushing through and striving in life, good things are coming your way I know it! Love you always, Harry 😘😘,” he wrote.
As Monsters and Critics previously reported, Captain Jason called for more love and less hate during this time. The captain also gave a big shout-out to producers for how they navigated the situation.
The Below Deck world was rocked by what happened on Below Deck Down Under this week, but the love and support have been amazing.
Below Deck Down Under airs Mondays at 8/7c on Bravo. Season 1 is streaming on Peacock.