Luka Brunton's Love Interests on 'Below Deck Med': Unveiling His History with Katie and the Hidden Messages from Nat
Luka Brunton navigates a web of romance on Bravo's 'Below Deck Mediterranean' Season 8, from a captivating flirtationship with Natalya Scudder to a steamy boatmance with Jessika Asai, all while unraveling a mysterious past with alum Katie Flood Don't miss the captivating love stories!
Luka Brunton Fred Jagueneau/Bravo
Luka Brunton has had his fair share of romantic entanglements during his time on Below Deck Mediterranean, and not all of them have occurred on the yacht. In 2023, viewers were first introduced to Luka during season 2 of Below Deck Down Under, where he found himself involved in a brief love triangle with Jaimee Neale and Culver Bradbury.
Captain Jason Chambers went on to refer Luka to Captain Sandy Yawn, who offered him a deck team position for season 8 of Below Deck Med. Months later, with Ruan Irving's help in forging paperwork, Luka moved up from a provisional bosun to leading the exterior team.
During the season, Luka successfully balanced his professional responsibilities with his romantic life. Despite developing a flirtatious connection with Natalya Scudder, their potential relationship was hindered by her ongoing efforts to navigate an open relationship with her offscreen boyfriend.
Luka then charmed Jessika Asai, leading to a season-long boatmance. His previous connection with Below Deck Med alum Katie Flood also surfaced during his time on Mustique.
Luka later disclosed to We that he did not end up with anyone in the Below Deck universe.
"I’m currently in a relationship with my former partner. We had split up before the show but have since reconciled. I don’t think she’s watching this season, which is probably for the best." Find below a guide to all of Luka's connections throughout season 8 of Below Deck Med.
A Long-Lasting Flirtationship With Natalya Scudder
Courtesy of Jessika Asai/Instagram
Luka and Natalya quickly developed a connection during season 8 of Below Deck Med. Despite their mutual interest, Natalya hesitated to pursue anything further due to her unclear open relationship with her then-boyfriend. Although Natalya and Luka shared a few intimate moments, they ultimately went their separate ways when she left early to address personal issues. However, the two continued to exchange flirtatious messages, which Luka kept hidden from Jessika during their affair.
“Just because [Jess and I] are hooking up and maybe I don’t want to be in a relationship doesn’t mean I don’t care about her. Everyone has their feelings,” he said in a January 2024 episode. “I never said to Jess that I wanted a relationship. So there’s no strings. Imagine if people found out I was texting Natalya.”
A Boatmance Fling With Jessika Asai
Courtesy of Jessika Asai/Instagram
After Luka's hopes of hooking up with Natalya were dashed, he found himself drawn to Jessika. Their flirtation soon evolved into a casual relationship during season 8. However, their lack of communication became a problem when Jessika discovered Luka had been in touch with Katie.
"I find this entire situation quite irritating. However, I don't feel it's my place to be concerned about who he's communicating with," she expressed to the cameras in an episode airing in January 2024. "I refuse to deny myself enjoyment. I'm simply going to approach all of this with caution."
Luka, on the other hand, wasn't bothered by the drama because he didn't envision a future with Jessika.
"Clearly, I have feelings for Jess that go beyond friendship. We're not a couple. I'm not involved with Katie Flood. We're simply friends. Just friends. Even if I have been texting her with more than just friendly intentions," he admitted in a confessional before trailing off. "Okay. Well, yeah. I don't know."
A Mysterious Past With Alum Katie Flood
Luka Brunton and Katie Flood Bravo
Viewers of Below Deck were surprised when Luka unexpectedly disclosed that he had a friendly relationship with Katie, who had appeared on a previous season of Below Deck Med. Luka assured everyone, including Captain Sandy, that there was no romantic involvement between him and Katie.
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Check out this deal. In a December 2023 episode, he mentioned, "I've known Katie for around four years. She used to date a friend of mine, and I'm aware that she has worked with Sandy before. As for my history with her, we don't really have much. We've hung out a few times. What are you trying to ask?"
The jury is still out on whether Luka was telling the whole truth about his platonic bond with Katie.
