Longtime cast member Aesha Scott has come to the defense of Below Deck Mediterranean's production process amidst criticism sparked by Nathan Gallagher's recent controversy. The criticism follows Gallagher's arrest and firing from the show due to allegations of domestic violence.

Ben Willoughby, a former star of the original Below Deck series, questioned the franchise's selection process for its crews. This led to Kyle Stillie, another former cast member, sharing his experience joining the show. According to Stillie, production encouraged cast members to behave in a more exaggerated manner while filming, as reported by US Magazine. "You know when I walked on your season lad I'd never even seen a yacht, let alone been on one," he wrote. He claimed producers told them to be "larger than life" because "this isn't yachting, this is below deck."

Aesha Scott pushed back against Stillie's characterization of the show's atmosphere. She stated that during her nearly decade-long tenure on the show, she was never instructed to downplay the yachting aspect or emphasize being "larger than life." Instead, she noted that production had increasingly emphasized responsible behavior. "Also, over the years they stress more and more we don’t have to drink and they keep a good eye on us," she added.

The comments arrived as a separate controversy surrounding Nathan Gallagher unfolded. Australian authorities arrested Gallagher in December 2025 following an alleged incident involving an unidentified 29-year-old woman. Police charged him with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intentionally choking a person without consent, and common assault. Authorities later granted him conditional bail. However, a court later convicted Gallagher on three domestic violence counts after he failed to appear.

Gallagher had previously disputed how others had portrayed the relationship. "I'm not claiming I was perfect. I wasn’t. I made mistakes, and I will take responsibility for my own actions," he said. Bravo ultimately decided to end their professional relationship with Gallagher, stating, "Bravo does not plan on working with Nathan in the future."

Aesha Scott's defense focuses solely on the production process of Below Deck Mediterranean and does not address Gallagher's specific situation. Her comments aim to clarify the reality behind the show's portrayal of its crew's experiences. As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains unclear what impact this will have on the show's casting decisions moving forward.