Aesha Scott suggests that Captain Lee should have reconsidered returning to “Below Deck” as he reportedly exits the show after a decade, set to be replaced by Captain Kerry.

Below Deck Mediterranean star Aesha Scott claims Captain Lee Rosbach should have stepped away from his duties amid ongoing health issues, currently highlighted in season 10 of Below Deck. She also suggests his ego may have been bruised after Captain Sandy Yawn took over.

The chief stew expressed sympathy for Captain Lee but felt his pride should have taken a back seat for the boat and charter season’s sake. “I feel like he shouldn’t have even started to come back for this season anyway because he does have a lot of trouble walking,” Aesha explained while appearing on Behind the Velvet Rope with David Yontef. “He is getting old and it’s always better to kind of leave on a high than trying to keep clawing on,” she continued. “Now he’s had to leave in this way that would probably be quite embarrassing to him.”

Adding to the drama, Captain Lee has been embroiled in an online feud with Captain Sandy after she fired stew Camille Lamb this season without following “protocol,” according to Lee, by not informing him beforehand.

Captain Sandy has clapped back multiple times, claiming she informed Captain Lee of the termination afterward as a “courtesy.” She also asserted that she reached out to Captain Lee to resolve their differences, but he has yet to return her calls.

Aesha believes Captain Lee is “old school,” and having a female captain replace him mid-season “crushed his ego.” “I think he’s such an old-school salty sea dog, and the fact that a younger woman captain is coming in to take over — I just feel like that would’ve crushed his ego,” she conjectured. “I knew that walking off there, he would’ve been swearing under his breath. I knew that would really affect him.”

It seems Captain Lee’s ego may have taken another hit as multiple inside sources have revealed that the long-time captain’s tenure is coming to an end after season 10. According to sources at Us Weekly, season 11 of Below Deck will see Below Deck Adventure’s Captain Kerry Titheradge taking over the wheel for Captain Lee.

No specific reasons have been given for Captain Lee’s exit, but it’s fair to assume it stems from health issues. He has always maintained that he would stay on the show until he was forced off.

As Captain Kerry prepares for a new Below Deck journey, he shared the words of encouragement that Captain Lee gave him during BravoCon last year ahead of Below Deck Adventure’s premiere. “We got to chat and he’s like, ‘Man, you’re gonna do great. You’re gonna do really good. I can see it. You’re gonna do fantastic in this franchise.’”

Aesha has experience dipping between Bravo’s different shows, starring in both Below Deck Med and most recently in Below Deck Down Under as a chief stewardess.

So, it’s only natural that she would be interested in Bravo‘s most recent crossover as her old boss Captain Sandy Yawn replaced Captain Lee, after some medical troubles.

Lee confirmed he would be returning in Season 10 after taking shots at his replacement for firing members of the crew in his absence. Though, his future with the series is still clouded in mystery.

Aesha Scott explains why Captain Lee shouldn’t return to Below Deck

Appearing in a podcast called Behind The Velvet Rope, with David Yontef, the New Zealander has shared her view on the captain situation in Bravo TV’s US show.

“I never expected that [Sandy replacing him]… I don’t think we have ever had a crossover like that before. It was such an epic twist. I kind of felt for Lee in a way because I was like… this will kill him. I think he’s such an old school, salty seadog, kind of thing,” she said.

“The fact that a younger woman captain is coming in to take over, I just feel like it would have crushed his ego. I knew that walking off there he would have been swearing under his breath.”

Captain Lee was forced off the show with recurring health issues but was seen on the preview for episode 15, driving back towards the St. David’s superyacht.