A new season of “Below Deck” is on the horizon — but it’s not just about new charters and crew. Behind the scenes, a headline-making scandal involving deckhand Kyle Stillie and a married guest could shake things up more than Bravo fans expect. With the trailer already teasing the fallout, Chief Stew Fraser Olender is now revealing how this one moment spirals into the most dramatic season yet.
Kyle Stillie’s Hookup Sparks a Firestorm on ‘Below Deck’
In a recent interview with Us Weekly, Olender gave fresh insight into season 12’s biggest storyline: Stillie hooking up with a married guest whose spouse was also aboard. He explained, “I’ve done it before, so I can’t speak on [hooking up with a guest]. What is a hard no is on charter, and what is a hard no is potentially engaging in something whilst their married significant other is also around.”
This decision leads to major fallout. “It was definitely [the most explosive thing I have been a part of],” Olender said. “Because this situation then was the catalyst of so many other problems. And this really did spiral into something that no one saw coming. So it’s the beginning of the end. It’s so good, though.”
The trailer shows Captain Kerry Titheradge confronting Stillie about the incident, with Olender adding, “He definitely responded in a way in which he needed to — and this was not a joke.”
Fraser Olender Defends Kyle Stillie — But Teases a Wild Season Ahead
Despite the scandal, Olender emphasized that Stillie isn’t a bad guy at heart. “Kyle is so mischievous and so badly behaved. But he’s a good guy at his core,” he told the outlet. “When I saw him, I was just so happy. I mean, he was wearing flip-flops, which wasn’t ideal in the first scene, but I saw past it.”
Olender also praised Captain Kerry’s leadership, saying, “Captain Kerry will forgive 100 percent as long as he knows your intention. If your intention is in the right place, then that man has got you.”
In a separate interview with E! News, Stillie urged fans to “stay tuned,” teasing that “you’ll be interested to see what the outcome of this was.” He revealed that Bosun Damo Yorg encouraged him to speak with Captain Kerry after the incident — a conversation Stillie described as “rough” because it happened “the day after my birthday. So, hungover and having to go and have that conversation with Cap, [it] wasn’t a good day.”
Why ‘Below Deck’ Season 12 Will Be ‘Nonstop’ Drama
Looking ahead, Olender promised a wild ride for viewers. “There are firings. There are hirings. There are disasters left, right, and center,” he said. “But I cannot tell you enough how dramatic and how fun this season is. It is nonstop.”
Olender also reflected on his own growth this season: “I just wanted to make sure that, out of any season, this one is where I wanted to bring my crew to the best of their ability. I wanted harmony and I wanted love and friendship and peace amongst all the madness. I think we succeeded.”
With Stillie’s storyline already making waves, “Below Deck” season 12 — filmed in Sint Maarten — promises to deliver one of the franchise’s most buzzworthy runs yet.
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