After almost a decade on one of Bravo's most watched franchises, Captain Lee Rosbach announced during the latest episode of Below Deck Mediterranean have become Bravo staples in their own right, Captain Lee has remained the face of Below Deck since his television debut. With a hilarious personality and no-nonsense attitude to match, Captain Lee's charters have continuously remained equally dramatic and entertaining.
Despite his massive popularity, however, rumors that Captain Lee would quit Below Deck season 10 began to swirl shortly after the series was renewed at BravoCon in October. The trailer for Below Deck season 10 showed a lot of promise, with drunk charter guests and returning stars chef Rachel Hargrove and newly promoted chief stew Fraser Olender. Captain Lee hinted that while he had plenty of plane tickets he was ready to give out, one might have been reserved for him. On Below Deck season 10's December 12th episode, Bravo viewers found out that this was indeed the case. Captain Lee broke the sad news to his crew that he had to leave the St. David early in the middle of the charter season.
Captain Lee Left Below Deck Season 10 Due To His Health
While his untimely exit didn't come out of left field for Below Deck fans who were aware of the rumors, Captain Lee, who is 73, revealed to Caroline Stanbury lookalike Camille Lamb and the other Below Deck season 10 stars that he had to quit the series so that he could focus on his health. Captain Lee, who was shown struggling to navigate around the St. David with a cane, explained in an emotional confessional that he was suffering from an unspecified nerve disorder. This health issue not only made it difficult to walk, but left the left side of his body numb. While Captain Lee was aware of his condition before he ed Below Deck season 10, he incorrectly assumed that his symptoms would improve over time. When they instead began to get worse, Captain Lee made the decision to leave so that the boat wouldn't be brought down with him.
Captain Lee Was Briefly Replaced On Below Deck Season 9
Captain Lee's health battles aren't exactly breaking news to Below Deck viewers, as the fan favorite star was temporarily replaced by Captain Sean Meagher for the first few episodes of Below Deck season 9. When the series returned in late 2021, Captain Lee had to miss My Seanna's first charter after he had to undergo surgery. Although Captain Sean ran a tight ship during his short stint on Below Deck, bosun Eddie Lucas and the rest of the crew made it obvious that they missed Captain Lee, who Eddie humorously referred to as their "boat daddy."
Although Captain Lee's early departure will undoubtedly change the trajectory of Below Deck season 10, it's still possible that Captain Lee's time with Bravo may not be over entirely. Captain Lee took to social media and reassured fans that his health has improved since Below Deck season 10 filmed. In late November, it was further hinted that despite recent obstacles, Captain Lee has no plans to permanently retire just yet. In the meantime, dedicated Below Deck fans must wait to watch not just Captain Lee's sad send-off, but who is sent in to replace St. David's "Stud of the Sea."
Below Deck airs Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.