Not even two years ago, Hannah Ferrier was busy living the ultimate party lifestyle as a “yachtie” on Below Deck Mediterranean.
But cut to 2021 and the 34-year-old has swapped boats, booze and beaches for bassinets and baby bottles, welcoming daughter Ava Grace in October last year.
“Those first few weeks are a bit questionable,” Ferrier laughs, when WHO catches up with the star.
“I was like, ‘This is not what it looks like in the movies, let me tell you.’ But, it’s good now.”
Fans were livid when the former chief stewardess was abruptly fired for not checking in her Valium prescription with the ship’s captain in the fifth season of the hit reality show.
But the mum-of-one insists she was ready to leave her yachtie life behind long before that.
“It would’ve been my last season whether Ava came or not,” she explains. “And whether Valium showed up or not.”
Here, Ferrier chats to WHO about new beginnings, motherhood and her tipsy wedding planning with fiancé Josh Roberts …
How are you enjoying motherhood?
Yeah, I’m loving it. We’re at the three-month mark now, so she’s settled into her little routine. It was a big change to life as I knew it but it’s amazing.
You’re used to travelling a lot, how does it feel to be grounded in one place?
I think it’s actually OK because I wouldn’t have been able to travel regardless [with COVID-19]. So, it was this weird timing, like I’ve legitimately been travelling for 11 years, then I fell pregnant and we went into lockdown like two weeks later and everything happened. So I kind of don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything because no-one is travelling.
It must be nice to spend some more time with Josh …
I’ve always been coming and going, so I think especially for myself and Josh it’s been nice for me to just be in the one place and not be constantly jet-lagged.
You guys got engaged last year. Have you started planning the wedding yet?
We have, but we always have two glasses of wine, plan the wedding and then fall asleep. Then we won’t talk about it for two weeks, until we have two more glasses of wine and then we plan the wedding – it goes around in circles [laughs]. Also having a child is such a big lifestyle change, so we’re just kind of prioritising that at the moment.
Have you enjoyed sharing bits of motherhood with your fans?
Yeah, definitely! It’s actually really strange because I’ve been a big believer, with social media especially, I’ve always thought you don’t let the good get to you and you don’t let the bad get to you – just kind of stay on the one level.
But the funny thing I’ve found with having Ava is that so many people every day tell you, “You’ve got to appreciate every moment – it goes so quickly!” And it’s stressing me out, because I’m like, “Oh gosh, I’m not enjoying this second, I’m doing it wrong!” It’s like this pressure. It’s the first time I’ve kind of ever been affected by social media, so I’ve found that interesting.
How does it feel that your time on Below Deck has come to an end?
To be honest with you, I think I was a little over it before we started last season so it was definitely due. I think, in yachting, it’s a young person’s game. It’s a lot of going out, partying and drinking and that wasn’t what I was doing in my day-to-day life. So it’s quite hard to then switch it on when it’s not authentic, and I think it probably would’ve come across to the audience anyway when I’m trying to push myself to do something that wasn’t coming to me naturally anymore.
Why do you think Below Deck has a huge fan base?
I think it’s because it’s a pressure cooker – it’s very real, it’s very authentic. You’re not watching a bunch of women going shopping at Gucci. It’s kind of real people, and what happens between that mix of sleep deprivation, alcohol and exhaustion is that it brings out everyone’s actual core and their reality. Although some people are going to love me and some people are going to hate me, I’ve never tried to autocorrect myself – which a lot of people in reality TV do!
What’s next for you?
I started my business [Ocean’s International Training Academy] while I was pregnant. I just really wanted to launch a company to teach other people how to get into yachting. It provided me with such amazing memories and experiences in my life and I really want to help other people have those, too. I’ve also got my podcast Dear Diary, You’re Effed! with Justin Hill. And then I’m hoping to start something over here in Australia. I really want to stay in entertainment as I really enjoyed it.
For more, grab a copy of WHO’s latest issue, on sale now!
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