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Hannah Ferrier, the former chief stewardess on Below Deck Mediterranean, has spoken out about feeling "targeted" during her time on the hit reality show. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Ferrier shared her thoughts on the experience, saying "sometimes you can feel targeted because you're so close to it."
Ferrier, 38, explained that incidents on the show, such as casting a "really frustrating chef or a third stew that I can't deal with," can cause issues onboard. However, she acknowledged that "it's part of the process" and that the show is not trying to make it perfect for the crew members.
Ferrier was a cast member on Below Deck Mediterranean from 2016 until 2020, when she was fired during season 5 for having unregistered Valium and a vape pen in her possession on the vessel. The firing caused a rift between Ferrier and Captain Sandy Yawn, who replaced Captain Mark Howard in season 2.
Captain Yawn, who is currently on a City Cruises Live reunion tour with Ferrier, shared her thoughts on the show, saying that it's not about making people fail, but rather about casting personalities. "They want people to win," she explained. "Yes, they cast for personalities. In our industry, we hire for personalities, we don't always hire for experience."
Ferrier and Yawn also reflected on what they wish they knew at the start of their time on Below Deck. Ferrier said she would tell her younger self that "it's all gonna be okay" and to just have fun with the experience. Yawn, on the other hand, wished she knew that it would be harder than she thought.
The two are currently on tour with City Cruises Live, which sees them sharing behind-the-scenes stories, plot twists, and personal reflections as they reconnect for the first time in front of fans. The cruise is set to visit Chicago, Washington D.C., and San Francisco.
Read more about reality TV stars, including Finn Wittrock's transformation into Hershey founder, Ariana Madix's hilarious slip-up on Love Island USA, and Hannah Ferrier's potential return to Below Deck.