This Is How Kate Chastain Really Feels About Below Deck Sailing Yacht
Once a chief stew, always a chief stew. Kate Chastain may have left Below Deck behind but that hasn't stopped the experienced yachty from weighing in on the hit show's latest spin-off, Below Deck Sailing Yacht. The season has gotten off to a rocky start, with fans split over whether its casual laid-back vibe is a welcome change from the madness of its sea-faring associates, or if it's just plain boring as a result of it.
She's not just giving her point of view as a one-off either, as Kate recently revealed on Twitter that she's hosting a new commentary show on Bravo called Quarantined with Kate, during which she'll be watching and discussing the show in detail. If her most recent comments are anything to go by, it's going to be a fun ride.
Kate Chastain is fully on board with Below Deck Sailing Yacht
First and foremost, Kate told Decider she believes in the drama between the two couples onboard. Of the dispute between Ciara and Paget, the Below Deck alum reckons we can all relate. She mused, "Like, what do you do when you're that girl and you've got a friend that's hot and you can't be mad at her because she's hot but you can tell your boyfriend's checking her out? My heart is like, this is awkward. But Ciara and Paget have been sailing for a while, they're young, so I think this is one of the first hurdles in their relationship that they've really faced."
As for Jenna and Adam, initially she thought it was a "boatmance" but now Kate is convinced there's more. "I think it could last. I think those kids are gonna make it! I think actually they might be more than just a boatmance," she enthused.
The reality star previously told Bravo's The Daily Dish that chief stew Jenna was alright in her book, and that she'd even offered some words of wisdom to the incumbent, revealing, "...I'm just really happy that I could give her any advice that she might need during this crazy adventure."
The Below Deck Sailing Yacht crew has won Kate Chastain over
So far, Kate is enjoying the series overall, and in particular she likes checking out the featured boat. "...every time I watch it, when the sails go up, I'm still in awe. It's just so magnificent. It's gorgeous. It's really simply beautiful," she gushed to Decider. However, sail yachts aren't really her scene, because they're more casual than motor yachts.
"I don't trust anyone that walks on board with a yoga mat, a ukulele or a guitar because we've got limited space and limited free time so I don't know where you're going to put your guitar and when you're going to play it," Kate quipped of the difference between the two working environments.
She's a fan of Captain Glenn Shephard, too, describing him as a mixture of Captain Lee and Captain Sandy (high praise indeed). Elsewhere, she'd like to work with second stew Madison some day, whom she feels is trying very hard. Kate actually told The Daily Dish that she empathizes with her struggle in particular because everybody has to start somewhere.
Kate Chastain felt like she was getting a bit old for Below Deck
Kate revealed she would be sailing away from Below Deck during the season 7 finale of the show (via The Daily Dish). On Instagram, the former chief stew made a hilarious reference to royal defectors Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, writing, "I have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new land based role. I intend to step back as a senior member of the Below Deck Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support His Majesty Andy Cohen"
The show's official account also posted the sad news, noting, "Our forever Chief Stew has confirmed she is stepping away from #BelowDeck. We'll miss you, Kate! Hit the link in bio to sea what's on the horizon for Kate," showcasing her Bravo family's support. She revealed while guesting on podcast Another Below Deck Podcast that age had a lot to do with her decision, arguing, "I just turned 37 [and] I just don't know at what age when wearing a skort is no longer appropriate" (via CheatSheet).
The future looks bright for Below Deck's 'Forever Chief Stew' Kate Chastain
Aside from providing cutting-edge commentary on the latest Below Deck spin-off, Kate also landed her own weekly radio show on Andy Cohen's SiriusXM channel, entitled Unapologetically Kate Chastain. Speaking to People, the former chief stew gushed that she was "thrilled" to get the opportunity to do her own show, describing it as, "An honor and a major check off on my 'mental vision-board bucket-list' to join the lineup."
The chat show will showcase Kate's totally unfiltered point of view on life, love, and all things pop culture (she'll likely reminisce about her time on Below Deck, too, if we're lucky). The reality TV alum described herself as a "recreational sociologist," someone who observes human nature rather than judging it. Cohen, meanwhile, reckons she'll fit in great, opining, "Kate has the perfect sensibility for radio; she's opinionated, funny, outspoken and addictive. I'm so excited to hear what she has to say."