“I’m Trying To Keep It Together”: Aesha Scott’s Below Deck Down Under Replacement Lara Rigby Breaks Down Crying Amid Major Red Flags

Below Deck Down Under may have just returned, but Chief Stew Lara Rigby is already buckling under the immense pressure of delivering a quality service to their charter guests. Lara has replaced Aesha Scott for Below Deck Down Under season 3 after the previous chief stew returned to Below Deck Med. Unfortunately, Aesha’s replacement has already shown major red flags, including her perfectionist attitude that might hamper her ability to be a good leader to her team. Lara’s new to Below Deck, but she already knows Chief Tzarina Mace-Ralph; they haven’t always gotten along, which could spell trouble as well.

Bravo released a preview clip from the next episode of Below Deck Down Under season 3 that features two main storylines: Chef Tzarina not getting along with her sous chef Anthony Bird, and Lara suffering a breakdown in her cabin. After the chef deals with Anthony, she walks into her and Lara’s shared cabin to find the chief stew crying. As Lara’s sitting there with her face resting against her hands, footage is shown of some stressful moments she’s already experienced.

When Tzarina comes in, she asks if Lara is okay and proceeds to give her a hug. Lara tells Tzarina, “There’s so much to do. I’m trying to keep it together.” She later adds that she’s worked “so hard” to get to where she is in her career right now. In a confessional, Lara admits that she’s “too hard on myself. I’m a bit of a perfectionist sometimes.” When a producer asks where that comes from, she explains that it’s probably from trying to impress her father after her parents got divorced.

What Lara Rigby’s Breakdown Means For Below Deck Down Under

It Seems Too Early For Below Deck Crew To Be Stressed Out

This clip is from only the second episode of the entire season. It is still the start of the charter season for the Katina crew. It’s way too early for them to be experiencing high levels of stress just yet. Typically, but not always, the chief stews are the more mature members of the interior crew. They should be setting a good example for the rest of the team and be there when someone needs help.

However, when the person that needs help is the chief stew herself, then that brings the situation onto a whole other level. It’s good that she’s got her roommate, Tzarina, to console her when she’s crying. Maybe that little bit of encouragement will be enough to help get Lara through the charter season. If not, though, it’s possible the chief stew will need to eventually talk with Captain Jason Chambers and tell him that she’s unable to handle the pressure of being in this role.

Our Take On Lara Rigby Being Stressed Out At Start Of Charter Season

Lara’s Qualified But Might Not Be Ready For Below Deck

Some crew members think they can handle the high-stakes world of yachting and then realize they’re in way over their heads. Lara mentioned that she’s worked really hard to be able to add chief stew to her resume, so it’s not like she’s unqualified or anything like that. Below Deck has so many added layers of stress, and maybe it’s the context of being on reality TV that’s getting to her, assuming she can normally handle the job.

Captain Jason has teased he’ll be firing people this season. It’s possible he notices Lara’s not ready to be chief stew and lets her go. It’ll be interesting to see how she handles everything after Tzarina tried cheering her up.