In the latest episode of the reality show Below Deck Down Under, two crew members, Bosun Luke Jones, and Stew Laura Bileskalne, got fired due to inappropriate behavior towards their crew members after a successful charter and night out. The strong actions from the production garnered audiences’ appreciation for curbing intolerable behaviors. Here’s what happened.
Warning: The article mentions attempted s*xual harassment. Readers’ discretion is advised.
Below Deck Down Under: Why was Luke fired?
During the crew’s return from the night out in Cairns, Luke Jones kept approaching Stew Margot Sisson. Chief Stew Aesha hinted the discomfort of Margot and extended a protective hand to ensure her safety. However, Luke entered Margot’s cabin when she was asleep. He also wasn’t wearing any clothes, which prompted the production to intervene.
- Margot confirmed that she did not consent to Luke’s presence, and Aesha reported the incident to the Captain. Due to the suggestive s*xual approach, Luke was asked to leave the ship for the night. The next day, Captain discussed the importance of boundaries and fired Luke for inappropriate behavior.
Why was Laura fired?
Stew Laura Bileskalne was also fired for not respecting boundaries and continuously approaching Deckhand Adam Codra despite his lack of response. She also attempted to give him a massage while he was asleep. All these non-consented approaches made Adam uncomfortable.
https://youtu.be/myHrnDn6atI
- Laura further discussed her activities with Stew Margot, who reported it to Stew Aesha. She confronted Laura, but there wasn’t any regard towards the personal boundaries of Adam which escalated the matter. Stew Aesha reported the events to Captain Jason, and he promptly terminated Laura for her insensitivity towards boundaries.
Laura apologizes for her behavior on Instagram
Following the dismissal, Laura quickly took to her personal Instagram to share an apology. She acknowledged her mistakes and their impact on the crew. Both the dismissal of Luke and Laura highlighted the importance of professionalism, consent, and boundaries among crew members of a show.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CvrGQ4AsapN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Fans and television critics abundantly praised the actions and the airing of the difficult conversations about s*xual misconduct. Furthermore, they praised Stew Aesha and Captain Jason for their necessary stern decisions and quick actions. Read some of the audiences’ reactions below:
Relieved and grateful that both Chief Stew Aesha Scott and Captain Jason Chambers acted prudently, swiftly and humanely on Below Deck Down Under. In a sea of recent criticism for reality television, sometimes there are genuine heroes in our midst as well. #BelowDeckDownUnder pic.twitter.com/9v5lrdfZfQ
— Richard Pérez-Feria (@RPerezFeria) August 9, 2023
“Women should be able to be blackout drunk if they want to be… you’re allowed to be drunk.” This episode of Below Deck Down Under should be mandatory viewing for everyone. Women should be allowed to be drunk without the fear of being harmed. #BelowDeckDownUnder #BelowDeck
— lil freckle juice (@TheVirginAmy) August 8, 2023
That Below Deck Down Under episode was so scary shoutout to Aesha though literally a true girls girl, such a beautiful human and the producers for stepping up to both situations with Luke and Laura and the captain for not even questioning anything and springing into action
— Ashley (@asclarke) August 8, 2023
God what a heavy triggering episode of Below Deck Down Under. It's not often that you see reality shows get things right but I have the utmost respect for the producers on BDDU, Aesha and @CaptJChambers for how they handled the Luke and Laura situation on tonight's episode.
— Meg 🤍 (@TheOldMeg) August 8, 2023
More about Below Deck Down Under
Below Deck Down Under is a reality show premiered on Peacock TV in March 2022. In May 2023, the show permanently shifted to Bravo TV. The ongoing season further developed the series of Below Deck following its two successful seasons, Below Deck Meditarrian and Below Deck Sailing Yacht.
- In February 2022, the production announced the third installment of the show. It captures the lives of crew members who work together on an over 150-foot superyacht. Their term is of six weeks, and they are in Australia.
- Chief Stew Aesha Scott previously appeared on Below Deck Meditarrian. Meanwhile, Captain Jason Chambers made headlines in 2019 when he accidentally crashed a super yacht into a Warf in Queensland.
Their exemplary response and management of the s*xual misconduct on the Below Deck Down Under made them trend across social media. They also rose in the charts of fan following.
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