Why Luka Brunton’s Presence Would Have Elevated Below Deck Mediterranean Season 9
Below Deck Mediterranean season 8 star Luka Brunton should have returned for season 9. He joined the franchise as the lead deckhand in Below Deck Down Under season 2. Luka performed well as a deckhand and was asked to join Below Deck Med in the same role. Captain Sandy Yawn promoted him early in the season after Ruan Irving was fired for forging paperwork. He had to adapt quickly to the new role and felt the pressure immediately. Nonetheless, the rest of his crew was ecstatic for him, which was a true testament to his character.
Luka was a very flirtatious crew member on Mustique. He was friendly to his crew members but often found him in hot water, creating drama among his co-workers. However, overall, Below Deck Med season 8 was a letdown. Luka stirred up a lot of drama during the show with his boatmances, but the season still lacked an entertainment factor. He’s seemingly not a part of the Below Deck Med season 9 cast, which would be a mistake.
Luka Was A Drama Magnet
Luke Had Many Boatmances On Below Deck Med
The Below Deck Med season 8 bosun was a drama magnet during the show. In Below Deck Down Under season 2, Luka was involved in a brief love triangle with Culver Bradbury and Jaimee Neale. That fizzled out, but he made up for it during Below Deck Med. He was a naturally flirty person and first formed a close relationship with stew Natayla Scudder. They decided to take a step back from things as Natalya was figuring out her relationship back home. Nonetheless, this didn’t slow Luka down, and he began hooking up with stew Jessika Asai.
He made a quick switch, to say the least. Luka said he and Jessika had a “no strings” boatmance and continued texting with Natalya. In a shocking turn of events, Luka revealed he was texting with former Below Deck Med star Katie Flood. Even though she had dated one of his friends, there was speculation that they would potentially pursue a romantic relationship. Luka seemingly hinted at this when speaking about Katie in his confessionals. He went back and forth between saying that they were “just friends” and insinuating something could happen in the future.
“Obviously, I like Jess a little bit more than a friend. We are not in a relationship. I’m not f***ing dating Katie Flood. We’re just friends. Just friends. Even if I was texting her as more than a friend.”
While Katie wasn’t on the boat, her friendship with Luka stirred up the drama. He created a whole storyline with a woman who wasn’t even in the cast. Luka knew how to stir up the drama during Below Deck Med season 8, but things would be different for him going forward. Nowadays, Luka has a girlfriend, so it’s unlikely he would have had any boatmances on Below Deck Med season 9. However, he could still meddle among the crew.
Luka Was A Decent Bosun
Luka Had Enough Experience To Return & Keep Learning
Luka had to step up after Captain Sandy fired her original Bosun during Below Deck Med season 8. Going into the charter season, he had no clue that he’d have to take on such a responsibility. As the lead deckhand, Luka was next in line for the role of Bosun. He was unprepared and admittedly felt the pressure when saying yes to Captain Sandy’s offer. Luka was not the best Below Deck Bosun ever, but he still did well at his job. Without boatmances pulling his focus, he could grow into an even better Bosun.
Luka Deserved Another Season
Luka Should Have Another Chance To Prove Himself
Luka should’ve been asked back for another season of Below Deck Med. After playing a minimal role in the narrative of Below Deck Down Under season 2, Captain Jason Chambers referred him to Captain Sandy. In Below Deck Med season 8, Luka was involved in a lot of drama that occurred during the season. On top of that, Luka was the Bosun, one of the most important roles on the boat.
“Luka wasn’t kicked off the yacht or fired for bad behavior, so there’s no reason he shouldn’t have returned for Below Deck Med season 9.”
Luke went into his first stint with the franchise during Below Deck Down Under season 2 with seven years of yachting industry under his belt. There have been plenty of other Bosuns who came in with much less experience. Ruan was supposed to be the Bosun during Below Deck Med season 8. However, there were many issues with his paperwork. Captain Sandy learned that he likely forged his paperwork to land the job. On the contrary, Luka didn’t have to lie about his years of yachting experience.
Could Luka Be Done With The Below Deck Franchise Forever?
Would Luka Ever Come Back For Another Season Of Below Deck?
Luka has not written off the Below Deck franchise quite yet. During an interview with Now To Love, he said he had “no idea” if he’d return to the show anytime soon. “I’m just working on a normal boat at the moment and currently just on standby. I’d love to get back on the show, but we’ll see what happens,” he said. It would be interesting to see Luka work with, Aesha Scott, again in a future season of Below Deck Med.
Luka and Aesha met during the early years of their yachting careers in France. She served as Chief Stew during Below Deck Down Under season 2, where Luka was the lead deckhand. They consider each other family and have maintained a great friendship. Luka even hooked up with Aesha’s sister years ago after a night out. It would have been great to see their relationship on display during Below Deck Med season 9, and the show missed out on this opportunity.
Luka should have returned for Below Deck Med season 9. He was a great Bosun for Captain Sandy, and his team enjoyed him as their boss. Luka brought the drama during Below Deck Med season 8, which is surprising he is not returning for season 9. Hopefully, future seasons of the show will see Luka’s return.
