Below Deck Mediterranean‘s Aesha Scott spoke out in defense of the show after recent controversy surrounding Nathan Gallagher‘s domestic violence arrest.
Aesha weighed in after Below Deck alum Ben Willoughby posted an Instagram video recently where he criticized how the hit Bravo show has been casting the crew. In the comments section, Kyle Stillie reflected on his own experience as a newcomer.
“You know when I walked on your season lad I’d never even seen a yacht, let alone been on one,” he wrote. “Casting flew me to Miami for my Stcw and then straight to Grenada to start filming and while filming production consistently encouraged us to be ‘larger than life’ because ‘this isn’t yachting, this is below deck.’ Controversy is exactly what they’re look for no?”
The comments from Ben and Kyle were recapped in a fan video, which is where Aesha jumped in, writing, “I’ve done Below Deck for almost a decade now and have never once been told ‘this isn’t yachting it’s Below Deck.’ Also, over the years they stress more and more we don’t have to drink and they keep a good eye on us.”
Aesha is currently featured on season 11 of Below Deck Med, which showed Nathan returning as boson. Off screen, news broke last month that Nathan was arrested on domestic violence charges in Australia in December 2025 after an alleged incident with an unidentified 29-year-old woman.
According to a police report viewed by Us last month, Nathan was charged with “assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intentionally chok[ing] a person without consent and common assault.”
The police memo reported that Gallagher was eventually granted conditional bail and he was convicted on three counts of domestic violence this month after he failed to appear in court.
Us also confirmed that Nathan is the subject of an Apprehended Violence Application that was filed on behalf of now-ex Gael Cameron in New South Wales. (An AVO is a legal order requested from a court to protect a person from someone who makes them fear violence, intimidation, harassment or stalking that is widely used in Australia, per NSW Government’s official website.)
“I’m not claiming I was perfect. I wasn’t. I made mistakes, and I will take responsibility for my own actions,” Nathan told Rolling Stone in an August statement. “I will not accept being portrayed solely through one the account of a relationship when there is another side and evidence relating to it. I have contemporaneous video footage from the night in question, as well as messages and other records, which I believe provide important context.”
In his statement, Nathan confirmed his breakup from Gael, with whom he shares 14-month-old son Kayden.
“There are also other matters surrounding the relationship that I have never discussed publicly,” he claimed. “My priority is being recognized as his father, establishing a relationship with him and ultimately finding a way for both of us to move forward and coparent peacefully.”
Gael, for her part, released a statement on Saturday, September 5.
“Hey guys, I just want to say thank you so much for the support you’ve shown for Kayden and I,” she wrote via her Instagram Stories. “It’s been a tough season, but I have been using the past few months to quietly heal and rebuild for little man and myself. I really appreciate the love you have sent our way, especially while everything that’s come to light, and I’m really working on finding myself again and moving forward.”
Us has since confirmed that Bravo fired Nathan in light of his domestic violence arrest.
“Bravo does not plan on working with Nathan in the future,” a rep told The Los Angeles Times in a Thursday, September 3, statement.
Below Deck Med airs on Bravo Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
