Some of the crew will be navigating a surprising love triangle this season on Below Deck Sailing Yacht.
After working side-by-side for three charter seasons and maintaining a strictly mostly platonic relationship — who doesn’t remember that drunken hot tub makeout session? — Chief Stew Daisy Kelliher always insisted that she and First Mate Gary King were just good friends. In fact, they filmed their Season 3 reunion appearances via Zoom from the same apartment. Gary surprised everyone when he ran into the other room during filming to reveal Daisy in the same location. Even though they still claimed to only be “just friends,” viewers were intrigued.
For the first time in the show’s history, Chief Engineer Colin MacRae returned for the charter season a single man, following a breakup with his long-term girlfriend. Colin was ready and willing to mingle. And Daisy was caught in the middle between the two men. Entertainment Tonight is dishing all the triangle deets.
Though there’s always been a light-hearted flirtation between them, Gary never seriously pursued Daisy. But as soon as Colin became interested, the First Mate started having second thoughts.
“I’m shooting myself in the foot,” Gary admitted about his missed opportunity. “Daisy and I have had a connection and I think there’s chemistry there. I’ve had my chance to get with Daisy, [but] I didn’t take my chance. Now she’s hooking up with Colin, and I’m jealous.”
“Going back to previous seasons, seasons 2 and 3, you can kinda see there was maybe a connection between Daisy and Colin,” Gary added. “I certainly noticed it.”
For her part, Daisy felt that if Gary had been interested, he should’ve made his move long before Colin stepped up. But Gary blamed his missed opportunity on the age-old excuse of geographic undesirability. He lives in New Zealand, while Daisy’s home base is in the UK.
“I guess I didn’t shoot my shot just knowing we live two different lives,” he confessed. “I’ve never believed in long distance. I’ve tried that, it didn’t work out and I’d said I’d never do that again . . . Daisy and I see each other for maybe two months a year, and I don’t think that’s a feasible relationship.”
Even though they were ensnared in a romantic triangle, Gary’s still close to both Daisy and Colin. He and Colin are still buddies and talk all the time.
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“I’m not gonna let someone get in the way of a friendship. Yes, it was a love triangle and yes, Colin and I do argue a little bit . . . I guess that’s all I’m gonna say, but I think we’ve brushed it under the rug. Our friendship is strong enough not to let anything get in the way of it,” Gary added.
Even though the rivalry caused some tension among the crew, Captain Glenn Shephard said it never reflected in their work. The guests never had an inkling of the staff romance, which was a feat in itself.
“They kind of police themselves,” Glenn explained. “Our crew in general are pretty good at being discrete.” This is a good thing, since most of the time when the crew is having drunken hot tub parties and hooking up with each other, the Captain is in his cabin quietly reading or catching up on his sleep. He admitted he didn’t even know about half the things that go on until he watched it on TV months later with the rest of us.
“I didn’t know about Daisy and Colin right at the beginning,” Glenn confessed. “I knew a little bit later on . . . [but] that’s a testament to them just keeping it [separate from their work].”
Since Glenn had had no clue about the love triangle’s existence until now, Entertainment Tonight surprised him with a video message from Daisy asking him to weigh in. “Team Colin or Team Gary?”
“Don’t tell [Gary],” Glenn whispered, “[But] I’m probably Team Colin!” Wow! “Jesus,” Gary exclaimed. “[Even] I’m team Colin!”
“Gary’s a mess,” Glenn joked, admitting that both guys are like family and he loves them both. “Choosing teams is kinda like choosing your favorite kid, but Colin’s a little more settled down.” Also a lot more mature and responsible. Even though he’s got a good heart, Gary’s still pretty much a kid.
“So if Daisy’s asking me,” Glenn continued, “if I had to choose one, I would probably say, go with Team Colin, ’cause [Gary’s] got more women chasing him.”
TELL US – ARE YOU TEAM COLIN OR TEAM GARY? DO YOU THINK DAISY WILL ACTUALLY END UP WITH EITHER OF THEM?
[Photo by: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo]