Below Deck Mediterranean season 8‘s episode nine shocked fans when Natalya Scudder decided to quit the charter season midway due to bullying from Second Stew Kyle Viljoen and Chief Stewardess Tumi Mhlongo. But she’s hardly the first cast member in Below Deck history to quit a charter season. Even deckhand Max Salvador suggested to Bosun Luka Brunton he may quit Below Deck Med season 8. As Captain Lee Rosbahc would say, “Don’t let your mouth write a check that your ass can’t cash.” Here are all Below Deck cast who quit the show early.
First off, let’s distinguish those who briefly quit the show, but ended up returning. Chief Stewardess Kate Chastain briefly quit Below Deck season 7 because of bullying from the Bru Crew. She returned the next day and finished the season in Thailand.
Chef Rachel Hargrove briefly quit Below Deck season 8 because of ridiculous charter guests’ demands. She returned before the charter started and ended up completing two more seasons on the show. Rocky Dakota briefly quit Below Deck season 3 when Captain Lee Rosbach fired Chef Leon Walker. She even dove off the boat in protest, but somehow managed to keep her job. Captain Lee and the crew were desperate for her to help in the galley. Similarly, Chef Jess Condy briefly suggested she was quitting Below Deck Adventure season 1, but she ended up sticking it out.
Finally, Ruan Irving supposedly quit Below Deck Med season 8, but was ostensibly fired after Captain Sandy Yawn discovered his forged certifications.
Cast Member C.J. LeBeau Quit Below Deck Season 1
Below Deck season 1 Cast Member C.J. Lebeau speaks about being arrested on reunion episode (Bravo).
Those are unofficial resignations. Now, let’s take a look at the crew members who abandoned ship never to return on Bravo’s Below Deck, Below Deck Mediterranean, and Below Deck Sailing Yacht. (Below Deck Down Under and Below Deck Adventure haven’t had any crew quit).
Colorful character and Captain Lee Rosbach’s nemesis on Below Deck season 1, Second Engineer C.J. LeBeau didn’t see eye-to-eye with his superiors. He tried to work without a shirt whenever possible, took little initiative, and took a a stew to go drink a beer in the water while on a charter. All of this should’ve led to him getting fired, but somehow he ended up quitting instead. C.J. talked to a crew doing a crossing who were in the same marina and hopped ship.
C.J. also happens to be one of the about a dozen Below Deck cast members to have been arrested.
Below Deck Cast Who Quit The Show: Don Abenante On Below Deck Season 3
Don Abenante quitting on Below Deck season 3 (Bravo).
“I don’t know, maybe I jumped the gun. But how can I work for a guy when he gives me a hard time for doing a back-flip into the water,” Don Abenante said to producers after quitting on episode four of Below Deck season 3. Rocky, ever the siren on season 3, tempted Don to inappropriately jump in the water while on duty. Captain Lee Rosbach and Bosun Eddie Lucas were unimpressed and reprimanded him. Instead of admitting his mistake, Don boneheadedly decided to quit.
Stewardess Caroline Bedol Quit Below Deck Season 6 After Bullying
Third Stewardess Caroline Bedol struggled throughout her time on superyacht My Seanna. Chief Stewardess Kate Chastain and Second Steward Josiah Carter claim Caroline was hectic and didn’t help flip the boat (cleaning up the boat after a charter). Caroline after quitting explained she left because she was dealing with relationship issues and that she was being bullied. She called Kate a “bi-polar [bleep]”.
Caroline crying when she told Captain Lee she was quitting (Bravo).
Abbi Murphy Left Below Deck Season 7 To Reunite With Her Fiance
Abbi Murphy at the time of quitting Below Deck season 7 (Bravo).
Deckhand Abbi Murphy didn’t have any superyachting experience before joining the crew on Below Deck season 7. She felt overwhelmed with the amount of work demnaded of her and missed her [bleep] buddy Patrick. Although she fooled around with Bosun Ashton Pienaar while on the show, her Greek sailboat captain love interest ended up telling her he loved her and popped the question via text message. Abbi said yes, and then told the crew. She became depressed that she wouldn’t be able to see her fiance for another five weeks, which definitely factored into her quitting the charter season on episode six.
After quitting the show, Abbi and Patrick got married and are still happily husband and wife.
Abbi with her now husband Patrick after the show (Instagram).
Avery Russell Left Below Deck Season 8 In The First Episode
Avery Russell informing Captain Lee he was quitting to go see his dying grandmother (Bravo).
Deckhand Avery Russell made the record for the fastest departure of any cast member leaving a boat in Below Deck history. He told Captain Lee in the middle of the first charter he needed to leave because his 86-year-old grandmother was dying. Captain Lee completely understood and said family always comes first. He didn’t want to quit, but had to under the circumstances. Avery made a promise when leaving the boat, though, that he’d one day be like Captain Lee.
Jessica Albert Quit Below Deck Sesaon 9 After Failing To Keep Up Pace In Interior
Below Deck season 9 Stewardess Jessica Albert quitting (Bravo).
Third Stewardess Jessica Albert suffered from severe anxiety while working on the Bravo show. She also felt ganged up on by Chief Stewardess Heather Chase and Second Steward Fraser Olender. While on the show she flirted with deckhand Wes O’Dell, but she lost interest when he failed to make a move.
When Jess quit, she informed Heather only three hours before the next charter, telling her her body was shutting down.
Lara Flumiani Quit Below Deck Med Sesaon 5
Lara Flumiani quitting Below Deck Med season 5 (Bravo).
Stewardess Lara Flumiani quit after calling Captain Sandy off the superyacht an hour before the next charter to tell her she was leaving. Captain Sandy then told the crew about Lara leaving and how some people aren’t cut out for the industry.
Jason Gaskell Quit Below Deck Med Sesaon 7 After Being Alienated By Deck Crew
Below Deck Med season 7 deckhand Jason Gaskell didn’t get along well at all with Lead Deckhand Storm Smith. He found production and Storm tried to repeatedly make him look bad. For instance, he pointed out how he tied a proper bowline knot, but Storm accused him of getting it wrong. Jason also was alienated by his fellow crew members and ended up feeling miserable. Storm tried to get him to reconsider quitting, but he wouldn’t change his mind. Jason also hadn’t worked on a superyacht before, and found it a big transition from working on sailboats.
Natalya Scudder Quit Below Deck Med Sesaon 8 Due To Kyle & Tumi Bullying Her
Natalya Scudder nearly in tears when telling Captain Sandy she was quitting (Bravo).
Stewardess Natalya Scudder shocked fans when she decided to abruptly quit mid-season after she had a nasty fight with Second Steward Kyle Viljoen. He repeatedly called her derogatory names and told her her life was [bleeped] up. However, Natalya already was contemplating quitting after fighting with her boyfriend AJ. Although in an open relationship, Natalya’s boyfriend got mad at her for kissing Bosun Luka Brunton. She then told him if he would commit to a monogamous relationship she’d quit and fly to him immediately.
Natalya’s fights with Chief Stewardess Tumi Mhlongo and Kyle were the catalyst to get her to finally quit. Captain Sandy blamed Kyle’s bullying for why Natalya — who already worked for Captain Sandy on season 7 — ultimately quit the show.
Parker McCown Quit Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 1 After Getting Called Out For A Poor Work Ethic
Deckhand Parker McCown was a royal pain in the butt for First Officer Paget Berry and his girlfriend and deckhand Ciara Duggan. He also got mocked by Chef Adam Glick when he did an impression of him being a baby still nursing from his mother because of all of his whining. When Captain Glenn Shephard decided to give him a stern talking to about an attitude readjustment, he decided to quit instead. He ended up spending the rest of the charter season traveling with his girlfriend in Europe.
Deckhand Parker McCown deciding if he wanted to quit BDSY season 1 (Bravo).
Gabriela Barragan Quit Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 3 After Fighting With Crew
Gabriela telling Captain Glenn she was at the end of her rope and leaving the crew (Bravo).
Second Stewardess Gabriela Barragan started off Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 3 strong on Parsifal III. However, things took a turn after she got in drunken verbal tiffs with Chef Marcos Spaziani. Meanwhile, Third Stew Ashley Marti tried to sabotage and act insubordinate to Gabriela whenever possible. She ended up ostracized by most of the crew and was suffering from anxiety. Captain Glenn supported her decision when she told him she needed to work on her interpersonal skills when living with other crew members on a boat. However, after Gabriela watched the season back, she realized Ashley was actively trying to get rid of her.
Other Notable Time Crew Members Left The Boat
We’d be remiss not to mention Captain Lee having to quit for over half of Below Deck season 10 due to health issues. He did return to finish out the charter season, though, after Captain Sandy filled in during his absence.
Below Deck Med season 6 Chef Mathew Shea left the boat twice, once after injuring his knee and another time from being way too hungover. He ended up finishing the charter season, but Captain Sandy was far from impressed. Finally, Kyle Viljoen also technically forced to quit Below Deck Med season 7. He sprained his ankle before the last charter and had to be replaced by Elena Dubaich.
After looking at all the cast who quit Below Deck charter seasons early, there are a total of eleven cast members quitting early over 25 seasons of the show. One things for sure, a lot more Below Deck cast have been fired over the seasons than those who quit.
