Laurent Bassett/BravoA first for Captain Lee Rosbach.
Below Deck season eight, which premieres Monday, Nov. 2 at 9 p.m. on Bravo, promises to be chock-full of drama. And, for an exclusive chat with E! News, Captain Lee teased what's to come for the highly anticipated season.
Not only will the new season showcase the start of the coronavirus pandemic, but a trailer showed the captain threatening to end someone's charter.
"Get your goddamn ass back to this boat, now," Captain Lee demanded of one unidentified person. "Your charter just ended."
Was it an unruly guest? A rogue crew member?
"Now, how do you know it was a guest?" the coy captain teased to E!. "I could've been talking to a crew member, but I'm not gonna spoil anything."
While Captain Lee refused to give us any spoilers during our exclusive chat, he did express that it was a first for his career.
"I will tell you this, it is something I have never, ever done in 35 years of yachting," he added. "Until now. It's never, ever happened to me before. That is a first."
Without giving away specifics, Captain Lee categorized the drama as "extremely intense."
Of course, this wasn't the only drama teased as a firing and crew hookups were promised in the previous trailer. Not to mention, this will be the first time in several years that Kate Chastain is not the Below Deck Chief Stewardess.
Per Captain Lee, Kate was certainly missed heading into filming season eight.
"Kate was such a presence and to say that she wasn't going to be missed would be a misstatement," Captain Lee said of his former co-star. "I'm very happy for what she's doing now, and it was time for her to move on…Whatever makes her happy, we were all in for."
Yet, Captain Lee made sure to sing the praises of Kate's replacement, Francesca Rubi. Although the new Below Deck Chief Stewardess had "big shoes to fill," Captain Lee called her "a hard-working girl," who "knew her stuff."
He further shared, "I was very pleased with her."
That's some high praise from Captain Lee!
Thankfully, Captain Lee did have one familiar face among the crew, original cast member and bosun Eddie Lucas. And, as the captain explained it, Eddie has changed quite a bit since he was last on the show.
"His maturation level has increased exponentially to where he's right up there," Captain Lee relayed. "I think he's come leaps and bounds from the last time he and I worked together and I'm just very proud of him."
For a closer look at the season eight cast, scroll through the images below.
Captain Harold Lee Rosbach has spent more than two decades in the yachting industry.
Born and raised in landlocked Michigan, he discovered his untapped love for the water while managing restaurants in Turks & Caicos. It was then that an acquaintance invited him to serve as a mate on a sailboat delivery to earn extra cash. At 35, Lee obtained his Captain's license and left the restaurant business behind to pursue his newfound passion.
Since then, Captain Lee has commanded more than a dozen super yachts. Lovingly known as the "Stud of the Sea," Lee values the special bonds he forms on deck and always puts the safety of everyone on board above all else. This season, Lee is excited to return to the Caribbean with his old friend, Bosun Eddie Lucas, as he adjusts to the many new personalities, including his new Chief Stewardess.
Excited to jump back on board, Eddie Lucas hopes to charm the crew with his humor and jovial spirit.
Eddie returns to Below Deck with a degree in adventure education from Green Mountain College and a background in paddling, skiing, and scuba diving.
After taking his talents to the yachting industry, Eddie joined the first three seasons of Below Deck as an original cast member. Since we saw him last, Eddie has achieved his 1600-ton license and works as First Mate on a four-man tugboat crew where he has learned the importance of diligence and delegation in the commercial industry. Although Eddie's version of paradise was not fulfilled following season 3, he has a "never say never" mantra when it comes to how things may develop onboard.
Originally from Tampa, Florida, Rachel Hargrove is a cosmopolitan yacht chef with an extensive repertoire of culinary skills.
Although predominantly self-taught, Rachel attended the Culinary Institute of America and held an apprenticeship at the Michelin-starred restaurant Quatro Passi in Nerano, Italy. After spending time in Thailand, Japan, India, and Italy to expand her craft, Rachel revels in her wide range of cuisines—from molecular gastronomy to gluten-free pasta, she is unphased by almost any charter guest preference sheet.
A talented and experienced chef, Rachel admits her demanding professionalism can be polarizing to others. No matter their opinion, Rachel is always sure to stand her ground on deck.
Originally from Sydney, Australia, Francesca Rubi grew up determined to live an adventurous lifestyle.
Francesca began her career in event management working for celebrity clients and eventually transitioned into the yachting industry as a hostess. She quickly learned the ropes and has grown to become an adventurer with a strong background in yachting as a purser, deckhand, and stewardess. Francesca prides herself on providing the best guest experience, but the demands can be exhausting. When Francesca is not on charter, she loves to find inspiration from cultures around the world, let loose, and party with her crew.
Elizabeth Frankini is a Long Island native with a background in high-end hospitality.
Introduced to yachting by a former boyfriend who wanted to show her the world, Elizabeth instead fell in love with life on deck. A mermaid at heart, Elizabeth was captivated by the ocean and wanted to immerse herself in foreign cultures. She quickly enrolled in courses and was hired on the spot. After four on-and-off years freelancing in yachting, she joins the crew eager to broaden her stew skills. Always marching to the beat of her own drum, Elizabeth made sure to pack her healing crystals and is ready to ward off any trouble on deck with positive energy.
Isabelle Wouters was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia.
Four years ago, she entered the yachting industry as a fluke while planning to travel Europe. With her first taste of wanderlust, Izzy knew that she needed to continue seeing the world. After her first stew job, she was eager to perfect her skills inside and out and took more courses to become a certified yacht master. Now, Izzy knows her way around the interior and exterior better than most. Dedicated to her crew and charter guests, Izzy takes her job seriously and hopes to form strong friendships on board.
James Hough is a charismatic guy from northern England.
He received a private school education but realized academics were not his forte and dropped out of university after only two weeks. Looking for experiences beyond the UK, James fled to Antibes to try his hand at yachting. James is an incorrigible flirt—his shameless pursuit of several stews onboard nearly got him fired from his first job, and he was forced to shape up or ship out. The charming Casanova is still a hard worker and driven to succeed. Always putting his job first, James is thankful for the opportunity to see the world and has no plans to look back anytime soon.
Below Deck season eight premieres Monday, Nov. 2 at 9 p.m. on Bravo.
Binge past episodes of Below Deck on Peacock.
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