"Finally": Below Deck Down Under star Lara reacts to Harry calling Tzarina out online

Ahead of the May 12 episode of Below Deck Down Under, Harry van Vliet addressed why he no longer follows Tzarina Mace-Ralph, claiming she blocked him after he advised her to “calm down her comments” regarding the current season. In response, Lara Rigby shared his remarks on her Instagram and added,

“Finally someone speaks out!”

She emphasized that the public only sees a limited version of the events. This marked the first time the Below Deck Down Under chief stew publicly acknowledged the off-screen conflict involving Tzarina.

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Below Deck Down Under tensions escalate after Harry addresses Tzarina's social media behavior

Harry says Tzarina blocked him after he called out her posts

During an Instagram Q&A, Harry explained why his social media connection with Tzarina ended. He stated,

“TZ blocked me on Instagram after I suggested she calmed down her comments about the current season on Instagram.”

Harry clarified that he made this suggestion because he does not “support online blasting or bullying and didn’t like what I was seeing.”

He implied concern about the nature of Tzarina’s public commentary related to Below Deck Down Under and their interactions behind the scenes.

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Lara responds to Harry’s post and addresses off-screen tensions

Chief Stew, Lara Rigby, reposted Harry’s explanation on her Instagram story, adding her own reaction:

“Remember you only see a small snippet of what was really going on. I have kept very quiet about the situation on socials, but it’s peoples real lives affected by this! We need more people like Harry in the world.”

This was Lara’s first public statement addressing the ongoing discord with Tzarina, which had previously played out on-screen and, more subtly, on social media.

She supported Harry’s view and suggested that more context existed than what was shown in the episodes.

Lara’s acknowledgment confirmed that cast members were impacted by events not fully visible to viewers.

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Tzarina explains her reaction and blocking decision

Tzarina responded earlier this month with a lengthy Instagram statement on May 6, 2025, reflecting on her behavior during the season. She wrote:

“I feel like I have always been a kind hearted empathetic individual… but when you get pushed into corners and have your back against the wall something changes inside.”

She acknowledged her own actions and admitted that her behavior had been "spiteful," adding that she did regret how she handled the situation.

She also connected her reaction to past experiences and said:

“Being isolated brings back trauma and this is how I handled the situation at the time.”

Tzarina’s statement highlighted that her behavior stemmed from personal triggers and not from an intent to attack others.

Her remarks did not directly address Harry or Lara, but the timing and content pointed to the ongoing narrative surrounding her on and off-screen relationships with the crew.

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Crew members observed ongoing conflict during filming

The tension between Tzarina and Lara became evident during the season, particularly after Alesia Harris replaced Anthony Bird in the galley.

The Below Deck Down Under chef and chief stew struggled to work together, which was noted by fellow stewardess Marina Marcondes de Barros.

Marina said in an interview with Us Weekly in April:

“It’s very uncomfortable when the chief stew and the chef are fighting because you don’t want to take sides. You are literally there to do your job...If you have a problem personally, you deal with that after the trip is over — not in the middle of service.”

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Catch Below Deck Down Under every Monday at 8 PM ET on Bravo.