Reality television spares no expense when it comes to delivering drama. Of course, this is something many viewers tune into these shows to see. Such drama is occasionally sensationalized and set-up to deliberately drive ratings. However, this drama can also be sincere and impact the viewers even harder as a result.

When it comes to Season 3’s Below Deck Down Under, we see that drama play out between the crew members. Tensions have been high between head chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph, along with chief stewardess Lara Rigby and sous chef Alesia Harris. In a recent episode, tensions rose so high, they engaged in a heated confrontation with one another. Of course, crew members aren’t the only ones to stir the pot, as celebrities have joined in on the action too.

Tzarina Clashes With Lara and Alesia In Episode 12

When sous chef Anthony Bird got fired and Alesia Harris joined the crew, it seemed like tensions among everyone on Below Deck Down Under had calmed down. However, head chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph began fighting with both chief stewardess Lara Rigby and Alesia Harris in Episode 12.

“I don’t know if Lara is trying to mess with me right now, but she seems like she’s grooming my sous chef to be against me. And that’s not a friend. She should be supporting me,” Tzarina told viewers in a confessional.

At first, it seemed like Alesia, Lara and stewardess Brianna Duffield were getting closer during a guest lunch at a distillery on charter. However, it was clear that Tzarina was feeling left out. “You just don’t give a s*** about me,” Tzarina told them. Tzarina owned up to feeling “moody” and “grumpy” in the galley, considering this might have been the reason. Alesia seemed to confirm this by saying that she didn’t want to be “walking on eggshells” around her anymore. Alesia also expressed frustration with Tzarina for not giving her enough direction.

“But what’s going on with the crew breakfast? What’s going on? You’ve not actually told me what you’ve got planned for the crew,” Alesia told Tzarina during their argument in the galley. “So, when you say we’re working together, I have no idea what you’re doing.”

Alesia further explained how she was feeling during a confessional. “I have no idea what is going on in the woman’s head. After the rum distillery, she’s all over. I can’t bite my tongue anymore. Tzarina, just be a better boss,” she told viewers.

When Alesia spoke to Bri and Lara in their room when the charter ended, the tension got even worse. “I don’t get told anything that’s going on about the guest food or crew food. I’m like, ‘So what have you done?’ ‘I’m doing it.’ And I’m like, ‘Just tell me what the f*** is going on.’ It makes me feel like really useless…I just want to cry and cry and cry,'” Alesia said.

There was an awkward silence when Tzarina walked into the conversation. Tzarina had previously asked Alesia if she was sad. “I’m bothered. Hot and bothered,” Alesia told her, but Tzarina wasn’t satisfied with her answer. During the crew’s night out, Alesia and Tzarina spoke again. “At the picnic you were like, ‘Oh, you can do this without your head chef being here.’ And it was like so condescending,'” Alesia revealed to Tzarina.

“I didn’t mean to be condescending,” Tzarina replied, while revealing the core of her anger was directed at Lara. “I was just pissed off at the fact that Lara told me that a head of department had to be there…when my sous chef is perfectly capable. I’m really sorry if sometimes it seems passive aggressive or overly sarcastic. I just cannot hide any of my emotions.”

Lara Confronted Tzarina During A Crew Night Out

When speaking to lead deckhand Harry Van Vliet, Tzarina suggested that she and Lara weren’t getting along. “I kinda thought that Lara and I would be a little bit more like besties and stuff,” Tzarina expressed to Harry. “I guess with her friendship with Bri I’m feeling a bit pushed out.”

Lara wasn’t finished bashing Tzarina, as she went after her leadership style after speaking to Alesia. “Alesia is losing her spark and it doesn’t seem like Tzarina is nurturing her. She’s got a chip on her shoulder about something and it’s just very, very weird leadership,” Lara told viewers in a confessional.

Needless to say, Tzarina didn’t appreciate Lara talking behind her back.

“Are you f****** kidding me? Of course, if my sous chef wants to talk to me, she can,” she said. “Lara just cannot help herself, can she? This is just classic bitchy schoolgirl attitude. And why was I so naïve and stupid to put her on a pedestal just so she could look down at me and laugh? I thought we were friends. This is f—king ridiculous.”

This caused things to come to a head during the crew’s night out. “I’ll be completely honest right now, sometimes you can say something to me, and it will make me feel stupid,” Lara told Tzarina during a one-on-one chat.

“But I have exactly the same with you,” Tzarina told her. “The last charter was the first time in my whole career that I’ve ever had a stewardess tell me what to plate on. And it absolutely shocked me.” Tzarina ended up saying, “I’m done!” as she left the talk, which went nowhere. Viewers are eager to see if things between them will be mended.

One Famous Reality Star Also Caused Tension When She Appeared On Below Deck

Alexis Bellino made a name for herself on reality television when she joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Orange County. In the series, she starred in Seasons 5 through 8. She ultimately returned to the series in its 18th season. Alexis also made an appearance on Below Deck in its seventh season. This appearance took place following her split from Jim Bellino. It turned out to be the last season for Chief Stew Kate Chastain. Alexis and her then-boyfriend Andy Boh attended the charter together.

The couple were together for a year prior to their engagement in December 2020. While the couple considered themselves to be mostly private, you would never know it based on their Below Deck experience. Their constant public displays of affection made the crew very uncomfortable, including Kate. This extremely uncomfortable tension lasted during the entire trip. Alexis and Andy got the attention of everyone, and Kate didn’t hold back when calling Alexis out for her behavior in her confessional interviews.

“She just got divorced, and I don’t know if she’s trying to prove it to her ex or her friends that she is doin’ fine!” Kate told viewers. “But you can be doin’ fine without having a tongue down your throat.”

After that particular episode aired, Alexis defended the very public affection when talking to Life After Bravo. “We don’t mind PDA. I know some people are against it,” she said.

Unfortunately, the two split up in September 2023, with Alexis releasing a statement commenting on the end of her and Andy’s relationship.

“Drew and I have lovingly chosen to separate as a couple,” Alexis wrote. “Despite this, our love for each other remains strong, and we both sincerely wish nothing but the best for one another. We recognize that it’s in our best interest to pursue separate paths.”

Her split from Andy didn’t exactly mean she was done with reality television. Alexis returned to The Real Housewives franchise and shocked audiences when she started dating Shannon Beador’s ex-boyfriend, John Janssen. Alexis was also back to her old ways, posting PDA-filled pictures on social media. The two celebrated Alexis’ 47th birthday in January 2024 by going on a romantic getaway.

“So much fun and so much love to share from this weekend, and the pics are soon to come!!!!!” Alexis wrote on Instagram. “I’m very thankful going into this year 47 years wiser. And I’m beyond thankful this birthday for you.”

After this celebratory post, Alexis shared even more pictures from her birthday trip. In one picture, Alexis and John are seen kissing on a balcony overlooking the ocean.