Peter Hunziker's Racist Post: Fallout During Below Deck Mediterranean Season 5

Peter Hunziker had already drawn the attention of Below Deck Mediterranean fans after his questionable behavior with the women on the show. Season 5 of the show started airing in June 2020, and Peter was introduced as the lead deckhand of the cruise.

Following his behavior with women on the yacht, he was demoted to the position of a Deckhand after six episodes of the show. He often used to call his female colleagues "sweethearts" and even received a reprimand from fan-favorite Captain Sandy for his conduct.

His negligence in cleaning broken glass had led to Malia cutting herself with it, he also struggled to set up a decent table. His racist post was the final straw that led to his expulsion from the Below Deck franchise.

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Peter Hunziker's expulsion from the Below Deck franchise

Peter Hunziker posted a controversial post on his Instagram while season 5 of Below Deck Mediterranean was still ongoing. Bravo and 51 Minds, the reality production house, staunchly disapproved of Peter's actions and decided to fire him from the Below Deck franchise.

Furthermore, they decided to take stricter measures expressing their objection to the topic by promising to edit out as much of his footage as they could from the rest of the episodes, resulting in the second half of the season not featuring Peter at all.

Bravo's post on Instagram about their decision to treat the matter was applauded by fans, while some thought the move was too grave for something he wasn't serious about.

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Peter Hunziker's apology following his expulsion from Below Deck Mediterranean

Peter took to his Instagram and X to apologize, six weeks after his actions got him fired from the show. In the post, he said,

"A little over 3 months ago someone sent me a meme on social media and I thoughtlessly reposted it. I now realize how painful the imagery and symbolism is and, upon deeper consideration, I realize that the implicit bias that exists in the brief text written in the meme is offensive."

He went on to say,

"To all those I have hurt and offended please know that I am genuinely sorry. I have always fully supported equal rights and equal opportunities for ALL people. Be safe, stay well, and always think before you post.….. with love, Pete."

Fans were quick to dissect his tone of apology and condone him for it, while others accepted it and moved on. Since his dismissal from Below Deck Mediterranean, he has remained active on Instagram. He has resumed his work on yachts in Florida and spends most of his free time with friends and family.

Recently, in 2023, Peter revealed that he was facing some health issues. While viewers don't know what it is, it has something to do with his spine, as he can be seen wearing a back belt and walking with a cane on his Instagram.

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Below Deck Mediterranean is one of the three spin-offs of the Below Deck franchise. It follows the crew of the yacht managing and navigating through problems with sailing and pleasing its guests while sailing on the Mediterranean Sea. Season 8 of the show is currently ongoing, with episode 14 coming out last. It's new episodes coming out every Monday on Bravo at 9 pm ET.

A new season 11 of the original Below Deck is also underway and is to be released on February 5, 2024. Little is known about Below Deck Down Under season 3, the Australian spin-off of the show.