THE Below Deck The franchise has seen many villains over the years, but some of them are so cartoonish that it’s easy to believe they could be production factories. Sailing yacht below deck Season 5 is well underway, but there have already been accusations of Chief Stew Daisy Kelliher as a production plant, which seems strange at first glance. However, the last season of Below Deck Mediterranean it was supposedly filled with plant producers like Stew Bri Muller and Chef Johnathan Shillingford. None of the above characters are villains, however.
Part of the appeal of Below Deck is the colorful ensemble of characters forced to work together during an entire season of up-close charters. This dynamic is sure to stir the pot and produce drama, but some characters feel more contrived than others. Here are potential producing plants that were made to be villains from the start.
10
Elena Dubaich
Below Deck Mediterranean
Elena “Ellie” Dubaich was ridiculous enough to be considered a plant breeder in Below Deck Mediterranean season 9. Chef Johnathan and Bri Muller were accused of being plant growers, but Ellie brought the villainous energy to the season. Ellie and Bri have been fighting all season over Deckhand Joe Bradley, who doesn’t seem to be very interested in either of them romantically. This rivalry had repercussions on their professional relationship.
However, the most convincing argument for Ellie being a producing plant stems from her shocking rivalry with Chief Stew Aesha Scott. Aesha is a fan favorite on Below Deck franchise and Ellie got too big for her britches when she tried to undermine Aesha’s role as Chief Stewquestioning the show’s use of Stew Carrie O’Neill. Her cartoonish villainy provided a compelling storyline for Aesha, solidifying her role as a heroine in Below Deck Mediterranean.
9
Lexi Wilson
Below Deck Mediterranean
Other Below Deck cast member who might fit the mold of a production plant villain is Lexi Wilson from Below Deck Mediterranean season 6. Her disruptive behavior and frequent confrontations with the crew, especially Chief Stew Katie Flood and Chef Mathew Shea, made her an infamous figure in the Below Deck franchise. Lexi was so disturbing and she definitely could have been a producer, made to create overly dramatic situations for entertainment.
Lexi’s storyline felt too dramatic to be organicwith explosive arguments and exaggerated actions, such as creating a burn list of your enemies and refusing to participate in team activities. After a night out with the crew, Lexi called Chef Mathew suspicious and questioned deckhand Lloyd Spencer in a way that was unnecessarily cruel. The situation escalated when Lexi physically pushed Chef Mathew, which led to Chef Mathew asking for her removal from the crew.
8
Camille Cordeiro
Below Deck
Camille Lamb’s firing created speculation that she was a producer of Below Deck season 10. She stated in interviews and on social media that the producers created situations that made her look bad. For example, she mentioned being called into confessionals during busy work hours and being offered drinks, which made her seem unprofessional. She could have been armed.
Camille’s relationship with Ben Willoughby was later used to spark drama in season 11 between him and Sunny Marquis.
On one occasion, Camille said a producer encouraged her to sit on the dock with a glass of champagnewhich was then noticed by Chief Stew Fraser Olender and contributed to his dismissal. Camille described these circumstances as a setup, although she did not directly accuse the production team of creating the situation that led to her dismissal. However, it appears that Camille was specifically planted by the producers to be a villain.
7
Danny Zureikat
Below Deck Mediterranean
Danny Zureikat, sailor from Below Deck Mediterranean The first season was almost certainly a production plant, given his lack of experience and interest in his work. Another crew member, Bobby Giancola, stated that Danny joined the cast not out of a genuine interest in yachts, but as a stepping stone to a career in TV and entertainment. Bobby described Danny as someone who liked to stir the pot. It seems like he was planted by the producers to create dramatic situations on board rather than for his work ethic.
Danny’s quick shift into acting and content creation after his dismissalcoupled with his self-description as a producer, actor and artist further exemplifies this argument. Danny’s disregard for the yacht’s norms and repeated conflicts with everyone on board made him seem more like a disruptive presence meant to generate stories than a legitimate member of the crew. He was made to be a villain.
6
Barbie Pascual
Below Deck
Barbie Pascual was so ridiculously ridiculous in Below Deck in season 11 it had to be a producing plant. She had no experience working aboard a luxury yacht as an interior crew member and Below Deck generally hires established industry professionals for their roles. Barbie burst onto the scene as a spoiled, out-of-touch rich girl forced to get a job by his rich father or lose his inheritance. While her attitude certainly made for some fun moments, she positioned herself as a potential villain and enemy of boss Stew Fraser and colleague Stew Xandi Olivier.
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Barbie Pascual |
Below Deck |
|---|---|
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Age |
30 |
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Work |
Stew |
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Hometown |
Buenos Aires, Argentina |
Her crush on sailor Kyle Stillie was cute at first, but she turned on him when he didn’t meet her demands, including wearing a kilt or playing with the boys. She was obviously a plant to provide entertainment for the season, but Barbie was not expected to return for the next charter season. Below Deck I should hire a more competent stew.
5
Ashley Marti
Sailing yacht below deck
Ashley Marti’s time Sailing yacht below deck season 3 was controversial and may have resulted from the fact that she is a producing plant. Ashley’s Relentless Search for First Mate Gary King led to a drunken encounter that raised questions of consent. Furthermore, his tense dynamic with Second Stew Gabriela Barragan felt forced for entertainment value. Ashley ultimately left the series and took advantage of her newfound notoriety to focus on other ventures, including a lucrative OnlyFans account, and avoided attending the reunion.
She accused Bravo of creating a negative narrative about her, but her actions spoke for themselves. Gary had already solidified his reputation as a troublemaker in Sailing yacht below deckand Ashley’s pursuit could have been an attempt to absolve him of his bad behavior. However, Ashley is a Below Deck franchise villain that is difficult to forget.
4
Kyle Viljoen
Below Deck Mediterranean
If there was someone planted specifically to stir up drama in the Below Deck franchise, it’s Kyle Viljoen. Your time on Below Deck Mediterranean featured several high-profile conflicts. Kyle sparked the most infamous drama between Natalya Scudder and Tumi Mhlongo playing on both sides. Tensions arose when Kyle allegedly shared comments made to each other, framing them as an attempt to help. However, he was just making them hate each other.
Tumi and Natalya could have been friends, but Kyle purposely pitted them against each other from the start.
Kyle informed Natalya about texts and comments made by Tumi, but stated that he intended to support Natalya, warning her not to escalate conflicts. However, his actions exacerbated the tension, leading to even more animosity between the Stews. Kyle maintains he was authentic on the show, but his ability to stir up drama was unparalleled. Even Captain Sandy Yawn had to get involved in reporting him for unprofessional behavior.
3
Lara Flumiani
Below Deck Mediterranean
Lara Flumiani’s short tenure at Below Deck Mediterranean Season 5 definitely could have been an attempt by the producers to stir up drama, especially given their confrontational and dismissive attitude towards Chief Stew Hannah Ferrier from the start. Lara clashed with Hannah almost immediately, refusing to follow directions and defying her authority. Hannah later described Lara as insubordinate.
Lara left the show after just one letterciting a hostile environment and poor treatment by some crew members, but she was likely just planted to antagonize Hannah. Once she achieved that goal, the show no longer needed her. She claimed she left because she was mistreated and belittled by Hannah. However, his insistence on defending his perspective and dramatic exit gave the season an initial jolt of drama that the producers might have found useful.
2
Kyle Dickard
Below Deck Adventure
Kyle Dickard was one of the most ridiculous cast members to appear Below Deck Adventureleading to the belief that it could be a producing plant. His exaggerated personality seemed created for maximum drama. Kyle’s wild behavior included making inappropriate advances towards Stew Kasie Faddahengaging in threatening confrontations with his roommate Nathan Morley and generally exhibiting disruptive conduct.
Kyle’s behavior towards Karen should have been the end of his tenure in Below Deck Adventurebut it wasn’t enough to fire him.
Kyle allegedly refused to flush the shared stall, leading to a heated argument where he threatened “argument” with Nathan, prompting Captain Kerry Titheradge to intervene. Ultimately, Kyle was given the choice to resign or be fired. He chose to leave the ship. Despite his dismissal after just one charter, Kyle’s over-the-top personality and Willingness to provoke conflict made him a focal point of the show’s early episodes. He was planted to inject some much-needed drama into the early episodes.
1
Dane Jackson
Below Deck
Dane Jackson was a baffling cast member in Below Deck season 3 and was probably a producing plant. There was a chaotic series of events surrounding his arrival and departure. Dane was brought in as a replacement after Don Abenante suddenly left, a move that caused tension on board. Almost immediately, Dane’s drinking and inappropriate behavior became obvious. During a night out, he became excessively intoxicated, leading to an incident on an island tour where he became belligerent.
Dane’s actions forced bosun Eddie Lucas to send him back to the yacht alone, fearing for the crew’s safety. Captain Lee Rosbach fired Dane the next morning. The whole situation felt contrived, especially given how quickly tensions rose after Dane’s arrival. Dane’s tenure in Below Deck It was short-lived, but its status as a potential producer plant certainly had a big impact.