Below Deck has kept on sailing, with 11 seasons and several spin-offs. But there’s one person in particular who’s absent from Below Deck Season 11. Here’s what happened to Captain Lee on Below Deck.
Why Isn’t Captain Lee in Season 11 of Below Deck?
According to Lee Rosbach, Below Deck’s Captain Lee, Bravo didn’t invite him back and instead replaced him with Captain Kerry. Rosbach was captain on nine out of the first 10 seasons of Below Deck, but when Season 11 came around, Bravo chose a new captain.
Why? The 74 year-old had some nerve-related health issues during Season 10, and, as reported by Vulture, that season’s finale felt like a send-off. Many people were expecting him to retire and be replaced by a new captain. But Captain Lee apparently wasn’t among them.
Speaking to The Sun Sentinel (via RealityTea), Captain Lee explained that he expected he would return but Bravo told him they were going with someone else for Season 11. “I did not quit. I did not retire,” he said. Though he went on to explain that he understood Bravo’s decision and that his health was becoming a liability.
Will Captain Lee Ever Come back to Below Deck?
In that interview, Captain Lee explained he was open returning to Below Decks and reality TV in general. And while he’s not been back on Below Deck, he’s going to host a new show, Deadly Waters, about murders that take place at sea (via Deadline), for network Oxygen.
As for returning to Below Deck? That would ultimately be Bravo’s decision. It’s hard to imagine him returning in any position other than captain, so Bravo would have to be convinced that his health was up to scratch.
So, the explanation for what happened to Captain Lee is that he had health issues during Season 10, and Bravo elected not to bring him back for Season 11. If anything, it’s more likely that Kate or Cat will make a comeback before Captain Lee does.
