While Below Deck Mediterranean season 7 will be setting sail later this year, it will be without the appearance of three-season alum, bosun Malia White. Originally joining the Below Deck spin-off in season 2 as a deckhand with little experience, Malia left the show only to return for seasons 5-6 as its first female bosun. Will Malia return to the show, or was season 6 her final appearance?
Since her return to Below Deck Med season 5, Malia has been divisive. As bosun during season 5, she was in charge of an all-male deck team. In a season that showcased girl power, with Captain Sandy Yawn at the helm alongside Chief Stew Hannah Ferrier and Malia, fans were happy to see Malia call out deckhand Peter Hunziker for his misogynistic treatment of her. However, opinions quickly soured towards Malia when she made the controversial decision to inform Captain Sandy that Hannah had unregistered anti-anxiety medication and a CBD vape pen in her cabin, leaving Sandy with no choice but to fire Hannah mid-season. Malia's role in the removal of a fan-favorite cast member as well as the shady reasoning behind Hannah's dismissal caused a massive amount of fan backlash towards Malia.
After Reddit user teanailpolish posted a leaked cast list for Below Deck Med season 7, fans speculated about Malia's absence from the upcoming season. Many wondered if the heavy criticism Malia received from fellow cast members from the Below Deck franchise and from fans for getting Hannah fired and her seemingly hypocritical defense of "maritime law" was the reason for her departure from the show. While the backlash from the events was "severe," it isn't the reason why Malia won't be on Below Deck Med season 7. Addressing the speculation with Showbiz CheatSheet, Malia stated that an unfortunate scooter accident and her studying for an upcoming "big oral [exam]" were the only reasons she wouldn't be returning to the show.
The departure, she also clarified, wasn't permanent. "I haven’t left," Malia said, adding, "It’s not that I might never come back to the show. I’m just not on the next season." While Malia won't be returning, Captain Sandy will still be at the helm for season 7. Along with Malia, Captain Sandy has also been criticized by fans, unlike the captains on the Below Deck franchise. Specifically, many fans have pointed to her constant criticism and blatant favoritism as signs that Sandy is not a good captain."Sandy is the absolute worst kind of manager. She doesn't trust any of her staff and is just waiting for a mistake so she can really let them have it on camera," pleaseleevmealone commented on Reddit. "All she cares about is how she looks on TV," they added.
Though Below Deck Med will be lacking its long-time bosun, Malia also told Showbiz Cheat Sheet that she would be open to returning to the franchise on Below Deck Sailing Yacht or the newest Below Deck spin-off, Below Deck Down Under. "When I saw that Down Under has all this diving and stuff, I was like, ‘Hey, how come I’m not on Down Under?’ I want to go to Australia and go diving. So yeah, I’d definitely go there." While fans can wait for Malia's reappearance to Below Deck, in whatever form that takes, they can watch Below Deck Mediterranean when it airs on Bravo this fall.
Sources: teanailpolish/Reddit, Showbiz CheatSheet, pleaseleevmealone/Reddit