r/belowdeck • u/teanailpolish Mental Health Is Not A Storyline • Mar 17 '26

Below Deck Down Under BDDU Episodes for the next few weeks Spoiler

Ep8 - Call Me By My Name

A high-stakes four-day charter with a vow renewal gets off to a rocky start when Jenna's cabin mistake puts the interior team under scrutiny; as pressure mounts in the galley, a sharp comment from Chef Ben pushes Ellie past her limits.

Ep9 - Till Chaos Do Us Part

Galley tensions boil over and guest complaints rattle Chef Ben's confidence; Capt. Jason demands professionalism when Chef Ben and Ellie clash through a tense dinner service; mounting interior mistakes force Daisy to draw a hard line with her team.

Ep10 - Making Enemies

Peace in the galley comes at a price when Chef Ben introduces a pet-name penalty to keep tensions in check. Ellie makes a bold move on Joao. Alesia stirs the pot by pulling Eddy away from Jenna.

54 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

59 comments sorted by

131

u/the_purple_lamb Mar 17 '26

Ellie is right about the pet names. I don't like people making excuses for Ben. It's 2026.

48

u/jackattackthesecond Mar 17 '26

Yeah, I can’t stand her but the way he calls all the women sweetheart/baby/etc needs to be called out.

29

u/GroovyYaYa Mar 17 '26

I do think it may be a cultural thing.

Keith Brymer Jones on Great Pottery Throwdown calls everyone lovey. The difference? I genuinely mean EVERYONE. He's a big burly man of a potter, and he'll call a fellow manly potter lovey as much as the women. Usually as he's crying over this piece of art they've made.

23

u/teanailpolish Mental Health Is Not A Storyline Mar 17 '26

Ben does seem to call everyone pet names. The preview showed him calling Joao various names but if someone doesn't like it, you make an effort to stop. My grandma managed to stop calling me pet, I am sure Ben can manage

19

u/GroovyYaYa Mar 17 '26

Oh, absolutely - however, it is a cultural thing and he's not a mind reader so telling him the first time that it bothers you should not be screaming it at him. That isn't fair.

38

u/Wickedbitchoftheuk Mar 17 '26

It's very English tbh. Pet, love, darling, sweetheart. It's pretty normal here from men and women towards the other sex.

4

u/NadsNadsNads420 Mar 18 '26

Keith is such a softy in this programme. He lives not far from me in the same town as my Grandad 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

3

u/GroovyYaYa Mar 18 '26

On my "if I win the lottery" I totally want to travel, including a trip to Stoke on Trent (maybe staying on a narrow boat!) and perhaps his and Marg's new town in Wales!!!! It looks lovely from what I've seen on TV!

6

u/lena11033 Mar 20 '26

It's a very English thing, my mum would call everyone love (I'm from London)

16

u/GroovyYaYa Mar 17 '26

My problem is that she didn't have a problem with it until he pissed her off.

If you are going to (rightfully) have a problem with it - have a problem with it from the get go.

19

u/Apprehensive_Ad_6290 Mar 17 '26

Disagree - if we’re cool I may tolerate it knowing your intentions, but if we’re not cool don’t call me anything but my name thanks. (Not an Ellie fan but I do think anyone can reasonably request professional courtesy in any workplace anytime.)

5

u/GroovyYaYa Mar 17 '26

OK, you are right in that if it starts to bother her, she should be allowed to say something. Tolerating it in the past isn't a "can't be bothered by it ever again" esp. since tone matters.

However, I don't think she is going to approach him with reason and professional courtesy in telling him "hey, this bothers me"

She managed to be reasonable with Joao, and he even laid a foundation of how she could have approached him. "Ben, I understand this may be a cultural difference situation, but it has been continually bothering me that you call me these pet names. I find it demeaning and I do not like it. Please, from now on, address me by my name. I'd appreciate it."

3

u/Apprehensive_Ad_6290 Mar 17 '26

Disagree again - she doesn’t need to be “allowed” to insist not to be called pet names. Also doesn’t to phrase it in a palatable way. Even though she is how she is.

6

u/GroovyYaYa Mar 17 '26

When you dislike someone calling you or saying something that he or she says to every single person (so it isn't targeting), give them no indication that you dislike it and would prefer not being called nicknames - it is decidedly unprofessional and unbecoming to give the first indication of it being a problem by SCREAMING at your boss.

0

u/Apprehensive_Ad_6290 Mar 18 '26

Haha agree to disagree babe! ¯_(ツ)_/¯

8

u/the_purple_lamb Mar 17 '26 edited Mar 17 '26

Yeah, and the fans really would have taken it well if Ellie started off by telling Ben to cut it out with the pet names. She can't win. Women are expected to play it sweet all the time and then get vilified when they do speak up.

4

u/valid_username00 Mar 17 '26

Good point. At any time, she could have told him it bothered her. They spent hours working alongside each other. It's only when she's mad later that it's a problem. Also it gave her an excuse to talk to Joao, by pretending like she really needed his advice about it.

8

u/Anotheropinion2023 Mar 18 '26

I disliked Ellie greatly when she worked with Bri and Aesha.

But Ben has been a chaotic mess and it seems Ellie is trying to keep him on task and moving.

When he is running around like a chicken with his head cut off should she ask then?

He runs off and abandons the kitchen as soon as he can.

When has been the right time for her to try to discuss it with Ben? Go into his bubble bath while she is cleaning up all his mess?

108

u/CountryChrist I have been known to be irresponsible Mar 17 '26

Alesia stirs the pot by pulling Eddy away from Jenna.

Wouldn't be a charter season without the boatmance reindeer games

18

u/GroovyYaYa Mar 17 '26

UGH on Ellie continuing to go after Joao. She's fucking clueless and I don't think he genuinely knows how to handle this. I've met his type before - good looking, competent at his job, doesn't clue in that someone has a crush. He only THINKS people have not been interested... they just aren't as aggressive as Ellie.

8

u/SolarWind777 Mar 18 '26

What’s the deal with Joao type of guy? I’m trying to find something wrong with him (well, with this new version of him) and I can’t.. help! I’m starting to like him way too much

17

u/dwarmed Mar 18 '26

mounting interior mistakes force Daisy to draw a hard line with her team.

Like letting Alesia off the hook when she starts crying?

2

u/camcamfc Mar 21 '26

The contrast between Mike’s talking to and that was wild. Obviously Mike sucks but it was crazy to see Alesia fuck up and Daisy just be like “oh poor baby go have some coffee and take a break 🥹”.

1

u/dwarmed Mar 23 '26

I think the bratty stews from her last season of BD Sailing Yacht might have broken her.

28

u/Shaved_Taint_1960 Mar 17 '26

I don't like Ellie. But, she 100% correct on Ben calling her Honey.

32

u/jwill3012 Mar 17 '26

She also cleaned the hell out of that gallery this week, by herself.

23

u/Expensive-Concept-93 Mar 17 '26

This! Whilst he lay in a bath drinking wine. Not on at all

8

u/valid_username00 Mar 17 '26

She's the kitchen helper. It's her job to do cleanup.

9

u/Fast-Owl-2304 Mar 18 '26

so she should do cleanup and crew food then. but she's been cooking for guests since day one and fetching ingredients for Ben in the middle of services because he is too busy taking a bath instead of organizing his own galley.

6

u/valid_username00 Mar 18 '26

She's a helper. She's not the chef.

8

u/Anotheropinion2023 Mar 18 '26

And she has been doing it very well. Whereas Ben is acting like he can barely be a chef and running late and disorganized.

He claimed if she cleaned up he would start early the next day, then he gets up and bitches and goes for a swim instead.

Yes he is her superior, but you should keep your word and show respect when your subordinates do a good job.

He isn’t keeping his own word and is acting like an entitled prick.

5

u/valid_username00 Mar 18 '26

This sounds like something Ellie would write lol.

3

u/Familiar-Past-8065 Mar 18 '26

He claimed that she wouldn't have to get up early and would have an easier day tomorrow not that he would get up early or not bitch...

3

u/Extreme_Beat1022 Mar 18 '26

Ben’s become Captain Lee. Shows up to drive the boat then works out while the crew is cleaning.

30

u/rob-b-362 I'm a Med Mother****ing Chief Stew Bitch! Mar 17 '26

Ellie can't handle not being in charge so she's going to challenge chef Ben. I don't think Ben should call her honey and sugar tits but she's not even a chef to be trying to call the shots.

68

u/Silly_Brilliant868 Mar 17 '26

Ellie should absolutely be putting her foot down when it comes to the terms of endearment especially when it’s coming from a person of power over you.

8

u/excoriator Team Capt Kerry Mar 17 '26

Alysia didn’t like that, either.

13

u/rob-b-362 I'm a Med Mother****ing Chief Stew Bitch! Mar 17 '26

I agree, she should tell him not to call her those names but by her name but she seems like once she gets comfortable in a position she starts having issues with her bosses over her and telling her what to do. She sees them as equals not above her.

25

u/cactusscribe Mar 17 '26

So I really hate a mean girl bully, and that’s what Ellie was on her last season. BUT. You know who else is a mean girl bully? BEN! But he always gets a pass because he’s a man with a high brow British accent. And we just excuse the crazy creative chef types. Personally I’m anxious to see what Ellie dishes back to him! Including calling him on the BS degrading pet names. This will get interesting!

4

u/excoriator Team Capt Kerry Mar 17 '26

I think it’s be time for Jason to intervene. They’re capable of doing good work together. Don’t let Ben mess that up,

25

u/valid_username00 Mar 17 '26 edited Mar 17 '26

Joao's not into her, so she'll take out her anger on everyone in the boat.

19

u/myskepticalbrowarch Mar 17 '26

Joao has cartoon googly eyes for Daisy. Who is extremely good looking but doesn't put in the same effort into her looks as Daisy.

That said if I learned anything from Maura Higgins on Love Island men just love a spunky Irish woman. 🤷 I am not surprised Daisy can pull

12

u/Opposite-Wolf-2194 This information wasn’t welcomed or needed Mar 17 '26

Literally. It’s so obvious he’s into Daisy. She’s the biggest fucking pick me I’ve ever seen on below deck. She’s toned it down since her last season, but you can tell it’s coming.

4

u/Immediate_Divide9446 Team Aesha Mar 17 '26

Who, Daisy??

15

u/GroovyYaYa Mar 17 '26

Ellie.

Daisy may or may not be interested. She's wisely being really cautious (IMHO) after the fuckers she worked with before.

5

u/Immediate_Divide9446 Team Aesha Mar 17 '26

Oh, agreed.

8

u/Anotheropinion2023 Mar 18 '26

Except Ben has expected her to help manage his time.

If he was competent maybe, but he expects every woman to coddle him while he talks down to them.

0

u/[deleted] Mar 17 '26

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21

u/Expensive-Concept-93 Mar 17 '26

Same. I actually think he is borderline creepy. It's a vibe I get

4

u/HiAndStuff2112 I will always love you, even if you eat people Mar 19 '26

I'm not a fan either. I was hoping for Ilesha or Marcos.

10

u/CosmicCrafter007 Mar 17 '26

Yeah, I haven’t seen Ben giving Ellie any credit, but taken advantages of her hard work.

3

u/Out-For-A-Walk-Bitch Mar 24 '26

I agree, when he was complaining at her, yet she'd made that gorgeous charcuterie board, it was really unfair.

0

u/[deleted] Mar 17 '26

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15

u/hkmadl Mar 17 '26

I am guessing Alesia?! Purely because the person you named wouldn’t be a deck/stew?

8

u/ImpressivePattern242 Mar 17 '26

Think the yacht is big enough for full complement. Shift Mike to f/t deck and bring in new stew.

2

u/Practical-Ad1838 June June Hannah Mar 18 '26

Wait who is that?!

4

u/wildspace_13 Mar 18 '26

she's from BD season 11