There is typically a reunion at the end of every Below Deck season, but there wasn’t one for season 4. Usually, the crew members sit down for an annual chat with Andy Cohen to hash out the drama aired on the show. There were questions surrounding why there was no reunion after Below Deck season 4 ended. However, this led to speculation that Chief Stew Kate Chastain’s arrest may have been why it was canceled.Captain Lee Rosbach returned for Below Deck season 4, along with deckhand-turned-Bosun Kelley Johnson. Nico Sholly, Lauren Burchell, and Kyle Dixon joined the crew as deckhands, and Emily Warbuton-Adams and Sierra Storm worked under Kate as stews. Ben Robinson returned as a chef and sparked a new romance with the second stew, Emily. Aside from Ben’s relationship with Emily, Below Deck’s fourth season didn’t deliver as much drama as its other installments.
Kate Confirmed The Reunion Wasn’t Happening
In December 2016, Kate made an official statement on Twitter, which confirmed that a Below Deck season 4 reunion wouldn’t happen. “Sadly no #BelowDeck reunion this year. But if you still want to hear my sarcasm about yachting my book is now out,” she tweeted. There was speculation the gathering was scrapped due to Kate’s domestic violence allegations earlier that year. According to People, in June 2016, the formerChief Stew was arrested for fighting with her then-girlfriend, Ricio “Ro” Hernandez.
Kate’s Arrest May Have Affected The Reunion’s Cancellation
Ro was seen on the show when she visited Kate during the charter season. Kate’s dear friend Chef Ben and the other crew members were critical of the pair’s relationship, and they may have been right. After returning home from a bar in an intoxicated state, Florida resident Kate bit Ro on multiple parts of her body. Kate also strangled Ro and held her down to the point where she couldn’t breathe. The Below Deck star was released after paying a $5,000 bond. Kate’s previous domestic violence incidents were never reported because Ro didn’t want to ruin her girlfriend’s image.
Some fans shared their opinions on why the Below Deck season 4 reunion didn’t happen in the Reddit thread started by tals. Many users agreed that Kate’s arrest significantly influenced the network’s decision. “I read somewhere that they didn’t have a reunion cause of what was going on with Kate and Ro,” one user said. Another user posted a video featuring Kate being taken into custody by Florida police officers at her apartment. “Oh my god, that was so interesting to watch! A different side of Kate than we’ve seen on the show. Thanks for adding this video to the thread,” a Redditor replied, reacting to the video.
Kate’s one of the most popular crew members on Below Deck, and Bravo likely saved her reputation by not having a reunion. The iconic cast member would have been forced to speak out about her arrest and show her darker side on the reunion show. If Kate had to face her castmates by explaining the reason for her arrest, she might not have been allowed to return for another Below Deck season. Luckily, Kate just had a baby and returned for more seasons after this shocking event. Hopefully, her days of drunken domestic violence are behind her.
Sources: Kate Chastain/Twitter, People, tals/Reddit
