Below Deck Sailing Yacht Producer Explains How They Decide Which Crew Members Return

Captain Glenn Shephard was the only crew member from Season 1 of Below Deck Sailing Yacht to return for Season 2, which premiered on March 1. Now, the series' executive producer Jill Goslicky is shedding some light on how they decide which crew members to bring back each season.

Goslicky spilled Below Deck Sailing Yacht's behind-the-scenes secrets during an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit on March 1, which also featured Captain Glenn and first mate Gary King. One fan asked the executive producer how they decide if crew members will return for a new season or not.

"It’s a delicate decision that’s made between us (the producers), the Captain, and Bravo. A lot of it has to do with what is going on in that person’s life at the time. Do they have compelling reasons for their story to continue on in the show?" Goslicky explained. "You’ve seen some instances where cast members take a season off and then come back, for instance. That’s because circumstances are suddenly right for them to make a return."

In general, Captain Glenn said that he always enjoys working with people that have been a part of his crew before. "I’ve been lucky to work with a lot of great crew. It’s definitely not one and done," he said. "When I find the really good ones I do my best to keep them around. Even if they leave for a time, I try to get them back on board. It’s great having people that know the boat well."

One fan specifically wanted to know about Season 1 chief stew Jenna MacGillivray's absence from this season. 

"The short [answer is] - we absolutely wanted Jenna to have the staying power of Kate [Chastain] and Hannah [Ferrier]. In our dream scenario, every cast member we bring on board is such a hit they carry on for seasons and seasons. I also genuinely loved working with Jenna - she gets a lot of flack on social media, but she truly was great to work with," Goslicky said. "I think if I’m being truly honest… Jenna got swept up in a boatmance… and I think in that way, she didn’t allow herself to shine and show how amazing she truly is."

Captain Glenn also said during the Reddit AMA that Jenna "has a lot of good qualities as a chief stew," but he also noted that it probably wasn't the best idea to get involved in a relationship during the charter season. "I think the situation with Adam [Glick] - they would have been better postponing getting involved until the season was done," he said. "If I can see everything happening between Adam and Jenna in real time, I would probably tell them to tone it down and focus more on work than their personal lives."

But even after seeing the ups and downs of Jenna and Adam's romance unfold while watching last season of Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Captain Glenn still only has a lot of love for his former crew members.

"My opinion of them as people didn’t change. I think they need to work on their interpersonal skills or interacting as a couple. I think they’re great people - I love them both," he said. "I think they struggled under pressure. They were using their comments about the other crew as a method to bond. They probably regret it, but it doesn’t change my opinion of them. I’m pretty sure Adam is out of the industry."

One fan also asked Goslicky, "What do you wish you could have done differently seeing the audience reaction to the show?" She replied, "I was the EP on Sailing Yacht last year as well. I can’t say what we would necessarily do differently because we are chasing the story when we’re out there. But I do feel bad for the reaction many people had to Jenna and Adam. They’re humans working in extreme and unusual conditions, and I wish we had been able to layer in more of that so reactions to them wouldn’t have been as harsh."

When it comes to Season 2, Captain Glenn admitted that he "was a bit nervous" to have an all-new crew this season. "But I was put at ease as soon as I met my new team and immediately got the sense that they would all find the same vibe and click to work well as a team," he shared. "I could tell right away it was going to be a great season."

Want more Below Deck Sailing Yacht? New episodes air every Monday at 9/8c.

Check out what's coming up next for the Parsifal III crew in Season 2, below.

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