Captain Kerry Titheradge Says "Driving The Boat Is The Easy Part" on 'Below Deck' (EXCLUSIVE)

If you're a long time and devoted Below Deck fan, then you probably know all of the players inside and out. And that goes double for knowing the different shows in the franchise. So when Captain Kerry Titheradge popped up as the new captain in Season 11, you might have recognized him from the one-off Below Deck spinoff Below Deck Adventure.

But just in case you don't remember the beloved captain, or you're a bit new to the Bravo series, you might be wondering who Captain Kerry is on Below Deck. He spoke exclusively with Distractify about joining the show in its eleventh season, juggling being a dad and working on yachts, and how he handles all of those romances on the show. He's the Season 11 replacement for Captain Lee Rosbach. But, both on and off the show, he's so much more. Let's dive in (no pun intended)!

Captain Kerry is a newbie in Season 11 of Below Deck, but he's no stranger to the franchise since he first starred in Below Deck Adventure. That's probably why producers clocked him to replace the longtime captain, Lee, who led tons of charters for 10 seasons. Kerry, who was born in Australia, spent the majority of his life traveling, so it's no wonder that his career involves going to new places as well.

Kerry has 30 years in the business, even though this is just his second season as a captain in one of the Below Deck shows. He's also the owner and CEO of Yachting Concepts, a business dedicated to yacht management and delivery and crew management as well.

"I started off in the marine industry 30 years ago aboard a parasailing vessel, and worked my way from deckhand to captain, then onto ferries as stew, mate engineer and captain," he shared with us. "I’ve also worked on research vessels, tugs, landing barges, water taxis, dredges, and sailing vessels."

And just in case you're a little salty (no pun intended) about Kerry taking Captain Lee's place in Season 11, according to Kerry, the two yachting powerhouses were close well before Bravo came calling.

"Captain Lee and I were mates before Below Deck was a thing, and I’ve had a few other friends who had been on Below Deck," Kerry shared. So it's safe to say he was familiar with the franchise even before he was on Below Deck Adventure.

When Kerry isn't breaking up fights, keeping track of which deckhands are flirting with whom, and keeping charter guests happy, he spends time with his family. Back home, away from the drama of whatever Below Deck yacht is chartered in any given season, Kerry has two kids, a son and a daughter, whom he talks to daily, as he shared with Distractify that "video chat is a game changer" while he is away working.

When Kerry is home, he shares weekly Wednesday dates he has with his daughter, where they stop for Starbucks and snap a picture on their way out. And as far as dating goes, Kerry isn't married to his first wife anymore, but he is in a serious relationship with Gönül Bihan, his former chief stew.

A lot of the time, firings happen on Below Deck because of romances gone wrong. And after the Season 11 premiere alone, some firings were teased among the cast at the hands of Kerry, even though for him, it's never an easy feat when those firings happen because of failed relationships onboard.

"Public displays of affection can rile up the crew and the biggest challenge is the fall out, when the romance ends," he told us. "And I have to decide on who needs to be let go, as it can infect the crew in a bad way, if it ends terribly."

Although there are multiple Below Deck spinoffs, apparently, not every single one is a banger. Because after Below Deck Adventure's first season aired in 2022, the series wasn't brought back for a second. Bravo hasn't announced an official cancellation, but it does seem likely that the show won't return, given the fan reception.

One fan commented on a Reddit thread about the future of Below Deck Adventure to call it a "snooze fest." They added, "I watched the whole season and couldn't tell you one single thing that happened, or the name of any employee aside from Faye." Enough said.

And, according to Kerry, there are some key differences between the spinoff and the flagship series.

"Below Deck Adventure was so beautiful, with guests [who] were mostly easy going that wanted to get of the boat and enjoy the country," he said. "On Below Deck, we have guests who are much higher maintenance and love to be aboard more."

Watch Below Deck on Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo.