The coronavirus could delay future season of Below Deck, Below Deck Med, and Below Deck Sailing Yacht. Bravo may face lengthy delays in one of its hit franchises due to the current health climate.
There is good and bad news when it comes to the future of the Below Deck series and spin-offs. The good news is fans should get new episodes of Below Deck and Below Deck Med this year.
The bad news is the fate of the shows are now up in the air thanks to the pandemic.
What seasons have already filmed?
Season 8 of Below Deck had pretty much finished filming when production was halted.
The season is shorter than Season 7 but still one full of the juicy drama. Season 5 of Below Deck Below Deck Mediterranean was filmed last fall.
Former Below Deck Med star Colin Macy-O’Toole spilled that despite having completed filming, there are still issues with getting the show to air.
“There’s post-production. Editors have to deal with [it] and not being able to really contact or film afterward, it’s hard,” Colin shared on The Happy Traveler podcast. “So, it will be interesting to see what the final result looks like after all of this is over. If they’re even able to put it out.”
Yep, just because the shows have been filmed doesn’t mean they will air as usual. Below Deck Med usually kicks off in May or June, but as of now, Bravo has not announced a premiere date.
The uncertain future of Below Deck franchise
What is really uncertain is the fate of all three Bravo yachting shows beyond the filmed seasons. The series films in locations all over the world, which presents a significant challenge.
There are specific regulations producers have to adhere to when shooting that are different than say filming Real Housewives franchises.
Colin gave some insight into the process filming of the Below Deck franchises.
“They don’t know if they’ll be able to film this year. It just takes so much, especially with our show. You have to find a yacht. You have to find a marina, you have to find hotels,” he expressed on the podcast.
“There’s so much that goes into our show. It’s not like you can just pick up a camera and go, not like most shows on TV.”
Bravo has not renewed any of the Below Deck shows beyond their current seasons. However, Below Deck and Below Deck Med are huge hits for the network, so those renewals are certain.
Below Deck Sailing Yacht will end its premiere season in a few weeks. Bravo will likely order a second season, even though viewers have not loved it as much as the other two shows.
Fans are going to have to wait to see what the future holds for the Below Deck franchise. The coronavirus will impact future seasons of the show, but how much is uncertain right now.
Below Deck Sailing Yacht airs Mondays at 9/8c on Bravo.