Summary
- Ruan Irving's claim of being a yacht captain on Below Deck Mediterranean has confused viewers and sparked disbelief on social media.
- Despite his short appearance on the show, Ruan continues to mention Below Deck in his Instagram bio, which has led to criticism and accusations that he's seeking attention and fame.
- While some fans question the authenticity of Ruan's followers and believe he should be embarrassed by his association with the show, others speculate that he may still have a chance to return in a different capacity.
Ruan Irving confused many Below Deck Mediterranean viewers by calling himself the yacht's captain. The Bravo show has been on air since 2016, but the latest season seems to be the most dramatic yet. It features various controversial cast members, such as Natalya "Nat" Scudder and Kyle Viljoen, alongside numerous feuds. Ruan was one of the oddest additions to the Below Deck spin-off. The Bosun appeared in the Below Deck Med season 8 premiere, claiming to have a decade of yachting experience. However, Ruan had forged his Yacht Masters certificate, which led Captain Sandy Yawn to dismiss him from Mustique.
Below Deck Med's Ruan Irving had a very short run in the newest season of the reality TV spin-off. However, it didn't stop him from mentioning the show and network in his Instagram bio. Apart from Below Deck, the South African reality star self-proclaimed himself as the "Yacht Captain." Reddit user BigKitty2295100 recently posted a screenshot of Ruan's Instagram profile, showing confusion about his new captaincy role. The Redditor wrote, "Yacht captain? In what world?" Many other Reddit users also replied to the post, showing their disbelief. One Redditor called him a "paper captain," while another said there was "no way he's working as a captain."
Ruan Irving Should Be "Embarrassed" To Put Below Deck In Instagram Bio
Many fans also discussed how Ruan should be ashamed of calling himself a Below Deck cast member when his appearance lasted less than an episode. One Redditor said the former Bosun should've crawled under a rock "after that embarrassing introduction on BD." Another commented, "How embarrassing to even include the trailer," claiming that Ruan is downright terrible for bragging about being a captain and mentioning the show on social media. Some fans even speculated that Ruan's 27,000 followers weren't real, adding, "It's not that expensive to buy followers."
Fans are probably right to call out Ruan for his untrue bio on social media. Most people would probably delete any mentions of their former employer after being fired. However, the South African Bosun has used Below Deck Med's tags to cash in on his 15 minutes of fame. Ruan could have significantly improved his reputation among Below Deck viewers by owning up to his mistakes and trying afresh. However, his blunt mention of Below Deck Med hints that he was on Captain Sandy's yacht to score social media clout and get famous.
Still, it is hard to blame Ruan for mentioning the show on his social media, as it must be one of his greatest achievements. While his run didn't work out this time, he may hope to return to Below Deck in a more appropriate role with the right certifications. Bravo's official website implies Ruan could return to the show someday. The network's "people" tab still mentions him as one of the cast members. If the former Below Deck Med star had truly offended everyone, his complete profile wouldn't have been on the official website.
Below Deck Mediterranean airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EDT on Bravo.
Sources: Ruan Irving/Instagram, BigKitty2295100/Reddit, Ruan Irving/Instagram