Mary Cosby said Captain Jason Chambers of Below Deck Down Under appeared to be "checking out" Real Housewives of Salt Lake City co-star Bronwyn Newport while the ladies filmed a crossover charter, though she noted Newport is married and nothing came of it. Cosby described the Below Deck trip as "amazing" and said the season will allow fans to see both the yacht crew's perspective and the housewives' point of view.
In an interview with Decider ahead of RHOSLC Season 6's premiere, Cosby said the Below Deck episodes will be the first time viewers can watch the two sides of the same luxury vacation back-to-back. She predicted the crew's commentary about the cast will be "interesting," and said Chambers in particular "checked out" Bronwyn, while Britani Bateman was more openly smitten with the captain.
Cosby, a longtime series presence who returned as a full-time cast member in Season 5 after two seasons away or in a reduced role, spoke broadly about the new season's dynamics. She called the RV-led kickoff with Angie Katsanevas "not what [she] was expecting" and said she would have preferred a private-plane arrival instead of driving the entire group. Cosby also characterized her friendship with Katsanevas as close and "sisterly," saying closeness inevitably leads to fights and reconciliations.
The cast trip included a staged prank and other moments that drew reaction from Cosby, who said she initially feared for former castmate Jen Shah when a fake FBI raid turned out to be male strippers. Cosby was critical of Angie comparing Lisa Barlow to Shah, calling that comparison "a little outlandish." She otherwise said she accepted Barlow's absence from the trip and moved on.
Cosby revisited tensions with Britani Bateman, recalling a difficult start to their relationship and saying she still does not feel a genuine connection with Bateman. She said she wishes for "real" energy from fellow cast members and that some people simply do not mesh. At the same time, Cosby said her relationship with Meredith Marks is "excellent" and described the cast as increasingly natural on camera.
Asked about other former cast members, Cosby said she would welcome Monica Garcia back and that she remains on good terms with Garcia, who still texts her occasionally. Cosby declined to speculate on casting decisions, saying such choices are not hers to make.
Cosby addressed the return of cameras to her church, which she said felt "almost like a full circle" moment. She described inviting the cast into a full service as meaningful and said the congregation's presence reflected a significant part of her life. Cosby also mentioned recent renovations to the church.
On a personal note, Cosby provided an update on her 22-year-old son, Robert Jr., whose struggle with drug addiction was publicly discussed on last season's episodes. Cosby said he is "doing the best he can do" and described recovery as a journey that requires the individual to make up their mind. She thanked fans for an outpouring of support after the family's decision to share the conversation on air and said the response has been "major, loving, supportive."
Cosby said the family's decision to speak openly about Robert Jr.'s addiction was motivated by a desire to help others. "If we help one person then we did our part," she told Decider, calling the scene one of the most sincere and heartbreaking of her time on the show.
On the Below Deck crossover specifically, Cosby said the production approach — air the yacht crew's episode and then the housewives' episode — will reveal how both sides perceived events. She called the crossover "packed with entertainment, laughter, love, enemies, frenemies" and said viewers will get plenty to watch when the episodes air.
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City returned for Season 6 this week on Bravo. New episodes air Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT and are available the next day on Peacock. The Below Deck Down Under crossover episodes will be shown as part of the respective series’ programming, offering fans the two-sided look Cosby described in her interview.