What Became of Ben Willoughby’s Ex & Stew Leigh-Ann Smith After Below Deck Season 10?
Leigh-Ann Smith was a stew on Below Deck season 10, and she’s stayed out of the spotlight since her appearance on the show. Below Deck season 10 was a hectic season. Captain Lee Rosbach left during the charter season due to medical concerns. Below Deck Med’s Captain Sandy Yawn replaced him and was greeted with much drama by the crew. Fraser Olender led the interior team as Chief Stew, while Ross McHarg was the Bosun, and Rachel Hargrove returned as chef. The season was full of conflict stemming from the interpersonal relationships of the cast.
Camille Lamb’s feud with Alissa Humber tainted Below Deck season 10. After coming face to face with both stews, Captain Sandy fired them. Camille was fired first, and fan-favorite Tyler Walker took over her role. After she realized Alissa played a hand in the drama, the captain dismissed the stew, and Leigh-Ann replaced her. When the new stew joined the crew of Below Deck season 10, deckhand Ben Willoughby revealed their romantic connection from before the charter season. After the season wrapped, he pursued a relationship with Camille and cut ties with Leigh-Ann.
Leigh-Ann’s Instagram Is On Private
Leigh-Ann Has 11,000 Followers
After Below Deck season 10, Leigh-Ann made her Instagram private. It’s unclear why the stew shifted her account to private, but her feud with Ben after the show may be why. Nonetheless, it proves Leigh-Ann didn’t join Below Deck for reality TV fame. She should use the exposure of being on the show to her advantage, but it seems she’s choosing to keep her life out of the public eye.
Leigh-Ann’s Journey On Below Deck
Leigh-Ann Had Drama After The Show
Leigh-Ann was not a part of the original Below Deck season 10 crew. She replaced stew Alissa towards the end of the charter season after Captain Sandy had enough of her behavior. When she boarded the superyacht, Ben immediately recognized her from social media. He revealed they met on Tinder and exchanged nude photos. They hadn’t met in person before Below Deck season 10, so Ben was taken aback when she joined the crew. Ben and Leigh-Ann had a connection, but he had feelings for Camille and started a relationship with her after the show.
Ben and Camille split after they started dating, and he leaned on Leigh-Ann following their breakup. They lived together for a month in Florida after his split and spoke about him visiting the stew in South Africa. Leigh-Ann said Ben suddenly “cut all ties with [her] with no explanation” after he got a new job, per a now-deleted Instagram post reported by The Daily Dish.
“There is no reason to treat a person the way he treated me. What did I do to deserve this? After all I did to be a good friend to him.”
After sharing her side of things, Ben made a post where he said he “cut her out of [his] life as [his] mental space was taking a toll.” He alleged that Leigh-Ann “gaslighted [him] into thinking [he] was wrong for loving Camille” and didn’t want to be surrounded by someone who didn’t have his “best interest at heart.” Nowadays, Ben and Leigh-Ann have no communication, and she’s disappeared from the franchise.
Will Leigh-Ann Ever Return To Below Deck?
It’s Unlikely That Leigh-Ann Will Return To The Franchise
It’s unlikely that Leigh-Ann will return to Below Deck. According to the status of her Instagram account, she has no desire to be in the public eye and gain reality TV fame by appearing on the show. Leigh-Ann is likely still working on yachting somewhere away from the Below Deck cameras.
Leigh-Ann had a smooth journey on Below Deck season 10. She couldn’t escape the drama, though, after getting involved with Ben, who seemingly ghosted her. It would be shocking to see Leigh-Ann return to the Below Deck franchise, but it could still happen.
