Shocking Revelations: Unveiling the Truth Behind 'Below Deck' Franchise Stars

Below Deck showcases the failure of pretending to succeed.

Premiering in 2013, this reality series documents the daily lives of crew members on a high-end yacht throughout the charter season. With various spinoffs like Below Deck Mediterranean, Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Below Deck Down Under, and Below Deck Adventure, Bravo's Below Deck franchise has achieved remarkable success.

In addition to the usual drama of hookups and dramatic exits, cast members have caused controversy by questioning their coworkers' expertise. Season 2 alum Andrew Sturby's capabilities as a deckhand were called into question when it became apparent that he knew nothing about yachts. Ultimately, he was fired after admitting to lying about his qualifications.

In a 2014 interview with BravoTV, Sturby shared, "I wasn't surprised that the crew wanted me to be let go. If I were in their position, I would have felt the same. The Ohana boat was not the place for someone lacking experience in labor-intensive roles to learn on the job. The workload was too demanding, and there was too little time to adjust and learn. In my defense, if I had been less anxious, I could have adapted more quickly."

Delaney Evans departed Below Deck Med season 6 on a sour note as she professed to have experience as both a deckhand and a stew. Malia White harbored doubts about the newcomer's honesty regarding her deck work, which she expressed prior to Delaney's departure.

"It seemed a bit strange for her to confront me about it," Delaney commented on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in September 2021. "She has five years more experience than me. It just felt uncalled for."

Scroll down for more Below Deck stars whose resume was questioned during their time on the show:

Credit: Bravo (2)

'Below Deck' Franchise Stars Whose Resumes Were Called Into Question

Faking it until you make it is not always effective, as proven by Below Deck.

This reality series, which first aired in 2013, showcases the lives of crew members who live and work on a luxurious yacht during charter season. Below Deck, along with its numerous spinoffs, including Below Deck Mediterranean, Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Below Deck Down Under, and Below Deck Adventure, has emerged as one of Bravo's most triumphant franchises.

In addition to the usual romantic relationships and dramatic departures, cast members have caused controversy by questioning their colleagues' expertise. Andrew Sturby, a former deckhand on season 2 of Below Deck, faced doubts about his skills when he displayed a lack of knowledge about yachts. Eventually, it was revealed that he had lied about his qualifications and was consequently dismissed.

In a 2014 interview with BravoTV, Andrew stated, "I wasn't surprised that the crew wanted me to leave. If I were in their position, I would have felt the same way." He further explained, "The Ohana [boat] was not the appropriate environment for someone unfamiliar with physically demanding tasks to learn the ropes. The workload was overwhelming and little time was available for adjustment and training. In my defense, if I had been less anxious, I could have adapted more swiftly."

Delaney Evans ended her time on Below Deck Med season 6 on a negative note, as she had claimed to have experience as both a deckhand and a stew. However, Malia White expressed doubts about her honesty regarding her deckhand experience, which she raised before Delaney's departure.

During the September 2021 episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Delaney commented, "To be honest, I found her criticism towards me a bit odd. She has five years more experience than me, so it seemed a bit unnecessary."

Scroll down for more Below Deck stars whose resume was questioned during their time on the show:

Credit: Peacock TV

Andrew Sturby

In season 2 of Below Deck, Andrew's lack of basic boat knowledge, such as not knowing that opening a porthole while at sea is not advisable, raised concerns. Eventually, Andrew confessed to Captain Lee that he had lied on his resume and had no prior experience. Despite being given an opportunity to demonstrate his capabilities, Andrew's performance fell short and the captain ultimately decided to let him go.

Credit: Peacock TV

Kasey Cohen

From the start, former Below Deck Med chief stew Hannah Ferrier harbored suspicions about third stew Kasey Cohen. Kasey's lack of proficiency in mixing drinks, sorting laundry, and making drip coffee prompted Hannah to delve into her past experience during the filming of season 3. According to Kasey, she entrusted a friend in the yachting industry to "polish" her resume, without personally reviewing it prior to submission.

Even though Hannah wanted to fire Kasey, Captain Sandy kept her on board and the stew successfully made it to the end of the charter season.    

Credit: Bravo

Mila Kolomeitseva

Season 4 of Below Deck Med began with a dramatic start as Mila Kolomeitseva, who claimed to be a classically trained chef, failed to deliver on her culinary skills. Captain Sandy questioned the authenticity of Mila's claim of attending Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, especially after witnessing her decision to cook steak in the microwave and serve nachos to the guests.

However, Mila's time on the show was short-lived as she was quickly replaced by third stew Anastasia Surmava, who later made way for Ben Robinson to join the boat.

Credit: Bravo

Delaney Evans

Captain Sandy enlisted Delaney's assistance in season 6 to support chief stew Katie Flood in the interior. Nonetheless, Katie swiftly began to perceive the inclusion of the new crew member as an aggravating factor. Following an unsuccessful previous attempt to terminate Delaney, Katie made it explicit the second time around that her departure was final.

"It was solely due to my nervousness. I felt completely overwhelmed," Delaney confided in Andy Cohen during her appearance on WWHL, addressing her mishaps on the deck while discussing her prior deck and stew expertise. "I had recently been dismissed. It had been a tumultuous journey. I believe my thoughts were simply scattered."

Credit: Laurent Basset/Bravo

Ruan Irving

The premiere of Below Deck Med Season 8 began with bosun Ruan Irving facing scrutiny for his submission of a "not certified" medical license. As the boat awaited the arrival of his legitimate documents, Captain Sandy received a concerning alert regarding Ruan's Yachtmasters, which featured someone else's photo.

Although Ruan assured that he would address the paperwork complications, he ultimately failed to return. Following the episode's airing, Sandy expressed on WWHL in October 2023 that she believed Ruan was aware of the falsified nature of his documents.

"I have not [spoken with him]," she told a fan during the WWHL aftershow. "No, [I wouldn't work with him]. Not in a million years. No, sorry."

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