Summary
- Below Deck Mediterranean season 8 premieres on September 25, 2023, with a crew of 10 cast members on board the Mustique yacht.
- Captain Sandy Yawn, the iconic female lead, returns and promises drama and beautiful experiences in the latest season.
- The new crew members, including chef Jack Luby and Chief Stew Tumi Mhlongo, bring their unique skills and experiences to the show.
Below Deck Mediterranean season 8 has many returning faces and new crew members which fans would love to see. The popular Below Deck spin-off premiered in 2016. At the time, the show featured Captain Mark Howard and his eight crew members aboard the custom yacht, Ionian Princess. However, not many of those names returned the next year. Below Deck Med season 2 featured new Captain Sandy Yawn, who became the icon of the spin-off. The female lead has since been part of the series, alongside various popular names.
Below Deck Mediterranean season 8 is the latest one in the franchise. The show will premiere on September 25, 2023, and feature a crew of 10 cast members. Below Deck Med season 8 shows the popular captain and her team aboard a 2005 custom ship, Mustique. It is a 55-meter American yacht with twelve knots cruising speed. Captain Sandy recently shared that the latest season is full of memorable moments. She said, “you’re going to get the drama, you’re going to get the beautiful experiences.” As usual, Below Deck Mediterranean will air on Bravo and Peacock.
Captain Sandy Yawn
As per E! News and Bravo, Below Deck Mediterranean season 8 features a cast of ten crew members, one being Captain Sandy. The 56-year-old woman came from Fort Lauderdale and made a big name for herself on TV and in the yachting world. She debuted on the show in 2017 and has since been a regular on the spin-off. Over the years, Captain Sandy has seen it all and led her team to various successful charters. She’s all too familiar with the romances, the parties, and the drama. Therefore, she’s fully equipped to take on the challenges in season 8. Captain Sandy recently celebrated 34 years of being sober.
Chef Jack Luby
Below Deck Mediterranean season 8 features a new chef, Jack Luby. For many reasons, the self-proclaimed “kitchen wizard” from Bali seems to be the perfect choice for the show. Jack has a lengthy experience creating exotic tropical dishes and a passion for living by the seaside. His Instagram page shows that he can cook all kinds of food items and would be able to fulfill any request from charter guests. Jack also seems to have a passion for staying in shape. In February 2023, the chef posted a photo of himself with the caption, “quit my job , moved to Bali #freedom.”
Chief Stew Tumi Mhlongo
Below Deck Med season 8 also features many returning stars. One such name is Chief Stew Tumi Mhlongo, who previously appeared on Below Deck Down Under season 1. The New York resident was the second stewardess on Captain Jason Chambers' yacht. She fulfilled her duties perfectly, which could be why she’s now the Chief Stew of Captain Sandy’s team. The South African native made many great friendships on the show, and she’s the perfect woman to lead the stews on Mustique. Tumi recently announced her debut on the spin-off show and wrote, “whose ready for the wildest charter season EVER with the craziest crew.”
Second Stew Kyle Viljoen
Below Deck Mediterranean season 8 features a few cast members continuing their journeys on the show. The second stew from season 7, Kyle Viljoen, returns to reprise his role. He was an excellent crew member last time and will look to continue his streak. Kyle is a 31-year-old New York resident. He's experienced and has good looks, making him a perfect addition to the crew. Kyle announced his return on September 1. He posted a photo of himself in uniform and shared that the latest season was “the most intense charter season” for his yachting career.
Second Stew Natalya "Nat" Scudder
Like Kyle, Natalya "Nat" Scudder also returns to reprise her role as the second stewardess. The Australian native began working in the yachting industry when she was barely eighteen. She has great experience and understands the business well. The young woman has previously worked in similar roles and handled high-profile clients like royal families. She’s a great fit for the show despite her dramatic nature. Recently, Natalya posted a photo of herself from her hotel room and wrote, “cheers to not being involved in any drama this season.”
Bosun Ruan Irving
Below Deck Mediterranean season 8 features a new Bosun, Ruan Irving. The South African man has over a decade of experience in the yachting industry. Therefore, he's a great fit for the job. Ruan is passionate about traveling and sports. He loves boxing and has posted a lot of content showing his moves. Ruan also seems to be in a relationship, according to his Instagram. He recently announced his debut on the popular reality TV show and congratulated his mother. Ruan wrote, “mama we made it haha! ya boy be on below deck Mediterranean season 8.”
Deckhand Luka Brunton
Luka Brunton is another returning name on Below Deck Mediterranean season 8. The New Zealand native debuted on Below Deck Down Under season 2 as the Lead Deckhand. He has seven years of experience and enjoys watching The Real Housewives. Luca recently appeared as part of Captain Jason’s crew. Therefore, his arrival on Below Deck Mediterranean is a bit surprising. He recently broke the fourth wall and opened up about his confusing appearances on two Below Deck spin-offs. Luka wrote, “I’m just as confused as you right now, but here we go. Doubling the fun as I dive into both Below Deck Med Season 8 and Below Deck Down Under Season 2.”
Deckhand Lara Du Preez
Lara Du Preez is the new female deckhand on Below Deck Mediterranean season 8. The South African woman comes from Hermanus with only four years of experience in the yachting industry. Despite that, she seems ready to take on the big task and do whatever it takes. Lara is young and doesn’t seem to be in a relationship. Therefore, seeing her dynamic with other crew members will be interesting. Lara recently announced her arrival on the Below Deck spin-off, revealing that things will get rough on the show.
Stew Jessika Asai
Jessika Asai is the new stew on Below Deck Mediterranean. The Hawaiian woman seems to be the main cast member of season 8, as she has a fun personality. She has four years of experience and has worked on various charters. At one point, a famous rapper came to celebrate his birthday, which became her life's wildest charter experience. Jessika has revealed many surprising things about herself on her Bravo profile. While talking about her special skills, she said, “I’m very flexible. I can do front and back flips.”
Deckhand Haleigh Gorman
Like Jessika and Lara, Haleigh Gorman is also new to the spin-off. She’s from Langhorne Township in Pennsylvania and has ten years of experience on small ships. Haleigh’s profile shows she’s a Leo and loves activities like hiking, fishing, and scuba diving. The deckhand is also into yoga and loves her pet dogs. According to her Bravo bio, she said her schedule was “super, crazy, hectic,” but also shared that her first big yacht experience on Below Deck Mediterranean season 8 was very clean compared to her past jobs.
Source: E! News, Bravo, Jack Luby/Instagram, Tumi Mhlongo/Instagram, Kyle Viljoen/Instagram, Natalya "Nat" Scudder/Instagram, Ruan Irving/Instagram, Luka Brunton/Instagram, Lara Du Preez/Instagram, Jessika Asai/Instagram