João Franco has been busy since his days on Below Deck Mediterranean. While he was on the show, João was the lead deckhand during Below Deck Med season 3 and was promoted to bosun during the following season. Captain Sandy Yawn was more than impressed with him in his first season and saw his potential as a bosun. João was honored by the praise and considered Sandy to be someone he looks up to. They developed a close friendship throughout his two seasons, one that seemed unbreakable.
While he may have excelled in his yachting skills, João did not get along with many of his crewmates. Former chief steward Hannah Ferrier called him on several occasions a "misogynist," as he would often flirt with third stewardess Kasey Cohen right in front of second stew Brooke Laughton, who he was pursuing. During Below Deck Med season 3, he and Hannah often butted heads after João began dating Brooke. However, the two were able to make amends the following season and were in a great place. João made a better impression during his final season; however, he didn't return for Below Deck Med season 5.
João Franco Has Been Busy Since Below Deck Mediterranean
After leaving Sirroco when the last charter of Below Deck Med season 4 came to an end, João was ready to move on from the exterior team to a captain. According to BravoTV, João did an Instagram Live chat with Below Deck Sailing Yacht's Captain Glenn Shephard in March 2021, where he spoke about finishing his officer of the watch courses and how he was a captain on a 30-meter yacht for about a year-and-a-half. Now João, who captivates Below Deck Med fans, is looking forward to passing his officer of the watch exam. "I'm gonna do my exam in a month, and then I'm gonna most likely head back to Europe and look for a job on a sailboat," he said. João went on talk more about his first job as a captain. "I think the hardest part of being a captain is the responsibility of dealing with people's lives on board," he added.
João Has Invested In His Relationships
As for his friendships with his former Below Deck Med crew, in an episode of the "Behind The Velvet Rope" podcast from 2021, João revealed that he is no longer close with Captain Sandy. João said she would often send mixed messages about their friendship and often questioned her motivations when it came to helping him in the industry. Now that João has finished his course, he doesn't think he would take the position again. First, he wants to make sure he is ready before he takes on any bigger boats. Besides beginning his career as a captain, João also found love. In March 2020, he prosed to his long-time girlfriend, Michelle Dicu. However, in June 2021, the couple announced the end of their engagement. João is now dating Domi Tesi.
Now that João is a licensed captain, it is less than likely he will be appearing on another season of Below Deck Mediterranean. Although, he may return to show in the future as a captain. However, Captain Sandy would not be too pleased if she was replaced by her former bosun.
Sources: BravoTV, Behind The Velvet Rope, João Franco/Instagram