Below Deck Down Under has documented Lara Rigby and Wihan du Toit‘s onscreen frustrations — but where do the former coworkers stand now?
During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Lara weighed in on spending season 3 at odds with Wihan, saying, “He’s a lovely guy and a nice person. But I work at a very high level on the yachts that I work on. So it was kind of shocking that [he] didn’t know the basics, and that was kind of frustrating for me.”
Lara “didn’t want to have to manage” Wihan’s leadership as a bosun. “But ultimately someone has to,” she added. “And I felt like I couldn’t just let it sit, so it was frustrating. I definitely didn’t realize how much he was saying behind my back, which is kind of eye-opening. He didn’t really say those things to my face, which was kind of disappointing.”
Throughout the season, Lara and Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph attempted to work with Wihan when running their individual departments. Wihan, however, didn’t see where Lara and Tzarina were coming from — and that ultimately led to tension.
Viewers have had a front row seat to some of the biggest reality TV feuds since the Below Deck franchise debuted. The show’s spinoff series Below Deck Mediterranean shocked viewers when Hannah Ferrier and Captain Sandy Yawn‘s inability to see eye to eye turned into the most memorable firing to date. Since the captain joined […]
“I think I managed it as well as I could. You can definitely see my frustration, especially in the last episode,” Lara noted. “But everyone has a different management style. The basics need to be done at that level though.”
Lara Rigby and Wihan Du Toit. Fred Jagueneau/Bravo
Lara didn’t expect to learn more about Wihan’s behavior when watching the show. “We definitely had a lot more conversations than were shown,” she recalled. “That’s why the frustration came in because we were talking in circles and nothing ever changed. They obviously highlighted the most important conversations, which was great. But it was a daily occurrence of trying to get things done.”
The chief stew slammed Wihan for talking about her behind her back.
“I was trying to get my point across. And him attacking me as a person — it’s not my style,” Lara noted. “So I was a bit shocked. But like I said, everyone’s got their own way of dealing with things, and he was also under a lot of stress and pressure. So we have to kind of understand that.”
The one thing Lara doesn’t understand? Wihan’s focus on his personal life. “He should have been a bit more focused on what needed to be done and not which girl he wanted to kiss on that day,” she quipped. “I feel like he did care. But at that point, he almost knew that he was losing control of the team. Maybe coming from me, it wasn’t well-received. But I was looking out for the guests, and that’s what I stand by.”
The Below Deck franchise has had its fair share of drama over the years — and Below Deck Down Under is no different. The spinoff show, which premiered on Peacock in March 2022, left a memorable impression on viewers when it came to feuds, firings and chaos. During the first season, fans and cast alike […]
While Below Deck fans wait to see how the drama plays out, there are still several moments yet to air. The season 3 trailer hinted at Johnny Arvanitis punching a wall, which Lara hinted at while speaking with Us.
Lara Rigby on ‘Below Deck Down Under.’ Fred Jagueneau/Bravo
“There are some changes coming up,” she teased. “I think [Captain] Jason [Chambers] made the right decisions in that. Ultimately, I think it makes for more of a functional team. … You’re in for a great episode. There’s a lot happening.”
Lara added: “Obviously, new people [coming up] are always a breath of fresh air. But the drama continues throughout, so it’s not smooth sailing by any means.”
Below Deck Down Under airs on Bravo Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
