10 Biggest Clout Chasers In Below Deck History

Summary

• Fan-favorite captains and crew members shine on Below Deck, but clout chasers can overshadow the show.
• Life on a super-yacht may seem glamorous, but Below Deck sheds light on the grueling side of maritime travel.
• Casting villains and drama magnets stir the pot on Below Deck, but clout chasers looking for fame can disrupt the season.

Below Deck has introduced a plethora of fan-favorite captains and crew members, but once in a while, a few clout chasers drown out the show. Below Deck is renowned for its iconic format that follows the staff and crew who work on super-yachts. Life on a yacht seems luxurious and worldly, but Below Deck has revealed the grueling side of maritime travel. The popularity of the show has given a slew of spin-offs, while its mainstay, Below Deck season 11 began premiering in February 2024 with a mix of familiar faces.

Reality television has created some iconic stars, but it’s also created thirsty, fame-hungry clout chasers. Below Deck cast members are part of a TV series but they’re also there to do a job. It takes a strong team to manage the workload of crews on these yachts. There have been a multitude of Below Deck franchise cast villains who, like clout chasers, know how to stir up drama onboard. However, when a cast member is more interested in creating memorable TV moments and attracting some sort of fame after their run on the show, things begin to get muddled.

10 Adrienne Gang

Below Deck Season 1

Adrienne Gang was the first chief stew on Below Deck season 1. Though she was an original cast member on the series, Adrienne wasn’t asked back as a crew member on the show. She made an appearance during Below Deck season 2 as a friend to the primary charter guest, and her former co-workers were not excited about working for her. Since exiting the series, she’s stayed in the Below Deck zeitgeist by launching her adjacent podcast, Gangplank Report. On the podcast, Adrienne would speak with fellow Below Deck alum and discuss the airing seasons.

Adrienne is very proud of her time on Below Deck. In her Instagram bio, she makes it known that she was on the show by writing, “OG #chiefstew @bravotv #BelowDeck.” Adrienne also references her job as a celebrity chef, which she took up after leaving the Bravo series. She also held a viewing party for the premiere of Below Deck season 11. Though Adrienne was only cast as a crew member in one season of the show, it’s clear that she’s ecstatic to call herself an “OG” of Below Deck.

9 Hannah Ferrier

Below Deck Mediterranean Season 1-5

Below Deck Mediterranean season 5 would have looked different without Chief Stew Hannah Ferrier. Undoubtedly, after Hannah was fired by Captain Sandy Yawn, the season suffered. After filming Below Deck Med, Hannah jumped ship to film The Real Love Boat as the cruise director for the dating series. She was cast on The TraitorsAustralia season 2, one of the hottest and most anticipated reality TV shows. Though it’s been a few years since she’s been on Below Deck, Hannah has used her history on that show to expand her career as a reality TV star.

It’s safe to say that Hannah has stayed in the spotlight since appearing on Below Deck Med, and her presence isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. She hosts her podcast, Dear Reality, You’re Effed!, which per the podcast’s Instagram bio, “delv[es] deep into the Bravo/Reality TV/celebrity world.” On Captain Lee’s podcast, Salty With Captain Lee, Hannah said she would consider returning to Below Deck if Captain Lee or Captain Jason Chambers asked her to.

8 Colin Macrae

Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 2-4

Colin Macrae made his first Below Deck appearance on Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 2. He was a fan favorite for not getting into the drama and doing his job exceptionally well. However, during Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 4, he was single and found himself in a love triangle with crew members Daisy Kelliher and Gary King. Colin’s personality shifted from Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 3 to 4, and he was ready to stir up more drama. He’s used his time on Below Deck to promote his YouTube channel, where he posts videos about sailing.

7 Natalya Scudder

Below Deck Mediterranean Season 7 & 8

Natalya Scudder was the drama on Below Deck Mediterranean season 8. Natalya and Tumi Mhlongo feuded instantly during the season, and Natalya arguably perpetuated their conflict. She would talk about Tumi to their fellow crew members, which drew more attention to both of them. Her dear friend, Kyle Viljoen, made their fight worse. Kyle got between Natalya and Tumi before they had the chance to meet. However, Natalya continued their conflict by snapping back and getting defensive at Tumi’s requests.

Natalya and Kyle both love attention. They also fought throughout Below Deck Med season 8, and Natalya ended up resigning because of the drama. However, she returned to stir up controversy once more during the finale of the season. Though she had already quit, Natalya had to make her presence on Below Deck Med season 8 known once more. Natalya and Kyle made a perfect duo on the show due to their dramatic natures. They knew how to make great, captivating TV, and they did just that.

6 Ashton Pienaar

Below Deck Season 6 & 7

Ashton Pienaar endured one of the most dangerous accidents on Below Deck season 6 when his foot got caught in a tow line. Ashton was dragged into the water, and a cameraman had to save him. He was invited back for Below Deck season 7 but didn’t make a great impression on the viewers. Ashton drank a lot in his second season and often got angry and violent when doing so. He wasn’t invited back to Below Deck, buthe used his time on the show to create and promote his fitness company.

5 Fraser Olender

Below Deck Season 8-11

Fraser Olender is one of the leading personalities on Below Deck season 11. He’s the poster child of the latest season, and he’s been stirring drama on camera. Fraser’s conflicts with Barbie Pascual have overtaken the season, and sometimes the drama feels a little forced. Former The Real Housewife of New York star Jill Zarin slammed Fraser for his lack of leadership skills that made her trip unenjoyable. His drama with Barbie has clouded Below Deck season 11. Having dealt with a conflict in season 10, maybe Fraser knew he could garner more attention towards himself with this feud.

4 Malia White

Below Deck Mediterranean Season 2, 5 & 6

Malia White’s time on Below Deck Mediterranean captivated viewers. She was in a relationship with her co-star, Tom Checketts. Their eventual breakup was heartbreaking for many Below Deck fans, but she was also known for her controversial actions on board. Like many reality TV alums, Malia has garnered an impressive following of over 570,000 followers on Instagram. She’s used her audience to promote her Below Deck-related podcast, Total Ship Show, and track her fitness journey.

3 Ben Willoughby

Below Deck Season 10 & 11

Below Deck season 11 star Ben Willoughby was extremely unhappy with his portrayal of the season. Ben considered exposing the truth about Below Deck in a series of Instagram Stories on his page. Reddit user Teanailpolish shared screenshots of his responses to fan questions, where it was clear Ben was unhappy with his edit on the season. “There’s too much that isn’t seen,” he wrote, adding, “I’m at a crossroads as to whether the truth needs to be told.” Ben did say he’d join Below Deck Sailing Yacht or Below Deck Med. He might have threatened to expose production to attract clout.

2 Alex Propson

Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 3

Alex Propson enjoyed starting the drama on Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 3. He showed romantic interest in Mad Herrera, but they didn’t end up pursuing a relationship. Alex has done a lot of press to stay in the limelight since appearing on Below Deck Sailing Yacht. On Alex’s Instagram, he promotes the interviews he does in hopes of becoming more popular. He also joined the cast of Winter House season 3, extending his stint on Bravo. Alex seems to be a fan of himself, making him one of the biggest clout chasers to come out of Below Deck.

1 Kyle Viljoen

Below Deck Mediterranean Season 7 & 8

Kyle Viljoen joined Below Deck Med season 8 intending to stir up drama. Kyle was friends with both Natalya and Tumi. He got in both the women’s ears before they met, and told them negative things about each other. When Natalya and Tumi clashed on the yacht, Kyle continued to spew gossip and heighten tensions between the women. Later in the season, Kyle clashed with Natalya once more, which ended in her leaving the season. Despite this conflict, Kyle and Natalya have since made amends, and he announced this on social media.

Kyle and Natalya knew how much attention the downfall of their friendship would garner and Kyle loved to spotlight this on social media. Ahead of the Below Deck Med season 8 finale, Kyle made another dramatic post on Instagram to commemorate his time on the show. His Instagram caption was extremely long, and Kyle thanked the network, his friends, and his family for their support. He also teased his “next announcement,” which felt like a promotional plug for a future project.

There have been quite a few clout chasers to appear on Below Deck. Clout chasers can diminish the value of a season as these people are typically vying for attention in outlandish ways on-camera. Whether they took the opportunity to appear on the show to accumulate followers or promote their businesses, it’s clear they enjoy the attention the Bravo series brings.

Below Deck

season 11 airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EDT on Bravo, then streams the following day on Peacock.

Sources: Adrienne Gang/Instagram, Dear Reality, You’re Effed!/Instagram, Teanailpolish/Reddit, Alex Propson/Instagram, Salty With Captain Lee, Kyle Viljoen/Instagram