The Below Deck Mediterranean cast is coming under fire once again, this time for allegedly being lazy and always complaining about their jobs. Below Deck Med season 9 has delivered plenty of drama ever since the Below Deck spin-off returned to Bravo in June 2024. A lot of the controversy has centered on Chef Johnathan “Jono” Shillingford and Bosun Iain Maclean’s poor charter skills, and online accusations that they’re faking their performance. More recently, stews Ellie Dubaich and Bri Muller have been butting heads over their inability to get along and get the job done.
Actor Zach Gilford lashed out at the Below Deck Med cast for not working very hard.
Now the Below Deck Med season 9 stars are being criticized for their constant complaints about how hard their jobs are. Criminal Minds: Evolution star Zach Gilford, who apparently watches Below Deck, appeared on Watch What Happens Live (as reported by Us Weekly) and went on a tirade against the Bavo cast members. Andy Cohen asked the actor about the current Below Deck season, which is when Zach decided to get on his “soapbox” and let loose. “Their life is so easy, and they are like, ‘It’s been 24 hours and I’m on a boat,” he began.
Andy Cohen Defends Below Deck Med Season 9 Stars
Zach Gilford’s Accusation Comes Amid Many Red Flags
Andy defended them against the actor’s accusations, claiming that the Below Deck Med cast members “are working very hard. They actually are.” That defense didn’t satisfy Zach, who retorted back that the reality stars “are not working that hard.” Zach explained that years ago, he would lead Alaskan backpacking trips, and he had to be in charge of kids for 24 hours a day. “I didn’t get two days on and a day off. They are in the middle of paradise. Like, just work,” he exclaimed, adding that he won’t hesitate to judge other people he deems to be lazy.
Zach’s accusations against the Below Deck Med cast came after producers were accused of interfering with Jono and Iain’s storylines to make it seem like they’re terrible at their jobs. Chef Jono’s meals have been subpar, and Iain’s skills as bosun have failed Captain Sandy Yawn’s expectations. In recent weeks, Jono has been bragging about positive reviews he’s received for his food, which could feed into the narrative that he’s a better chef than Below Deck Med is allowing him to be.
Working on a chartered yacht is hard, as seen year after year in the Below Deck franchise. Zach’s not wrong that certain Below Deck stars complain about their work and the crew members they have to put up with. Some of them just aren’t cut out for the yacht life, which is more demanding than the beautiful locales make it out to be. However, it’s wrong to give a blanket statement about their allegedly bad work ethic. Most of them do work very hard; if they didn’t, every charter would be a failure.
Below Deck Mediterranean airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EDT on Bravo.