The sea and Daisy Kelliher go hand in hand. She was raised on boats and sailing, with the passion for it in her blood, passed down from her grandfather, Irish Olympic sailor Eddie Kelliher.
She started sailing in Dun Laoghaire before she began a career which would see her work on some of the biggest yachts around the world.
As Chief Stew, Daisy could be away on these €20 million boats for weeks or months on end. However, she’s best known for appearing on Bravo’s reality show, Below Deck.
We caught with Daisy as she spoke to Sky Vegas in London this week to chat about life on board the yachts, her dream guests and what she gets up to when she’s not filming…
You grew up sailing, but did you ever expect that you would become a reality star from that?
Absolutely not. I never imagined I’d end up on television or in the public eye. I’ve never been someone with a detailed five-year plan – I’m more of a five-day-plan person. After COVID, I lost my job and was ready for a change, and everything just seemed to fall into place from there.
When you’re not filming, what are you up to?
I’m based in London, and when I’m home my life is actually very quiet. I enjoy going for walks and keeping things low-key. Outside of that, I’m creating content, recording my podcast Yacht Mess, travelling to the US for press commitments and taking opportunities as they come. My schedule changes constantly, so I rarely plan more than a month ahead, but I’m enjoying every minute of it.
Who’d be your dream guest to have on board?
I’d love to have Louis Theroux. I think he’d be incredibly relaxed, fascinating to talk to and genuinely funny. I think he’d make a brilliant charter guest.
What might people be surprised to learn about the realities of filming a TV show? (Especially on a boat!)
I don’t think people realise just how constant the filming is. We’re filmed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The guests have privacy in their cabins, but we don’t. Cameras even film us while we’re sleeping. There’s really no downtime, and I think people underestimate just how much footage is captured and how little privacy we have.
What’s next for you, Daisy?
I’m always open to yachting opportunities, but right now my podcast and other commitments take up a lot of my time, especially travelling back and forth to the US. I still love doing Below Deck, and if I’m asked back for another season, I’d absolutely say yes.
Watch Below Deck Sailing Yacht and Below Deck Down Under on Hayu now