‘Below Deck Med’: Cathy Skinner Opens Up About Stepfather’s Suicide & Max Boatmance

Cathy Skinner has been through it on Below Deck Mediterranean. The second stew joined the show in the middle of Season 10 after Victoria “V” SanJuan moved into the role of deckhand. It didn’t take long before stew Kizzi Kitchener felt threatened by the Brit, not only due to her wealth of experience but because she caught the attention of the guys on the vessel. Deckhand Max Holz built a connection with Skinner that has only gotten stronger leading into the close of the charter season. The Frenchman helped work through grief after she received news her stepfather died by suicide while onboard.

Here Skinner opens up about her time on the Bravo reality series heading into the finale.

You came in at the middle of the season. How much notice did you have before joining the crew?

Cathy Skinner: It was crazy. I was given two days. For me, that’s pretty normal. In my job, I freelance a lot. So, I’m used to jumping ship quite literally. I always have a bag packed. I mean my wardrobe is filled with lovely outfits. I definitely wasn’t worried on that end. I always jumped on ships. I’m so used to building connections very quickly. Because of my extroverted personality I don’t give anyone a chance that we’re going to be friends quickly. This is yachting. One week feels like one year, and that’s it.

How was it hearing Kizzi’s perspective of you in those confessionals watching it back? She thought she would be ahead in rank until you came onboard with all that experience. Do you feel she wasn’t being her authentic self?

That’s a really good question. I think with Kizzi, she was a great worker and good at her job. She is someone I would employ in the outside world. When it comes to personal relationships, as long as it’s not affecting your work, it’s nothing to do with me. However, watching it back the thing is she didn’t do anything maliciously, right? We saw her being a very open and flirty person. So, it was definitely interesting to hear her comments, especially about something like breaking my toe or something like that I didn’t appreciate.

She was very nice to my face. I do feel a little bit like it wasn’t fake, but she may not have been as open as she thinks she is, albeit straightforward. If she was, she would have said, “Hey, I do have a problem. I love the attention. I feel very threatened.” When we were onboard, she wasn’t giving me the impression she was threatened by me at all. We were getting on very well and being very friendly. I’m quite a naïve person. I trust very easily. I get along with people. I’m an open book where if you’re nice to me, I’m nice to you back. I didn’t expect to hear her say these things like breaking my toe or something.

BELOW DECK MEDITERRANEAN — Pictured: Cathy Skinner — (Photo by: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo)

Like a Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding situation.

Yeah, I was definitely shocked about that one.

During the January 5 episode there is a scene where you’re in the car during a crew night out looking uncomfortable. You’re witnessing Kizzi and “V” talk about Joe Bradley kissing Kizzi while “V” was away. What did you make of how things unfolded at that point?

The facial expression I had in the car was my exact facial expression watching as well. I was thinking, ‘Oh my goodness. Get me out of here. I’m Switzerland here. I’m not on your side or your side. I’m just a bystander, which is all I want to be.” So, getting stuck in that situation was my worst nightmare. I thought one of them was going to ask me a question like, “Do you think it was wrong that I did that?” I didn’t want to hear it. Where do I stand in that situation? There are a lot of things you don’t see like the build-up between Kizzi and Joe’s very flirty relationship. There was a lot more intensity from “V” toward Joe that was kind of a bit too much for Joe. It was him taking a step back.

They shouldn’t have done it while she was off the boat. Everyone agrees with that. Do I think it was bound to happen? Absolutely…Ultimately, Kizzi is going to do what Kizzi wants to do. She is a flirt and has a big personality. I love her for it. She does not apologize for doing it though, which I disagree with. I think she should be sorry because I don’t think she is at all. I think saying that to “V” is quite hurtful. Especially, watching it back, she should have probably said, “Look, that was a sh*tty thing I did. I do apologize.” Hopefully, this gives Kizzi a chance to realize how to be a better person. I love Kizzi, but I think she can grow watching this back. Maybe next time if she wants to do it, she would have that conversation first [in a similar instance].

Pictured: (l-r) Cathy Skinner, Max Holz — (Photo by: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo)

You and Max developed a connection that got deeper as the season has evolved. How was it getting to know him? Where do things stand between you two today?

I definitely didn’t expect to get into this boatmance. In a lot of ways, I want to be like Kizzi. I want to kiss all the boys and have fun. I’ve been in relationships my whole life. I’m hardly ever single. I had just come out of a relationship really. I was actually looking to live my young, flirty, stew life as not being a chief stew. Not having responsibility, and just having fun. I wasn’t just looking for anything. This kind of took me by surprise. I think that’s why at the start when I come on the show, I am very standoffish. I am a little hesitant because I know in my heart I didn’t want anything serious. Then I realized, you know what? Even if it’s a bit soon, and I didn’t want this, it’s going to happen. My walls just came down. He was exactly what I needed while I was filming the show.

I couldn’t have asked for someone better to share it with. Obviously, I’m not going to say if we’re still together or not because I would love this to flourish. We have a really good relationship. We speak all the time. Take that what you will. I have so much respect for him, especially watching back the hard parts and realizing he was a real rock for me. People come into your life for a reason, whether it’s a long time or short time. We were definitely meant to meet then. He gave me the emotional connection I needed at that time because I would have completely closed myself off. I don’t think my mental health would have been good.

You received the news your stepfather died while you were on the boat and filming was taking place. Take me through that moment and how everyone banded together for you.

Something not said on the show was that I actually lost one of my best friends a year prior to that. She got hit by a car in Fort Lauderdale. I was told as I was on a boat as I picked up a charter. So, I was going through grief and shock, but I was also going through a bit of PTSD. My first thought, “I’m not going on a yacht again. All these things happen while I’m on a boat.” I had that shock. Dealing with the grief of someone who was a dad to you from a very young age. It is unimaginable. The pain and heartache is sad to be a part of. I was so nervous to watch it back. I couldn’t remember anything from that moment until when the season ended. That’s just the grieving process or coping mechanism I guess. Really, how everyone rallied around me when it happened. Kizzi was amazing, “V,” everyone gave me so much love. They gave me space when I needed it and didn’t want to talk about it. I just wanted to get to work, and they let me.

I’m sure that wasn’t easy.

A huge thing I haven’t spoken about that I would love to. I find it very interesting. Captain Sandy [Yawn’s] parents passed away, and she says how. The partner of “V” passed away, and they say how. Everyone has said how their loved one passed away. Nobody has mentioned how my stepfather passed away. There are a lot of questions surrounding that, and I wasn’t ready to talk about it. I wanted to think if it was going to be part of the show. The reason I was so vulnerable when I let Bravo or whoever edit use it was because I wanted to help other people. I’m like a stone. I’m a hard-faced stew, and that’s how we have to be. If you were going to see me cry on TV, it would be for a reason.

He actually passed away by committing suicide. This is such a huge bombshell. To process it, it was like nothing else. I mentioned my friend passing away in an accident. Those are two different griefs. Confusion, anger, and heartache comes with suicide is like no other. That’s why they call it suicide survivors because we are the ones who have to survive and get through tis. I would love to help people more. This is life. We all go through terrible things. We are not alone. You have to take things day-by-day. Emotions are temporary. Bad things are temporary. I’m going through one of the worst things I’ve ever gone through in my life. I still manage to put one foot in front of the other. I just wanted to do everyone proud and myself proud. No matter what happens, you have to keep moving forward. You can not stop.

BELOW DECK MEDITERRANEAN — Pictured: (l-r) Kizzi Kitchener, Cathy Skinner — (Photo by: Fred Jagueneau/Bravo)

It’s definitely important to talk about. I’m not sure if you felt any warning signs in your stepfather’s case, but you really never know what someone is going through.

I really hope that doing these interviews and moving forward, it can be more spoken about. I have a duty to spread awareness now. I will do that as much as I can. There were no warning signs. It was completely out of the blue. No letters left. To this day, it’s a heartbreaking thing to think about, especially, when someone is the light and could make everyone laugh in a room. I got most of my massive character from him. I would love to see Bravo speak about this more and do their part and share some awareness. I will also do what I can. I’m not going to change the world by myself, but hopefully those who follow my story can also help. If I can help one person. If one person watches this and sees the pain that gets passed down and it doesn’t stop, If I can help even that one person who has a family member who committed suicide and doesn’t know how to process it or what to do, just know you have strength. And you can carry on.

'Below Deck's Josh Bingham Gets Candid About Sobriety & Difficult Guests

Thank you for sharing and being so open about this important topic. As we head into the end of the season, what can you say about what’s to come heading into the finale?

The last few charters are great. They are fun guests. I feel like we’ve had some tame guests this year. That is also going to be fun to see. I would say the exhaustion is getting to everyone. You will see a lot more squabbles and arguments and emotions very much in turmoil. That’s normal this time in the season. The lack of sleep is crazy. You do have quite emotional cast members onboard anyway. Definitely, here comes the crew drama. I think that’s great because we haven’t had much of that this season. We just had entertaining stuff happen. I’m interested to see how the dynamic changes with all that.

Below Deck Mediterranean, Mondays, 8/7c, Bravo

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