Below Deck season 9: Kate Chastain has her say on new chief stewardess Heather Chase

Kate Chastain was chief stewardess on Below Deck for six years (Picture: Bravo)

Below Deck fans were shocked to tune into a new trailer for season nine, as it was all change on board once again.

Not only had Captain Lee Rosbach briefly disappeared, we were also introduced to new chief stewardess Heather Chase, after Francesca Rubi left the cast.

The teaser showed the gang sailing through St Kills and encountering rocky waters along the way, with the head of the interior crew giving stern orders to her team of fresh stews.

But, chatting ahead of the premiere on October 25, Below Deck veteran and firm fan favourite Kate Chastain has given Heather her seal of approval.

‘I absolutely love her. I feel like she is the one that will take the franchise for years to come. She’s amazing,’ the star, who appeared on six seasons of the show, vowed. ‘She’s friendly, she’s funny. [And] she’s sweet. And I’m looking forward to seeing her show them all how it’s done.

‘I think Heather’s the one to do it and do it very well.’

Kate let slip that the newcomer actually made a visit to her in Fort Lauderdale, and introduced herself armed with gifts and ‘the best cookie’.

Well, that’s one way to do it.

The Bravo alum also offered up some words of wisdom for Heather, adding to Hollywood Life: ‘I think the only advice I have for her, while it’s airing is to not get too freaked out from week to week.

‘Like social media people are disagreeing with why you made decisions. Because honestly, in the end, nobody really remembers anything anyways.’

Noted.

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Kate left the crew at the end of a very tense season seven, with fans calling out for a surprise return ever since.

In a candid chat with Us Weekly, she revealed exactly what it would take for that to happen.

‘It would take a lot of money,’ she said. ‘I would take a page out of Ben’s book. 

‘There was a couple of seasons where he would come in as the save the day guy for, like, one, maybe two [episodes]. That’s the only way I would ever consider it.’

That could be a spin-off show in itself…

Below Deck is available to stream on hayu now, with season nine setting sail in October.

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