Several Below Deck stars have been fired from their respective charters since the first series began to air in 2013, and we're going to share information about those former cast members today. Whether it was during one of their charters or after the show was filmed, viewers have watched a variety of crew members get the boot. Some firings were widely considered to be uncalled for, such as Hannah Ferrier's on Below Deck Med last season. Hannah was fired after bosun Malia White snitched on her to "micromanager" Captain Sandy. Other firings were understandable because the crew members didn't live up to the captain's standards. Shane Coopersmith and Elizabeth Frankini were let go for that reason.
Below Deck first aired in 2013 and was followed by the spinoff, Below Deck Med. More recently, Below Deck Sailing Yacht was launched. Over the years, viewers have seen many crew members who are good at their jobs, with strong work ethics. These staff members have become successful in the yachting industry. However, some cast members were not able to make it through their entire seasons. They had to head back to their homes from the docks.
Peter Hunziker
Peter was fired from Below Deck Med in June 2020, after a series of racially insensitive comments resurfaced. The season had already been filmed. However, the Bravo network edited the show to minimize Peter's presence in the series. The series of comments had been released just weeks after season five began airing.
Shane Coopersmith
During Below Deck season 8, Shane was fired as a deckhand for not making enough progress in his role, according to bosun Eddie Lucas. While he knows Shane is a great person, he believes Shane is too lazy for his job. He called him out for sleeping in and taking naps while the rest of the crew did clean-ups. He even slept through his alarm. Captain Lee agreed with Eddie's assessment, so Shane's days were numbered.
Elizabeth Frankini
Elizabeth was also fired during Below Deck season 8. She was let go by the chief stewardess, Francesca Rubi. Francesca told Elizabeth that her work ethic was lacking, and this is why she was canned during the charter. To Francesca, the last straw was when she found out that Elizabeth had slept in the guest cabin. Elizabeth later defended herself on Twitter, explaining how it was difficult for her to do her job with cameras around her. She also said there was more that went on that wasn't shown on TV.
Hannah Ferrier
When Hannah got fired on Below Deck Med last season, it was the most iconic firing to come out of the franchise. After bosun Malia White found out that Hannah brought Valium and a vape pen on board (and this was the real reason why Captain Sandy fired Hannah), she took a photo of the evidence. When the captain saw the contraband, she promptly terminated her from the charter. However, Hannah was happy to leave the boat as she was over her career in yachting.
Working in the yachting industry can be difficult and it's not for everyone. You have to move fast and work under pressure, which is all the more challenging when there are cameras following you. Of course, in light of the pressures, these will not be the last Below Deck firings. It is safe to say there will be more to come in the future.