Inside Below Deck Stars Malia White And Jake Baker's Romance
Bravo is the home of reality television, which means there's always more drama to spare on the channel. "Below Deck" on Bravo is known for its close quarters and messy relationships, and fans know that there is no shortage of romance on the series as well. With breakups, makeups, and boat-mances galore, "Below Deck" is the place to be for a fun time.
Among the many romances that have taken place on the "Below Deck" series, frequent cast member Malia White has been part of some of the most infamous ones. White joined the franchise in Season 2 of "Below Deck Mediterranean" as a deckhand, and worked her way up to bosun for Season 5 and 6. During her time on the show, she was in a long-term relationship with "Below Deck" chef Tom Checketts, but they split in September 2020. However, Malia was back on the boat in the summer of 2021 and ready for a new romance with crew member Jake Baker.
White and Baker met on 'Below Deck'
In June 2021, Malia White returned for her third time as a crew member on Season 6 of "Below Deck Mediterranean." This time, she was acting as bosun again, leveling up from her start as a deckhand. It was on the Lady Michelle in Croatia that White met Jake Baker, who was the engineer for that season of "Below Deck." While he didn't have much screen time during the season, White and Baker connected as they worked alongside each other. After the season ended, Baker posted a now-deleted picture on Instagram of the two of them kissing in August 2021, confirming their relationship.
The couple was seen celebrating various holidays, as they spent Christmas in 2021 together, and Baker's birthday in January 2022. Baker and White even kept working together on the same boat in 2022 after filming had stopped for "Below Deck." However, like so many of the boat-mances do, White and Baker's breakup was confirmed in February 2023. As the promotions for Season 3 of Bravo's "Winter House" rolled out in early 2023, Malia was open about the fact that she was single and ready to find love in the house.
Malia White is still open to dating a yachtie
As a recurring cast member of the "Below Deck" franchise, Malia White is no stranger to the kind of drama that can happen when two crew members start dating on the show. Her relationship with chef Tom Checketts didn't end very amicably, and while White and Jake Baker seemed like they were going strong, the end of their relationship was also a shock to fans. The breakup clearly wasn't a huge surprise for White, who shared her thoughts with Showbiz Cheat Sheet in February 2023 on why most "Below Deck" romances don't last.
"So, you're skipping that whole first stage, which can have pros and cons," she explained. "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."
Despite her two unsuccessful relationships that started on "Below Deck Mediterranean," White isn't giving up on the possibility of finding love at sea, but she's going to be more careful than before. "I'm not going to say I'll never date a yachtie again, but I'm definitely going to choose wisely."