Below Deck season 11 ended over a year ago at this point and now its time for season 12. The Bravo series began in 2013 with Captain Lee Rosbach at the helm. He was an interesting character from the beginning and made the show what it is today. Fast-forward to the present day, Below Deck is airing its eleventh season and has created four spin-offs. The show has clearly become a huge success and continues to be one of the network’s top shows to date. What makes it such a success is its ever-changing cast, locations, and relatable workplace drama.
For Below Deck season 11, viewers experienced quite a change ahead of the return of the original series. Captain Lee stepped down as the captain following a series of health issues from the last two seasons. To replace him, they got Captain Kerry Titheradge from Below Deck Adventure to take his place. While the change was very jarring at first, viewers were able to warm up to Captain Kerry quite easily. Since he is a familiar face, it wasn’t difficult to get used to Kerry at the helm, and so far, he’s done a great job at it.
Below Deck Season 12 Latest News
It took a while for Below Deck season 12 to arrive, but it’s finally here. However, there was some speculation regarding Captain Lee’s return. There were several outlets online that claimed Captain Lee might return to Below Deck next season; however, Lee himself has yet to confirm the rumors. While many viewers would be ecstatic to see Lee return to Below Deck, it never happened. Lee has said he was fired from the show, and it would be odd for the network to re-hire someone they fired the year prior. If anything, Lee would return as a guest this season.
Is Below Deck Season 12 Confirmed?
Below Deck season 12 has been confirmed by Bravo. The network is having Below Deck return for another season as the show has done so well since its inception in 2013. Below Deck has been one of the best franchises to come out of the network since The Real Housewives. The show has provided drama, luxury, and more, which has enticed millions of viewers in the last 11 years. It would’ve been a huge shock if Bravo decided not to bring Below Deck back for another season, especially since they recast Captain Lee with Captain Kerry.
Below Deck Season 12 Release Date
Below Deck season 12 is set to premiere on Monday, June 2 at 8 p.m. EDT on Bravo with a super-sized episode (via Bravo). The news was announced at the end of April, over a year since the last season premiered. Along with the premiere date, Below Deck season 12 also revealed its cast and the trailer for the new season.
Below Deck season 12 is premiering later than usual, as Below Deck season 11 premiered on February 5, while Below Deck season 10 premiered a few months early the year before on November 21, 2022. With the addition of Below Deck Down Under, Bravo’s had to switch scheduling for the shows over the years, so it makes sense that Below Deck season 11 premiered a little later for last season. Since Below Deck Down Under season 3 is currently airing, Below Deck season 12 airing over the summer makes sense.
Below Deck Season 12 Cast
As for the cast for Below Deck season 12, the full cast was revealed towards the end of April. Captain Kerry has returned at the helm after replacing Captain Lee for the first time last season. Also returning is Chief Stew Fraser Olender, meaning this will be his fourth season on Below Deck but his third as Chief Stew. The last returning season 11 cast member is Kyle Stillie’s, who will be working as a Deckhand again.
Even though there were rumors Captain Lee could be returning, those rumor likely stemmed from fans who were sad to see Lee leave the series. Nonetheless, Kerry has been the perfect replacement for Lee – Kerry is strict but kind and truly cares about the well-being of his crew. In fact, Kerry might be the best captain in the Below Deck franchise to date.
As for the cast members, Below Deck usually replaces most of the crew. Joining Kerry, Fraser, and Kyle are Chef Lawrence Snowden, Bosun Caio Poltronieri, deckhands Jess Theron and Damo Yorg, and Stews Barbara Kulaif, Rainbeau de Roos, and Solène Favreau (via Glitter Magazine). So far, the crew seems great, and once the first epsiode of Below Deck season 12 airs, we’ll have a better idea of how well this crew will work together.
Below Deck Season 12 Trailer
The Below Deck season 12 trailer was released in April along with the release date. As soon as the trailer begins, trouble is afoot. An emergency is taking place and a woman’s voice says “their canceling the charter.” It’s then revealed that the season is taking place in Sint Martin, an island in the Caribbean. While the trailer started a bit tense with Kerry and Fraser both getting upset with guests, but it quickly moves into the fun and games portion of the trailer. The new crew members are also introduced with Solène Favreau confirming she was on Love Island France.
It seems there may be some trouble with one of the crew members, as Captain Kerry is seen letting one of them go. The trailer showed several faces, including Kyle’s, but the person fired is, of course, not confirmed. As far as boatmances go, there seem to be quite a few this season as several crew members are shown making out, including Kyle and Fraser. The trailer then shows Kerry speaking to Kyle, saying, “The crew thinks you b**ged a charter guest.” Again, nothing is confirmed, so viewers will have to wait and see once Below Deck season 12 airs this June.
Below Deck season 12 premieres June 2 at 9 p.m. EDT on Bravo.