These Below Deck Couples Hooked Up Off The Air
If there's one thing reality TV producers know how to do, it's stir up romance. "Below Deck" has been on our screens since 2013, and it's been so successful with the audience that there are now several spin-offs, from "Below Deck Mediterranean" to "Below Deck Down Under." Regardless of what type of yacht it is and what beautiful blue waters it's sailing in, viewers are always guaranteed one thing: A good, old-fashioned boatmance. When you put a bevy of young yachties together for a season on-screen in such close quarters, it's only natural that feelings get a little complicated ... but what about off-screen?
It may be reality TV, but these stars really do work in the same industry, which means it's more likely for them to cross paths once filming has ended. Plus, if there's a connection that wasn't explored while the show was being made, then there's a good chance that might happen when the cameras switch off. After all, feelings don't just disappear once the crew disembarks!
Fans might be surprised to know that many "Below Deck" cast members have sealed the deal, from stars that worked together to those employed on totally different boats at different times. The Bravo world is a small one — and it's even smaller at sea! Let's find out what happened between crew members after cameras stopped rolling, and why one hookup changed the way the show was made for good.
Gary King and Daisy Kelliher
What's hotter than a love triangle? A love triangle on a yacht where everyone lives in a tiny confined space. Fan favorites from "Below Deck Sailing Yacht" Gary King and Daisy Kelliher may have had some flirtation and a steamy makeout session in the hot tub on-screen in season 3, but as far as fans were aware, they never took it any further than that. The South African deckhand and the chief stew clearly had a connection, but the full extent of it didn't come out until cameras started rolling for season 4. At the time, Kelliher had struck up a romance with fellow crew member, Colin MacRae.
While the pair were lying in her bed, Kelliher thought it was the ideal time to let the cat out of the bag and tell her new love what really happened between her and King. "We have slept together," she said, according to Bravo TV. She went on to explain that it happened twice during the break between Season 3 and Season 4. Needless to say, MacRae was not impressed and swiftly left the room. Cameras showed Kelliher texting King to tell him she told MacRae, telling her ex-tryst, "He is not ok."
The situation was a driving force for the season's drama, as King went on to sneakily kiss Kelliher in the crew mess. And not only was Kelliher still seeing MacRae, but King had his own thing going on with another crew member, Mads Herrera.
Natasha Webb and Dave White
"Below Deck" Season 7 turned out to be an explosive one thanks to two new crew members, Natasha Webb, and Dave White. The chief stew and the chef openly admitted that they knew each other from working together on another boat, but it wasn't until a few episodes in that the truth started to come out. It turns out that the pair had hooked up on their last charter, and while White was keen to strike up a real relationship with Webb, she ultimately had mixed feelings about it. Her indecision incensed White, who sent her some pretty derogatory text messages as a result.
White's poor behavior almost cost him his job, but Webb asked Captain Sandy Yawn if they could just move past it and get through the charter. As for why Webb and White kept their prior entanglement a secret? According to the stewardess, she simply didn't want the crew to look at them differently. In an interview with E News, she explained, "I didn't want everyone to judge us on the situation. It was just unfortunate." She elaborated on the drama during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, telling the Bravo whiz, "Dave and I were never in a relationship, we only knew each other a month before joining ... we only hooked up a few times. It was a very messy situation." They can all agree on that one!
Katie Flood and Jack Stirrup
British deckhand Jack Stirrup delighted viewers with his energetic Northern cheeky chappy attitude on Season 4 of "Below Deck Meditteranean." The lighthearted crew member always seemed to have a smile on his face, which made him a firm fan favorite. Of course, when he coupled up with crew member Aesha Scott, it seemed like a match made in yachtie heaven. Though the romance survived all of the boat's charters, it didn't last much longer, as Scott called things off after Stirrup cheated on her. It may have been a sad ending for this couple, but interestingly, it wasn't Stirrup's first relationship with a fellow Bravo alum.
Chief stew Katie Flood appeared in the same series two seasons after Stirrup, so fans were surprised to find out that she had actually dated Stirrup in the past. Their romance was so serious that Stirrup even had Flood's face tattooed on his arm. As for whether there's any bad blood between the pair post-split, it seems to be smooth sailing.
Flood told Us Weekly, "When I did finally, like, watch the series, I really loved it. It's exactly him to a tee, like it's super goofy, super charming, you know? He just does what he wants to do. That's Jack. So, it was really nice to see that he was exactly how he is in normal life." The stewardess went on to explain that she and her ex chat "very randomly" and have a "good relationship."
Malia White and Jake Baker
Malia White first appeared in Season 2 of "Below Deck Mediterranean" before taking a break and coming back for Season 5. She instantly cemented herself as one to watch, working her way up to lead deckhand and creating a close bond with Captain Sandy Yawn. One of White's relationships, with British chef Tom Checketts, played out in Season 5 when he joined her boat's crew. Although the couple left together, they ended up splitting after the season was filmed, much to the surprise of viewers who thought they were built to last.
But when one pantry door closes another one opens, and White soon found love with another crew member, Jake Baker. The couple initially met while filming Season 6, but the pair didn't hook up until filming had wrapped. And their romance wasn't just a flash in the pan. Baker and White stayed together for around two years before White told Showbiz CheatSheet that she was single. She said of boatmances, "You're skipping that whole first stage [of dating], which can have pros and cons. In the cons section for a long-term relationship is it doesn't set your boundaries or your standards right away because there are none. You're living in a cabin right next door where you're sharing a space and there is no like ... you can walk me to my door, but that's my boundary. There's no setting that."
Madison Stalker and Rob Westergaard
Rob Westergaard may be best known for his tumultuous relationship with Jessica Moore, but the Season 5 "Below Deck Mediterranean" tryst didn't last. After leaving the show, Westergaard actually ended up shooting his shot with another crew member, stewardess Madison Stalker, who appeared in Season 1 of "Below Deck Sailing Yacht." Stalker spilled the tea to Bravo Confessionals, "He actually slid into my DMs. I think a promo had just come out about the new season and naturally living up to my last name, I started creeping on everyone."
From there, the exchange snowballed, leaving Stalker with the impression that their connection was something special. She went on to explain, "A domino effect thing happened where things progressed really quickly. And I haven't dated anyone or been this emotionally invested in someone in years. He makes you feel like he sees you in a light that you've never been seen [in] before." Things got so serious between the pair that Westergaard even visited Stalker's family, meeting her father in America. However, Westergaard must have had different feelings about their connection.
Rather than break up with Stalker or explain that he didn't want to continue their relationship, Westergaard simply stopped texting her back. Stalker told Bravo in the same interview that she was left hysterically crying over the reality star's actions.
Kate Chastain and Ben Robinson
As far as "Below Deck" chief stews go, Kate Chastain is up there with the best of them. Chastain joined the OG show under Captain Lee Rosbach's command in Season 2 before eventually calling it quits on yachting after Season 6. She quickly gained a reputation as a no-nonsense, hard-working crew member, but what about her romantic life? Unlike some of her staff members, Chastain tended to steer clear of relationship drama while on charter. But that doesn't mean she didn't find a love connection. Chastain hit it off on-screen with fiery chef, Ben Robinson, but as far as fans were aware, they didn't ignite each other's stoves during the charter.
It wasn't until some time later that the pair admitted to having hooked up between charter seasons, with Chastain telling all during an appearance on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen." Despite their dalliance, the stew and her British beau remained on friendly terms, with Robinson congratulating Chastain on her pregnancy in spring 2023. He shared a beautiful picture of them together on Instagram alongside a heartwarming caption: "Please wish my great friend @kate_chastain an easy delivery and a healthy, beautiful baby! I am so proud of who you have become and the mother you will soon be."
Wes O'Dell and Gabriela Barragan
For "Below Deck Sailing Yacht" star Gabriela Barragan and "Below Deck" crew member Wes O'Dell, it looked like their connection was fated. The two sweet-natured yachties had already been dating for a couple of months before Barragan spilled the beans during an appearance on the "Gangplank Report" podcast in 2022.
The yachtie explained how the entire situation went down. "It was really cute. In St. Thomas, they wear these bangle bracelets. It has like a little horseshoe on it — or like a hook. And if it's facing outward, it means you're open. And if it's facing the other way, it means that you're taken. So when he gave me the bracelet, he put it on me with the horseshoe, meaning closed. And I looked at him like, 'Oh!' And he's like, 'Yeah.' I was like, 'Aw, that's so cute.'"
Barragan went on to praise O'Dell, saying she had never had a boyfriend as patient and loving as he has been. Information on whether the pair are still dating seems scarce, but in a July 2022 interview with Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Barragan explained that even if distance and work kept them apart, they would remain friends. "This is sea life," she said. "It's hard to get attached because inevitably you're going to have to separate unless you get a job together ... So if it doesn't continue romantically ... no one's feelings are going to be hurt."
Jamie Jason and Chandler Brooks
"Below Deck Mediterranean" star Jamie Jason and "Below Deck" alum Chandler Brooks may not have crossed paths on charter, but they made a love connection off-screen. News broke of the couple's relationship in 2018 when Jason shared a shirtless photo of Brooks to her Instagram stories with the caption, "Missing my human." If there was any doubt about their romance, it was swiftly put to bed when they shared pictures of themselves vacationing in Florida. Their foundation seemed solid, but fans were left wondering if it had all gone down the drain when Jason deleted pictures of the couple from her Instagram timeline.
She reassured fans at the time, telling them that their relationship was totally fine but they were currently long-distance. In 2020, she shared another snap of them together, celebrating Brooks' birthday with the caption, "Happy 31st Birthday to my best friend! Angel face with every year you achieve all the things you've set your mind to and it has been an absolute pleasure watching you surf through life so effortlessly!" Where the couple stands as of 2023 remains a mystery.
Ross McHarg and Elizabeth Frankini
For "Below Deck" Season 10, all eyes were on Ross McHarg and Katie Glaser's relationship. After all, good relationship drama is the key to any successful season — just ask the production team. While that was enough to keep viewers entertained, fans were stunned by McHarg's confession that he was previously involved with former "Below Deck" stewardess, Elizabeth Frankini. Fans may remember Frankini as the stew who accidentally created toxic gas when she unwittingly mixed two cleaning products together, causing an incredibly hazardous situation for the entire crew. Needless to say, Captain Lee Rosbach didn't find the situation amusing and sent her packing.
As for their relationship, McHarg explained it didn't exactly end well when he appeared on the show. "My longest relationship was with Elizabeth Frankini. We were together on and off for four years. I guess we just broke each other's hearts on multiple occasions in that relationship, which is why I don't want a relationship at the moment." While McHarg moved on with Glaser, Frankini announced her next relationship by posting pics of her new boyfriend on Instagram in 2021.
McHarg and Frankini likely wouldn't seem like a compatible pairing to viewers, which is why this shock confession surprised so many fans. As we've heard "Below Deck" stars say multiple times, though, the yachting world is much smaller than you think!
Eddie Lucas and Rocky Dakota
It's time for a bonus entry! Season 3 of "Below Deck" was arguably one of the best seasons the franchise has ever seen. Lovable bosun Eddie Lucas got major heart eyes for whacky, wild, and unpredictable stew, Rocky Dakota. Their flirty exchange was made all the more scandalous by the fact that Lucas was in a relationship at the time. At one point, the pair took their romance to the next level and hooked up in the laundry room, which they both confirmed during their confessionals but viewers couldn't see. Ultimately, this steamy encounter changed the way the show was shot for good.
Prior to this hookup, cameras weren't set up in the laundry room. Production likely thought there was simply no need for it. Who wants to see stewardesses folding Captain Lee Rosbach's underpants? If only they had known at the time that much more than dirty laundry gets taken care of in the tiny room!
These days, fans can see whatever happens in the laundry room since it's rigged in the same way as the rest of the boat. Chief stew Kate Chastain went on to joke, "This is why we can't have nice things, Eddie and Rocky," during an interview with The Daily Dish. It may not have strictly been off-screen, but this boatmance made incredible waves that impacted the entire franchise.