‘Below Deck Mediterranean’: Conrad Empson Gives An Update on His Relationship with Hannah: “It’s Pretty Easy At The Moment”

This season of Below Deck Mediterranean sure is heating up, and much of that has to do with the super charming relationship between Hannah Ferrier and Conrad Empson. When the 24-year-old “Babyface Boson” and U.K. native stopped by the Decider offices, suffice to say we had a lot of questions for him.

Conrad had no problem opening up about his relationship with the Chief Stew, why it’s hard for him to watch the “kissing smoochy bits” of the show, and what it’s really like having those cameras in your bunk. Plus, he reveals what he ended up learning from troublemaker Joao, and why he’s currently unsure of his future in yachting.

Let’s talk about the show’s shoutout from Jimmy Fallon because I was very excited he watches too.

I got a notification in the morning, and someone wrote on one of my photos that he had mentioned me and I was like, [mimics typing] “Jimmy Fallon, who is Jimmy Fallon?” I knew the name, it’s quite a household name, and then I went online and saw the video and I was like, Oh my god, I got referred to as a child. I didn’t even get called my name, I’m a child. It was funny.

Were you expecting when you showed up on the yacht that people were going to judge you for how old you are? 

It generally comes across anyway, like that normally happens, but not quite to the extent that I got there. I think it’s all about confidence. You have to go on and just own it immediately.

Was there anything you did end up learning from Joao?

Oh yeah, like a hell of a lot. Just management-wise. How to deal with someone like that, really. It was really good. It was a good experience all in all, and I learned a lot.

Did you get to go on the inflatable slide yourself?

Yeah, I went on the slide, of course I did! I had never been on one before and I was like, “I’m going on it!” We try everything. When the guests aren’t using the toys and we are not on charter, we are allowed to use the toys. We do wakeboarding and flyboarding and whatever. We’ve got to have a bit of fun at the same time.

What is your favorite work assignment on the boat? 

Driving the tender, I love driving the tender. And the jet skies are quite fun.

When you watch that scene with the tender do you think you messed up or that you had your reasons at the time?

It didn’t show the whole thing, it was quite a difficult one. The tender thing happened and it was the first time I’d ever heard of getting a tender off the port. When you’re in other boats, when you’ve been in port and bad weather comes in, the last thing you do is take the tender off. You do not do that. Sandy thinks differently. Every captain’s got a different policy on things. There was nowhere to keep the tender. But yes, Captain’s orders are Captain’s orders.

How long do you think it took you to adjust to Sandy’s style?

You always go on the boat with a fresh plate. You know your stuff, but you don’t know how the captain works, so you build it from the moment you get on board and you’re still learning until the moment you step off. I was definitely still learning.

What was going on when Sandy called you a little bit “scattered”?

She made a deal out of it, that it was because of Hannah, but it’s not. I do 18-19 hour days on that boat, and you can actually see when I go to bed it’s like 1 am. And I only go on a break when there is nothing going on. I will only disappear when there is nothing else on and I was just tired. I was going to bed at like 2am and getting up at 8am. So I’m gonna be scattered.

Let’s talk about Hannah, obviously. If you were to make a Facebook status today, what would be your status with her as of now?

I’d just do a friend request.

Have you guys stayed in touch?

Yes we have. We talk fairly often, like once every couple of weeks. We talk about everything that’s going on. We are friends! It’s pretty easy at the moment.

One of the things I really like is that you keep saying on the show that there is this sweet side of her. Do you think it’s something she only showed to you or that you were the only one paying attention to it?

Hannah gives off this persona on the show and on the boat of that she is this hard-faced person and when she was talking to me it would be completely different, it would be the whole sweet person.

Did anyone else see it?

No, definitely not. We just connected on a different level that was fun and bubbly.

It seemed as though things moved a little quickly between you two, and I know charters can be intense, but was there any “pre-flirting” that we didn’t get to see? Or was scrubbing those carpets late at night your way of flirting with her?

No, and I will be completely honest with this, that was not a first date. Sandy said that it was a first date but it wasn’t. I would much rather sleep on charter than be up flirting at four o’clock in the morning. Yeah, there was lots of flirting up until that point. As soon as we got on the boat there was a little bit of flirting and banter going on. But there always is on boats. It’s such an intense environment that everything happens so quickly.

Did you know about the other flirting going on?

I had no idea the extent of it. At [that] point. I knew there was a little bit going on but I didn’t know how much Joao was hopping between them all. We kind of knew about it, but how blatantly obvious it was, no.

Would you have had to say anything to him as his manager, the way Sandy would to you and Hannah? 

I think that’s more of a friend thing. And whereas I was his boss, I was trying to keep it very separate. I didn’t really connect with him at all on a personal level.

Also you were lucky that it was just you and Hannah instead of being in a love triangle which happens a lot on this show and I love it. 

There is always something going on. But yeah, I was just very plain and simple with Hannah. I want to say it’s less complicated but it isn’t. And won’t be.

Have you been watching the show and what have you thought about it?

Yes! I struggle to watch it. I hate the sound of my own voice, I cringe. I literally hide behind a pillow while I watch it. The whole kissing smoochy bits are.. oh god.

Did you over get over the PDA stuff?

No, I’m still exactly the same. I hate it, and having to watch it is even worse. Especially when I get drunk. We were smooching on the back of the bus and I didn’t even remember it, which was the worst.

In tonight’s episode, Hannah says yacht relationships usually end the same way as the Titanic. Was that something you knew going into this or were you surprised by that? 

No, it either works fantastically or it doesn’t really work. It is such an intense environment and it takes a lot to get through it. You have to get on very, very well. But yeah, it does sink very quickly or go spectacularly well.

We haven’t seen enough of Colin so far but he seems fun when we do — what was he like to work with?

He was great! He was always the funny comments coming out. He was hysterical to listen to. And he got on with his work. He has a brilliant work etiquette. He was a lovely guy to work with. I don’t think we see enough of him…I think some stuff is going to happen with it.

How about Jamie too, because we’re just starting to see her humor come through? 

Jamie was hysterical. I remember the first day when the first comment she comes out with, it was so obscene but so funny. You haven’t seen everything of her yet.

What do you do if you don’t get along with someone? 

Oh, it’s the worst. You’re on a 50-meter, there is no way of ever getting around that. You always are going to see each other, you’re always going to speak to each other. Especially because you have to go to bed in an argument and then you wake up and you have to have breakfast with that person you were arguing with, and you’re sat down right next to them. It’s horrible.

My favorite scene so far this season is from the last episode of you, Hannah, and Brooke recapping the drunken events of the night before, because we have all had those mornings.

It was so nice. When we were in the bunk then, we were just having a laugh and it was a pure, comedy gold moment that everyone has, that everyone can relate to. And that was the first night I really got drunk.

The cameras in the bunks, are you allowed to turn those off?

No. No, because if we accidentally cover one, say with a curtain rail or anything like that, within 30 seconds, you’ve got someone coming in. And if your mic stops working: blam. Someone comes straight in. When you’re asleep and you move and the camera slightly moves to follow you, it’s just a little bit odd.

And that changes dynamics of relationships too.

It does. Especially when you’re lying in bed with someone and you’re like, that camera’s there watching us.

When there are difficult guests on the yacht, how much does that affect your job? Are you just hearing about it from the girls or are you seeing it too? 

It’s bizarre because the girls see a different light to them. They get the full brunt of it whereas we have the fun with them. I think that’s a good way of putting it. So I didn’t actually see it that much. I got on well with most of the guests, apart from maybe the first ones.

Have you worked on any other yachts since this one?

No. I spent some time at home after it all ended. For four years, I’d spent a month each year at home. I’d missed so many birthdays and Christmases and everything like that. I just wanted to go home and spend some time and have a normal life for a little bit. I don’t know what my plan is, whether I will go back to yachting or not. I don’t know whether I will. Because they refer to yachting as the golden handcuffs. You get paid very well, and it’s a lifestyle you can get used to, but there’s no progression into another life.

Was it weird when you went back and you couldn’t really talk about much? 

Yeah. I say that but it’s still kind of odd now, In the U.K., it’s not as big as it is here in America. It will air on normal TV later, but at the minute you have to pay for it.

Have you noticed the difference in people from the States being really excited about it? 

Yeah, the only thing I get is social media. That’s the only side I see of Below Deck airing. Otherwise, I just live a normal life. Completely normal. It’s nice though, coming over here and seeing it and experiencing it.

Would you do a TV show again?

100%. I thoroughly enjoy it, I really enjoy the experience of it, everything to do with it. So yeah. Fire anything at me.

Has your family watched it?

Yes! My parents tune in every week. They love it, they think it’s really, really good. Everyone sits down on a Tuesday night and they watch it.

Do they have questions about Hannah for you too?

Yeah, and I sit there with a pillow in front of me like, oh my god don’t watch this.

Is there anything that you can tease that’s still ahead that you’re excited for people to see?

Keep an eye on the Hannah situation, it’s going to be quite an interesting one, and same with Joao as well.

Are you excited to do Watch What Happens Live tonight?

I’m super excited. I had joked about [going on the show], but never thought that I would, and then I get the email to go on and it was a complete shock. This whole thing is a new world to me, it’s different.

Below Deck Mediterranean airs Tuesday at 9pm ET/PT on Bravo. 

Where to watch Below Deck Mediterranean