Captain Lee Rosbach Leaving ‘Below Deck’ Amid Health Issues

Below Deck star Captain Lee Rosbach has announced he’s leaving the long-running series amid health concerns. He made the announcement on Monday’s episode, revealing he’s been having nerve issues since the beginning of the first season.

“As you guys know, I’ve been struggling with my mobility and it’s been hard,” he said to the crew during the episode. “And I’ve let you guys down, and for that, I apologize. So I’ve made a decision to leave the boat.”

The 73-year-old said that it’s “frustrating” because his best efforts to resolve the issues have been unsuccessful.

“There comes a point if a captain is really being objective, he should be putting the best interests of his crew first,” he said. “That’s your primary responsibility. As soon as you step on board, check your f—king ego at the dock.”

The captain hasn’t clarified whether he plans to return to the show, or who will be filling in for him when he leaves.

Just one day after the episode aired, more big news came from the Below Deck cast members. Kate Chastain revealed in an Instagram post that she is pregnant with her first child.

The 39-year-old alum said she is “so thrilled to become a mother” but isn’t planning to share all the details of her pregnancy publicly.

Last year, the show encountered controversy when it fired a crew member for racist posts on social media.