The producers of Below Deck Down Under did something unprecedented in Season 3: They cracked down on crew drinking. There were already issues with the franchise and drinking in the past. It came to a head in Season 2 when there was an attempted sexual assault on camera.
Changes Being Made
Captain Jason Chambers spoke to Entertainment Weekly about this major change. The crew will drink less this season, but Chambers assures fans that there will be plenty of drama. Chambers and his crew handled a serious situation in the last season. Former bosun Luke Jones undressed and slipped into bed with third stew Margaret Sisson, who was unconscious after a heavy night of drinking. Luke refused to open the cabin door until producers intervened.
Former chief stew Aesha Scott heard about the incident unfolding. She immediately informed Chambers about what was happening. Chambers removed Jones from the yacht and fired him the following day. Producers set new safety protocols in place. They are also enforcing “the policies and procedures that they had already in place and [were] used,” Chambers said. “We’ve seen them use it by helping out with stepping in.”
MORE: Captain Jason Chambers makes fans swoon with Below Deck Down Under Season 3 teaser.
Amping Up The Drama
The Aussie captain noted, “There was a massive drop in alcohol intake.” That rule was instated from the beginning of the franchise. According to the policy, Bravo’s crew members pay for their own drinks. This time around, production will take note of how MUCH they drink.
But just because the crew is drinking less doesn’t mean there’s no drama to film. There was plenty of chaos in the Season 3 premiere. The crew members had to learn how to navigate a superyacht with three floors. “Crew still actually dropped their guard a little bit. However, they didn’t get to the point that they couldn’t get onto the boat properly. And the safety and dangers were paramount for me as a captain and production as well,” Chambers assured.
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