Captain Kerry Titheradge was the perfect replacement for Captain Lee Rosbach in Below Deck season 11. After serving as captain of the mainstay reality yachting series for ten years, Captain Lee was not asked back for season 11, most likely due to issues of health concerns. He pioneered the series and became one of the most recognized personalities of the franchise alongside his right-hand Chief Stew, Kate Chastain. Captain Lee likely won’t return to Below Deck as Captain Kerry has successfully taken over his longtime leading role with his stint on Below Deck season 11.

He entered the Below Deck universe as the first captain of Below Deck Adventure season 1. After just one season in the franchise, Captain Kerry was brought in to lead Below Deck season 11 with Fraser Olender as Chief Stew. He had an impressive run on Below Deck Adventure and an even better season in the original series. As captain, he worked well under pressure and formed genuine relationships with his crew. Captain Kerry revitalized Below Deck and has cemented himself as one of the franchise’s best captains ever.

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Captain Kerry Titheradge Had Big Shoes Fill After Captain Lee Rosbach

Did Captain Kerry Live Up To Captain Lee’s Legacy?

The new captain had big shoes to fill after Captain Lee’s exit. He is one of the OG crew members of Below Deck and has massively contributed to the success of the franchise. During Below Deck season 10, Captain Lee had a health emergency and had to leave briefly. This was the first sign that Captain Lee’s tenure with the series was coming to an end. However, it was a shock to hear he would not be returning to Below Deck. Captain Lee told The Sun Sentinel he wasn’t asked back for season 11.

“I did not quit. I did not retire. I was just not invited back.”

There was a lot of pressure on Captain Kerry to live up to the legacy Captain Lee had left behind. It was even more interesting to learn that Captain Lee hadn’t retired and Bravo had replaced him with the new captain. Captain Lee was a fan-favorite cast member, and he’s always been part of the show’s cast. It was interesting that Bravo decided to usher Captain Kerry into the leading spot on the mainstay series instead of a franchise veteran like Captain Sandy Yawn or Captain Jason Chambers.

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Captain Kerry Titheradge Had The Yachting Experience To Replace Captain Lee Rosbach

Captain Kerry Was Well-Qualified For The Job

Despite a lack of experience on reality TV, Captain Kerry had an adequate yachting background to take over Captain Lee’s position. Per Bravo TV, he brought two decades of experience in the industry into Below Deck season 11. He was on Below Deck Adventure season 1, which meant it wouldn’t be entirely new for him to film during the charter season. Captain Kerry didn’t have as many years of experience as Captain Lee, but he had enough to justify his hiring.

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Captain Kerry Titheradge Joined The Franchise During Below Deck Adventure

Captain Kerry Was A Captain On Another Below Deck Spin-Off

Captain Kerry came into season 11 as a Below Deck franchise captain. He was the first captain of Below Deck Adventure, a spin-off of the original show that emphasized outdoor activities. It would have been outlandish if Bravo had hired a non-franchise captain to take over Below Deck after Captain Lee. Their jobs as captains come first, but the network should want to ensure they choose a likable, endearing captain that the Below Deck audience will enjoy. The captain sets the scene for the entire charter season, and Captain Kerry comes in with terrific morale.

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Kerry Titheradge Was A Stern Yet Compassionate Captain

Captain Kerry Didn’t Try To Tear Down His Crew

Captain Kerry was stern yet compassionate with his approach throughout the charter season. During the beginning of Below Deck season 11, Stew Cat Baugh struggled to balance her professional and personal life. After noticing that one of his crew members was struggling, Captain Kerry pulled her aside and took her on an adventure to lift her spirits. He met with season 11 original Bosun Jared Woodin when his performance was lacking. Jared told Captain Kerry how it was frustrating for him not to be able to communicate with his daughter while on St. David.

He was very sympathetic to Jared’s personal problems. Captain Kerry heard him out and even opened up about his family experiences. He was compassionate but also let Jared know that he needed to improve as a Bosun. Captain Kerry did his best to lead his crew in a successful charter season. He knew that if certain crew members weren’t confident in themselves, he needed to step in as a captain and offer them some positive reassurance.

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Captain Kerry Titheradge Had A Hands-On Leadership Style

Captain Kerry Had His Boots On The Ground

Captain Kerry’s hands-on leadership style was successful in Below Deck season 11. He communicated efficiently with all the crew members on St. David, specifically with Chief Stew Fraser and Bosun Ben. When the interior team began having some conflict, Captain Kerry made it a point to be around St. David to observe their behavior. Additionally, Chef Anthony Iracane struggled with time management. The captain had proactive conversations with the chef to lift his confidence. However, Captain Kerry continuously noticed a decline in Chef Anthony and sat in on a dinner to evaluate his skills.

“My food is already cold. There’s obviously something going down in the galley, something going wrong.”

Instead of leaving the heads of the interior and exterior departments to fend for themselves, Captain Kerry inserted himself into the crew’s everyday lives. As he subtly watched over the crew, this allowed him to observe the source of the crew’s issues. Captain Kerry offered help to Chief Stew Fraser and Bosun Ben instead of leaving them to make decisions for themselves.

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Captain Kerry Titheradge Prioritized The Physical & Mental Health Of His Crew

Captain Kerry Was There For Cat, Jared, & Chef Anthony

Captain Kerry took his job incredibly seriously. While the main priority was ensuring the quality of charters for the guests, Captain Kerry placed the same importance on the health of his crew members. When Cat revealed that she needed to leave St. David, he prioritized getting her off the boat as quickly as possible. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Captain Kerry said he didn’t need to know “what was going on” when Cat needed to leave. For him, it was important to get her off the boat for her mental health.

“It didn’t matter what it was. To her, it was catastrophic.”

On the contrary, he ensured the crew felt physically safe onboard St. David. During one charter, the guests requested to celebrate New Year’s Eve. One guest wanted to share a New Year’s kiss with Fraser, and he asked Captain Kerry if this was okay. “The crew shouldn’t have to do anything like that,” said the captain. He added, “To me, that’s sexual harassment.” Once Fraser clarified that he was “keen” on the kiss, he said that was okay. In all respects, Captain Kerry looked out for the physical and mental health of the Below Deck season 11 crew.

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Captain Kerry Titheradge Wasted No Time Firing Unqualified Crew Members

Captain Kerry Fired A Few Crew Members

While Captain Kerry showcased a lot of empathy throughout the charter season, he didn’t waste time firing unqualified crew members. When the bosun didn’t step up, Jared was fired from Below Deck season 11. Captain Kerry didn’t want to fire him but knew it was the right decision. He also fired Chef Anthony after he failed to improve his time management. The chef was a beloved member of the crew, and the captain enjoyed him throughout most of the charters. However, once Chef Anthony began to spiral, Captain Kerry knew he had to let him go.

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Captain Kerry Titheradge And Fraser Olender Became A Dynamic Duo

Are Captain Kerry & Fraser Returning For Below Deck Season 12?

While Captain Lee and Kate are an iconic Below Deck pairing, Captain Kerry and Fraser are the franchise’s newest dynamic duo. Throughout Below Deck season 11, they did not always see eye to eye. When Fraser had issues with his stew, Barbie Pascual, Captain Kerry urged him to separate his personal feelings from his work. Captain Kerry was level-headed throughout the charter season and was a voice of reason for the Chief Stew. Bravo has attempted to recapture the magic that was Captain Lee and Kate’s relationship, and they may have that with Captain Kerry and Fraser.

They were spotted filming Below Deck season 12 together, meaning the network believed they were a successful captain and Chief Stew duo. Fraser is the only Chief Stew after Kate to appear in more than one consecutive season of Below Deck. He’s Kate’s unofficial replacement as the Below Deck Chief Stew, while Captain Kerry is the official successor of Captain Lee. With both of them seemingly returning for Below Deck season 12, it’s clear that the audience has taken a liking to them both.

Captain Kerry was the perfect replacement for Captain Lee on Below Deck. He went into the season having only appeared in one season of Below Deck Adventure, quickly rising to the expectations of his crew and the audience. Captain Kerry was compassionate yet stern, and he’s rumored to be returning for Below Deck season 12.

Sources: The Sun Sentinel, Bravo TV, Entertainment Weekly