Eddie Lucas: ‘Below Deck’ Cast Does NOT Get Fair Wages?

Eddie Lucas from Below Deck said the cast does not get fair wages. This comes as he announced that he won’t be returning to the original franchise. Fans will be disappointed to learn that their favorite cast member will not be featured in Season 10.

So far, only Captain Lee Rosbach is expected to return for another season. Eddie said he was “not invited back.” He also addressed the “frustrating” issues when it comes to how they get compensated for starring in the series. Read on to learn more about how much they get paid, plus Eddie’s statement.

How much do the Below Deck cast members make?

Earlier this year, the salaries of the Below Deck cast members were reported. Per JustJared, the average deckhand can make between $60,000 and $66,000 per year. In Below Deck Season 9, Jake Folger, Rayna Lindsay, and Wes O’Dell were part of the deck team. Even though they were green, they still made a good amount of money.

The interior team earns about the same for serving the charter guests and keeping the yacht clean. Jessica Albert worked as the third stew while Fraser Olender was promoted to second stew. Heather Chase was designated the role of the chief stewardess of the yacht.

Both the chief stew and the chef earn between $72,000 and $84,000 per year. As for the captain, he can earn as much as $192,000 to $228,000 per year. The crew members also earn tips for the duration of the charter. The average is $15,000 per charter.

It was the first time that Eddie Lucas worked as a first officer. In Season 8, he worked as a boatswain. On average, the boatswain earns $66,000 to $72,000 per year. If they get promoted to the first officer, they get a nice bump in their raise. They earn between $90,000 to $95,000 per year. Check out the rest of the salaries on the TV Shows Ace report.

Even with all the hard work that’s involved, the pay is nothing to sneeze at. However, Eddie claimed that the Below Deck cast wages are unfair. In a new interview with the New York Post, he shared that he won’t be part of the cast for Season 10. He also blamed the network for making money off the crew members.

Eddie Lucas not returning to Below Deck Season 10

On Wednesday, May 11, Eddie said he was “not invited back to do another season.” The Below Deck producers never reached out to him about appearing on Season 10. He then went on to slam the original series, saying the cast is  “expendable.” The former boatswain also has issues with how the cast was paid for their work during the season.

“There is somebody monetizing off the show, but it’s definitely not us,” Eddie told the New York Post. “Below Deck — regardless of it being the most popular show on Bravo — we are the lowest-paid cast members.”

He explained that they get paid less than the Real Housewives cast members. He finds it “frustrating” since they’re only reality stars who don’t have to do anything but show up and film a season. Eddie shaded the popular franchise by saying that “they’re just going out to dinner and fighting.”

While the former boatswain is “frustrated” with the situation, he would return to Below Deck in the future. During Season 9, Rayna Lindsey suggested that producers wanted Eddie to eventually replace Lee. It’s possible they couldn’t agree when it came to money. But, it looks like her claim is not true.

What are your thoughts on Eddie not returning to Below Deck? Are you surprised to learn how much the crew members make? Sound off below in the comment section.

Below Deck Season 10 will air sometime later this year.