Jen Howell Says This Below Deck Crew Member Was Responsible for Her Drama with Kate Chastain

If you think Kate Chastain and Jen Howell's relationship has seemed a little "unpredictable" this season of Below Deck, you'd be right! That's exactly how Jen would describe her relationship with the chief stew, who she's been seen LOL-ing with one minute and then butting heads with the next. 

But Jen wants you to know that her friendship with Kate — yes, friendship — was way stronger aboard the Valor than it may seem to Below Deck fans. "You know, working in such close quarters, it really is like you're one big family. I mean, you fight like cats and dogs, you make up 30 seconds later and you're having the time of your life. When we first got on the yacht, I would say we had a blossoming friendship," Jen told The Daily Dish earlier this season. "And then I think that people get bored and they have boat flings and then think they want to stir the pot a little bit, kind of throw some untruths out there." 

Jen is, of course, referring to her fellow stewardess Brianna Adekeye, who she said was the root of her drama with Kate. "So Bri started having her fun, and that's when you can kind of see the tension mounting between Kate and I," she explained, adding that she believes Bri told Kate things about her that weren't true. "When Kate and I were really just frustrated with one another and Bri is the 'zen-like' stew standing on the sidelines, when in reality she's eating her popcorn watching what she's put into play."

But everything changed for Kate and Jen after the charter season ended. "So the minute we stopped filming, Kate and I had this epiphany, and it was just like, 'Well, sh**.' I think we're both a lot alike. We're both sassy and witty, and I think we just really get each other," Jen said. "There were so many moments on the boat too that we had so much fun together. So I just think that it's almost a testament to any relationship, friendship, whatever, if you can overcome these obstacles that are thrown at you, it just brings you that much closer in your friendship. I thank Bri. Thank you, Bri." 

In fact, Kate and Jen have snapped a couple of sweet photos together since this season of Below Deck ended.

These days, Jen said that she and Kate are "exploring a friendship on land." She even said that she would work with the chief stew again. "Aside from all the drama, we actually had a lot of fun working together," Jen said. "There's really no better way to pass time when you're stuck in 150 feet of one another for six weeks than to laugh and make jokes and the banter that was there was just like, I don't know, it was pretty amazing." 

There's more drama on the way for the Valor crew in next Tuesday's episode of Below Deck at 9/8c. Catch a sneak peek, below.

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