Captain Lee Rosbach, who has helmed Bravo’s Below Deck since its debut in 2013, has been forced to leave the yachting series early.

In Monday’s episode of the reality TV series (12 December), Rosbach revealed that he could not overcome persistent health issues and decided to leave season 10 prematurely.

The 73-year-old said: “I owe it to my crew to do right by them.”

Rosbach, nicknamed “the stud of the sea”, announced his exit on Monday’s episode, informing his crew that ongoing health issues have forced him to exit the show.

At the beginning of the charter season, the captain admitted that he was struggling with nerve issues when he boarded a yacht, named St David, but he hoped his symptoms would subside.

In an interview later in the series, he shared: “My injury, it’s getting worse. The left side of my body, I don’t feel anything.”

He revealed that he expected “a lot more progress” in recovery from his injury, which was “frustrating” him.

Later, he told chef Rachel Hargrove: “This has probably been one of the most humbling experiences of my life.”

As Monday’s episode went on, Rosbach realised that his health concerns might have had an impact on the whole boat.

“The pain’s getting worse, not better,” he said. “I owe it to my crew to do right by them. They expect that out of me.”

He continued: “There comes a point if a captain is really being objective, he should be putting the best…