Aesha Scott's Replacement Lara Has Big Shoes To Fill Amid Below Deck Down Under's Season 3 Trailer (She Likely Won't Return Next Season)

Below Deck Down Under’snew Chief Stew Lara Rigby has some major shoes to fill taking over former Chief Stew Aesha Scott’s role, and one season may wind up being her limit on the show. Although Aesha was a favorite of both Captain Jason Chambers and Below Deck viewers alike, her time on the series has seemingly come to an end after a few seasons of working aboard the superyacht. While Aesha’s presence will be sorely missed on Below Deck Down Under season 3, the show has found another Chief Stew to fill the vacant role left by Aesha’s absence.

Lara, the new Chief Stew joining Below Deck Down Under season 3’s cast, has even more experience than Aesha did prior to joining the show. With over a decade of work as a stew of varying ranks within the yachting industry, Lara has the ability to find her way around any vessel easily. Although there’s not much news about the new Chief Stew yet, Lara’s presence is something Below Deck viewers are already finding difficult to handle, especially without Aesha in the mix. While Lara could be perfectly proficient, she still has some major shoes to fill on the show.

Aesha Has Been A Fan Favorite Since The Start of The Show

She’s The Gold Standard Of A Chief Stew

Although Aesha is still part of the Below Deckfranchise, her work on Below Deck Mediterranean simply isn’t the same. Aesha may have gotten her start on the European spin-off of the series, but she cut her teeth on Below Deck Down Under. Joining in the debut season of the series, Aesha had the opportunity to work through issues she faced with her crew and within herself throughout the first seasons of the series. Getting to know and building a rapport with Captain Jason, Aesha became better known for her work ethic during her time on Below Deck Down Under.

Aesha’s abilities as a stew weren’t called into question during her time on Below Deck Med, but it was clear just how strong a stew she was when she started working aboard Below Deck Down Under’s vessel. Though Aesha has been able to find herself working hard in every position she’s had in the past, her time as Chief Stew on Below Deck Down Under showed a different sense of strength. Dealing with personal issues and professional issues all at the same time, Aesha took charge of her team and handled communication with Captain Jason exceptionally, endearing her to fans.

Lara Doesn't Seem As Liked By Her Crew Members Like Aesha Was

She May Not Have The Best Perception

Below Deck Down Under's Aesha Scott in red shirt and Lara Rigby in black fancy top — Below Deck Down Under's Aesha Scott and Lara Rigby

Although Aesha isn’t returning for Below Deck Down Underseason 3, her replacement was announced in the weeks leading up to the show’s exciting premiere. Lara, an English yachtie with over a decade of experience, was put in Aesha’s role as the new Chief Stew. While Lara has a lot of experience, it’s possible that her time aboard a Below Deck vessel will wind up being minimal. Throughout the Below Deck Down Under season 3 trailer, there are a few things viewers get the chance to learn about Lara before the season even begins airing, making it clear she’ll struggle.

As Lara moves through her time on Below Deck Down Under, viewers will get to know about her true nature, but her behavior during the trailer makes her out to be a difficult, controlling Chief Stew. Striving for perfection, it appears at first that the stews are simply complaining about their Chief Stew, but things spread throughout the trailer and break down. When it becomes clear that even Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph has issues with Lara, viewers get a better picture of what’s going to happen this season. Lara’s attitude may make her far more difficult to work with than Aesha.

Season 3 Could Possibly Be Lara's Only Season After Drama-Filled Trailer

There Will Be A Lot To Work Through

Throughout Below Deck Down Underseason 3’s trailer, it’s clear that there are some issues with Lara’s performance that Captain Jason is likely to eventually address. While Lara not having total control of her stews is expected and explainable, Lara struggling to get along with most of the rest of the Below Deck Down Under crew isn’t as easily explained away. Rather than making herself a bit more palatable for the rest of the superyacht crew or even the viewers, Lara appears to be rough around the edges and highly serious about her work, which won’t benefit her this season.

With Lara’s controlling nature taking over her department and potentially others, it’s clear from the trailer that she’ll struggle with the pressure to be perfect throughout the season. While Captain Jason ultimately does fire someone on Below Deck Down Under season 3 according to the trailer, it’s still likely that Lara makes it through the whole season. Though it may not be the best time to seek out another Chief Stew, if things get difficult enough, Captain Jason has the resources to replace Lara. As Aesha’s replacement, Below Deck Down Under viewers are prepared to be disappointed by Lara.

Below Deck Down Under premieres Monday, February 3 at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.

Source: Below Deck/Instagram