Who is Elena Dubaich? Meet the new stew as she replaces Kyle Viljoen in Below Deck Mediterranean season 7

Season 7 of Below Deck Mediterranean has replaced crew/cast members more than once since its premiere. In next week’s episode, the show will welcome a new stew named Elena Dubaich, who will join the team in place of Kyle Viljoen.

As viewers are already aware, Kyle injured his ankle after a fall from the stairs in episode 17. He was seen on bed rest throughout the episode while the interior team worked round the clock to serve the charter guests. Looking at the workload, chief stew Natasha Webb made a tough call to replace her BFF Kyle for the final charter as the team needed someone to take over his duties.

Luckily, Captain Sandy Yawn didn’t have to wait long for a replacement. Kyle’s departure was featured in episode 17, although the captain hinted at his return as well. Meanwhile, Elena Dubaich will join the cast of Below Deck Mediterranean season 7 in episode 18 as the second stew.

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Elena Dubaich previously worked as superyacht massage therapist

Elena Dubaich is a newbie joining Below Deck Mediterranean season 7, replacing Kyle Viljoen after he sprained his ankle.

She will join the interior team as a stew. Before the Bravo show, Elena worked as a superyacht massage therapist. As per her bio on the network’s site, Elena wanted to make a career in something that would allow her to explore the world. As a result, she got herself enrolled in a massage school and later worked on luxury cruises and yachts as a spa stewardess.

On Bravo’s site, Elena’s bio reads:

“Having an adventurous mindset, she started looking for a job that would be geared toward exploring the world. She attended massage school where she found her true calling and continued learning various treatments in London, Stockholm and Bangkok. She honed her skills on exclusive luxury cruise lines where she also offered yoga and meditation classes, eventually working her way up to being a spa manager.”

It continues:

“During the pandemic, she shifted her career to yachting working as a spa stewardess on charter yachts and private motor yachts. Elena is looking forward to opening her own massage school and sharing her skills with students worldwide.”

Elena's profile further states that she was raised in Slovenia, and her first job was of a translator after she got her bachelor’s degree in English and Russian languages. She has a knack for learning new languages, which has helped her learn multiple dialects while spending her childhood in various Balkan countries.

Going by her Instagram account (@thebalkanbiscuit), Elena is a fitness enthusiast who “trust(s) the natural flow of life.” She also seems to be a person who likes to dress up and party — qualities which are perfectly fitted for the Below Deck Mediterranean season 7 cast.

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When will Below Deck Mediterranean season 7 episode 18 air?

Below Deck Mediterranean season 7 episode 18 is all set to air on Monday, November 7, 2022, at 8 PM ET on Bravo. Elena will make her debut in the upcoming episode.

Episode 18 is titled Stuck in the Griddle with You, and the official synopsis reads:

“A unique, new crew member joins for the final charter and the interior team scrambles to train her. The charter group includes two well-known NFL players, one of whom has a special food request that sends Dave scrambling. Natasha and Natalya try to bury the hatchet. When one of the charter guests loses a valuable item, Courtney feels pressured to help them with the impossible. Natasha and Dave are forced to confront a blast from the past under shocking circumstances.”

It will be the crew members’ final charter. Only time will tell whether Elena will be able to fill Kyle’s shoes or drown under work pressure.

Below Deck Mediterranean season 7 airs new episodes every Monday on Bravo at 8 PM ET.