‘Below Deck Med’: Why Bugsy Changed Her Mind About Working With Hannah, Being a Second Stew, And Having a Boatmance – Decider

Bugsy is back! Below Deck Mediterranean viewers learned last week that Christine Bugsy Drake would be returning to the Bravo series for the first time since her Season 2 debut. And while the viewers seem excited, bosun Malia White and Captain Sandy are definitely excited, chief stew Hannah Ferrier isneutral?

Decider jumped on the phone with Bugsy last week, where shes currently working on a charter boat in the Bahamas to hear all about her return to the show. Here, she tells us why she never thought shed work as a second stew again, and the only reason she agreed to it this time including why she had hope for working with Hannah again. Plus, she teases a potential boatmance on the way and explains the weirdest item shes ever used as table decor.

DECIDER: How does it feel to be back?

It feels surreal but really exciting. I cant believe its been three seasons. But yeah, it feels really good to be back. Im really excited about it.

Tell me a little bit about your first reaction when you got the call from Captain Sandy. What were you thinking and what were your first questions for her about joining the boat?

I was caught off guard completely, hearing from Captain Sandy. Id just finished [another] stint and was just taking a little bit of a break before I got on another boat. The call came at pretty much the perfect time. When I first got the call from her, I was a little bit apprehensive. I wasnt really sure what position she was calling me in for. My questions for her were: What position am I coming to fulfill? She mentioned it was a second stew position, and my first thoughts were: am I going to be working under Hannah again? Which was kind of a thing for me, because Id always said after last season, Im done with Hannah. I would never take another second stew position. It was something Id tried and tested and obviously didnt work for me in that case. It was definitely a big no-no. But Sandy is somebody I really respect, and I kind of felt, well you know what, why not? Ive got the time to do it. Might as well help her out, shes in a bind. Maybe its a shot at redemption for my relationship with Hannah. Maybe we can turn things around. I tried to look at it in a positive light.

How long were you on the boat before that positive light started to dim, would you say?

I mean, I try to keep it at least for a charter, I dont turn too negative. This time around, I took the whole idea of it in a more humble approach, let me put it that way. I tried to put my ego aside. I had to keep reaffirming, in my mind, that I wasnt coming there for Hannah. I think that helped with keeping it positive and light.

How does working with Captain Sandy compare to some of the other captains that youve worked with? And what do you like about working with her?

Sandys the first and only woman captain Ive ever worked with. Theres a sense of comfort, in terms of working for a woman. We are the same sort of species. [Laughs] I dont know what better way to put it. Because they can understand you a lot better than a male captain can. I just know what Sandy expects. It takes a really good leader to voice exactly what you expect, what your standard is. I think it makes the job a lot easier. Theres no guessing.

Was there anything you were determined to do differently this time around?

Definitely. Its been three years, Ive matured and grown myself a lot. Ive gotten to know myself a lot better. Coming back onto the show, I was a lot more open to just being who I am. Just enjoying it, instead of trying to guard myself and guard any of my flaws. This time, I was just like, Take me as I am.

Im guessing you watched this past episode when Sandy lets everybody know youre going to be coming on the boat. What was your reaction to seeing Hannahs non-reaction to the news?

I mean, I wasnt surprised at all. Definitely wasnt surprised. It was actually pretty humorous for me, Im not going to lie.

Was there anything that gave you hope that maybe your working relationship this time would be different?

Yeah. The time thats passed, I was hoping that we could let bygones be bygones. As I said, coming in with a more humble approach. In my mind, I was like, Im not even coming for the second stew position. Im just coming to support and to help this team, whatever they need. I think that was the mental approach I had with it. It wasnt to do with any position, it was just more where I could come in and help out.

That is a very mature way of framing it. We see in the preview that Hannah is showing you where the stuff to make all the table decorations is. We know she doesnt like doing that, but it seems like you actually really like it. Were you thinking, let me at it, leave me alone and let me decorate the tables?

For sure. Im just like, why not use your strengths where you can, you know? I know she doesnt like to set up tables. I thought, this is a good way for us to manage our working relationship. We just have clear lines of who does what. If this is something Im super passionate about, its going to make me happier within the team and its going to help me uplift and strengthen the team on that front. Just by showing me that, and giving me the cupboard full of decorations gives me the hope that maybe things will work better between us.

Whats a task on the boat that you actually do not like doing?

Probably making beds. I dont mind it, but its probably my worst task on the boat.

What is the strangest item youve ever used to decorate a table?

Probably a propeller off of a smaller tender.

Oh, thats interesting! Was it appreciated, did the guests like it?

Super appreciated. It was really fun. It was like, Where on earth did you find this? It was an old propeller found in a dumpyard. It had been bent and broken, so they werent able to use it on the tender anymore. So I just snatched it out of the trash and used it. Recycled table decor!

One mans trash is another womans table decorations.

Exactly, exactly. I love that, actually.

How about third stew Jess, did you guys get along? Did you work well together?

Meeting Jess for the first time, shes a sweet girl. I feel like Hannahs really got her in her pocket. Again, I have my reservations about whats being said about me to her. I kind of feel that her mind might be warped in the sense of not really knowing who I am. We got along fine. And like I said, I wasnt there to make friends. I was just there to come and help.

It was nice to hear that you and Malia had stayed close friends, maybe even gotten closer since the last time you guys worked together. What is your friendship like?

Its been an incredible friendship that weve kept going since we first worked together. Its a funny story, my sister ended up working with Malia shortly after Malia and I worked together. My sister and I are very close, and it made all of us pretty close. We had a lot of Skype chats and Whatsapp chats when we were on the boat. Weve always kept in contact. Malia knows my family, I know most of her family. We just had a very strong friendship, ever since we first worked together. Its just continued.

We only got a quick glimpse of you last week, but hows the reception been from viewers so far?

Im honestly so surprised by the positive feedback Ive had. The show has become a lot bigger since I first did it. There are people who are still catching up on the series itself, but Ive been really surprised at the good feedback Ive had from viewers. Im very excited to see the rest of the season.

Is theres anything you can tease, something to look forward to, or that youre excited for people to see this season?

Theres a lot to see this season. I think its probably going to be one of the craziest seasons in the whole franchise history. Theres just so many exciting things you never know whats around the corner. Things that even blew my mind. Id say, for me, theres a lot of growth in my character this season. I think also, an interesting thing for me is Im a lot more open to romance on a boat. Open to that, if anythings going to come from that. Trying to balance work and romance, which is something Ive always been against. But Im being kind of open to it this season.

What changed your mind to being open toit?

Ive come on as a second stew, a lot less responsibility. I thought, why not have a little bit of fun with it?

I know youre currently on a boat in the Bahamas. How is the yachting industry right now? Is it back to normal? Is it weird? Are there new procedures?

The yachting industry has definitely taken quite a big hit. Im fortunate enough to still be employed because a lot of boats have laid off crew. Theres no use in having them when everything was going down with COVID. But I think were very hyper-aware at the moment. Just in the Bahamas here, were getting tested regularly because were a charter boat. Having guests come and go, weve got to get tested every now and then just to make sure the crew are still good. Being on a yacht, youve got a heightened sense of hygiene and protocol, but its taken to the next level right now. Everythings being wiped down constantly. Were just trying to keep on top of everything. Its definitely a weird time for the industry, in terms of reopening ports and where the boats can travel. Its interesting, well have to see what happens.

Below Deck Mediterranean airs Monday at 9pm ET/PT on Bravo.

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'Below Deck Med': Why Bugsy Changed Her Mind About Working With Hannah, Being a Second Stew, And Having a Boatmance - Decider