Since Hannah Ferrier was fired from Below Deck Mediterranean, Captain Sandy Yawn has had a lot of trouble trying to find a consistent chief steward. Hannah joined the Bravo series when the first season aired in 2016. She joined the show as the chief stew alongside Chef Ben Robinson, who was the chef on the original Below Deck series. Hannah made quite an impression on viewers for her consistent work ethic and her no-nonsense personality when it came to managing her stews. Overall, Hannah was not only a great worker, but she was also entertaining to watch.
It was shocking when Hannah was left go from Below Deck Med mid-way through season 5. Bosun Malia White found out that Hannah had unregistered Valium and a vape pen on board and immediately reported it to Captain Sandy. Since crew members can’t have unregistered drugs on board, Sandy called Hannah into her office and fired her. Hannah was obviously angry by the unjust reason for getting fired, and so were Below Deck Med fans. The entire fanbase turned on both Sandy and Malia for the duration of the season. However, since Hannah’s firing, Below Deck Med has been unable to find a stable chief stew.
Other Chief Stews Were Unlikeable
Most of the chief stews who joined Below Deck Med after Hannah weren’t very likable among the fanbase. The season after Hannah was fired, Katie Flood was revealed as the new chief stew. While she was likable and had the potential to be the new mainstay chief stew, Katie didn’t have the same charisma that Hannah brought to the show. Katie didn’t bring the same energy that Hannah brought to the screen, which may have been why she wasn’t asked back for Below Deck Med season 7.
For Below Deck Med season 7, Natasha Webb was introduced as the new chief stew. Natasha also had potential at the start of the season, but that quickly dwindled as the season progressed. Her relationship drama with Chef Dave White and her third stew, Natalya Scudder, caused her to look bad on-screen. The backlash from fans was so intense that Natasha didn’t even show up to the reunion. This is also a surefire way to not get asked back to a Bravo show. Natasha didn’t bring the same level of energy as Hannah and, overall, fans were happy she didn’t return for season 8.
No One Has Been As Good As Hannah
Since Hannah left the series, Below Deck Med producers have had a difficult time finding someone who has the potential to be a mainstay. Hannah not only excelled at her job, but she had hilarious, quick-witted responses in her confessional and while on board. Similar to Kate Chastain from Below Deck, Hannah was a one-of-a-kind character on Below Deck Med. It’s difficult trying to replicate what was good about the show before, and in the last two seasons, the chief stews have been nothing but misses.
The last two chief stews didn’t bring what Hannah brought to Below Deck Med, which has left the series with something missing. The franchise has always worked best with a strong chief stew, and fans agree, according to the Reddit thread started by domthedruid. Below Deck Down Under and Below Deck Sailing Yacht are clear examples of that, as they’ve both had Aesha Scott and Daisy Kelliher as mainstay chief stews.
Tumi Has The Potential To Be The New Hannah
Tumi Mhlongo from Below Deck Down Under season 1 has joined the cast of Below Deck Med season 8 as the new chief stew. While it’s still early in the season, Tumi has the potential to be the new Hannah. Tumi is still strong-willed like Hannah, but she isn’t afraid to fight back, which is evident in her ongoing feud with Natalya.
Not only does Tumi have a good head on her shoulders, but she is also quite funny. Her confessionals have shown her true personality and that she isn’t afraid to show that she can be tough but also knows how to have fun. If all goes well for Tumi this season, she could return as the next mainstay chief stew on Below Deck Med.
Below Deck Mediterranean airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo
