The latest episode of Below Deck: Down Under sparked a wave of controversy this week after two crew members were fired from the Bravo series for sexual misconduct that was caught on camera.
Below Deck viewers watched as boatswain Luke Jones and second steward Laura Bileskalne were removed from the ship after entering the cabins of two other crew members without their consent. Both were immediately fired during the incidences that took reportedly took place a year ago during filming. The ship’s captain, Jason Chambers, acted quickly and decisively after learning about the misconduct.
In the case of Jones, the production team stopped an alarming moment that occurred after Jones and third stew Margot Sisson returned from a drunken night out. She could be heard telling Jones that she just wanted to go to sleep. “All I want is water and bed. No Luke.” He did not comply.
Via The Washington Post:
Soon Jones, who was naked at the time, was seen as he attempted to enter Sisson’s bed, despite her being unconscious and, as she recalled later in the episode, “blackout drunk.” Producers, who are not typically on the show, jumped into the scene and forced Jones out of the room despite his heavy protests, expletives and screams. He was then brought to his own quarters, where he locked himself inside.
After being informed of the incident, Chambers immediately went to Jones’ quarters and booted him off the ship. He was fired the next morning.
Bileskalne was also terminated for a similar incident. She was also caught on camera entering a crew member’s cabin without consent. Bileskalne made unwanted sexual advances towards deckhand Adam Kodra and had to be removed from his quarters by Below Deck producers.
Bileskalne also made light of the incident with Jones by joking to Sisson, whose room Jones entered, that “If he comes naked in my cabin I’d be, like, ‘Hello! Yes!'”
After learning of Bileskalne’s actions with Kodra and joking about Jones, Chambers fired her as well.
(Via Washington Post)
