Yahoo News Below Deck Down Under team open up on firing two crew members
Note: This article discusses a sensitive subject matter.
Below Deck Down Under producer Nadine Rajabi has addressed sacking Luke Jones and Laura Bileskalne for sexual misconduct.
Unfolding during a power cut on the boat, both Jones and Bileskalne engaged in non-consensual physical contact with co-workers, leading Captain Jason Chambers to relieve them of their duties.
Executive producer Nadine Rajabi recalled while speaking to The LA Times: "It was a hard night. The whole thing was very, very difficult.
"I didn’t realise the response that would come [out] of this because that was not anything that we were thinking about. It’s not anything to be congratulated on because it was just about doing the right thing. I would hope that everybody would act in that way. It was about safety."
Related: Below Deck's Captain Lee Rosbach has now been replaced following shock exit announcement
Jones, who was inebriated, was seen getting into bed, wearing only a towel, with the asleep Margot Sisson. When crew members moved to intervene, he tried to lock the door but was eventually overpowered and removed from the scene.
Meanwhile, second steward Bileskalne made unwanted advances towards Adam Kodra, entering his bed before the producers stepped in.
Chambers himself commented: "I don't feel those small little bits until the audience does, until it's aired. I know I made the right move now even more.
"To all parties involved, everyone is going to be hurt from this. We need to protect all the crew members involved, and I mean all the crew members involved, for their health, safety and mental health going forward. We need to respect every person around us and understand that no means no so that we're all safe."
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Rajabi added: "The one thing I remember from that night is, I was so scared because I was like, 'If there were no cameras, what would have happened? What would have happened? Because nobody else is there to watch'.
"I think [this incident] was more instinctual. It was 'this cannot happen', and it was safety. It wasn't a 'What do we do? Should we or shouldn't we?'"
In the episodes, Jones said upon being let go: "I'm sorry. And I'm just so disappointed in myself."
Last week, Bileskalne addressed the incident with Kodra, writing on Instagram: "My sincere apologies to Adam, I did not realize I made him feel uncomfortable and no one should be put in that position. And to Margot to not been able to empathize.
"I was 29 when the show was filmed, 30 was my life-changer. I am 31 now and I am watching it as all of you, an entertainment show."
All episodes of Below Deck Down Under are available on Hayu.
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