"I couldn't eat" — Below Deck star Solène recalls a breakup that landed her in the emergency room

Below Deck season 12 released episode 5 on June 30, 2025. Titled Rainbeau Kisses, Friendship Whales, the segment showed Stew Solène Favreau going on a date with Deckhand Kyle Stillie. During their time together, Solène opened up about her dating history, recalling the time when a heartbreak landed her in the emergency room.

Solène, who had her first "love experience" at 22, struggled to process the breakup. The situation was so extreme that her parents had to intervene to tackle the aftermath.

"My dad take me to the emergency [room]. I was so sad that I stopped to eat. I couldn't. I couldn't eat. I would rather prefer that someone break my finger than my heart," she told the Below Deck cameras.

Solène added that the experience taught her to be "selfish." Consequently, she recovered and learned how to live for herself, rather than prioritizing someone else.

While the Below Deck Stew did not elaborate on the second time she fell in love, she has been linked to alum Dylan Pierre De Villiers, who appeared in season 11 of the series. Solène had addressed their romance earlier in the season.

---

Below Deck star Fraser thinks Solène and Kyle are not compatible

In one of the segments of the Below Deck episode, Solène confided in Chief Stew Fraser that she kissed Kyle the other night and felt an instant connection. She implied that she was interested in exploring that spark, leading Fraser to tease her about her new romance.

As night fell, Solène went on a date with Kyle, during which she asked him if he had ever fallen in love.

"Yeah, I've been in love a couple of times, yeah," he said.

Solène recalled her own experiences, saying she had fallen in love "two times," too. She deemed those experiences "the best and the worst." She shared that her first "love experience" was at 22. While speaking to the Below Deck cameras, Solène mentioned her first partner left her "four times in two years."

Solène noted that although she kept getting rejected, she could not help but "fall in love deeper and deeper."

"So, all the time, worse and worse and worse," she added.

The Steward then recalled her first heartbreak that landed her in the emergency room, saying it taught her to prioritize her own happiness. Solène explained that she would be "alone" in her coffin, so it was better to live for herself.

She then asked Kyle why he liked her. The Deckhand responded that he was fond of her energy and thought she was "attractive as hell."

"You just smile every day. You're just happy," he added.

Their date, however, was interrupted by a heavy downpour. The pair clicked a few pictures and left for the yacht. Solène and Kyle ended their night sleeping together in the guest cabin.

The following morning, Solène spoke to Fraser about her date with Kyle. While she gushed, reminiscing about the previous night, Fraser felt otherwise.

"Do I think they're compatible? Absolutely not. But it's a boatmance, and I'm all for it. But I'm going to get Solène on cleaning that cabin, because I am for sure ain't touching s**t," he said to the Below Deck cameras.

In the preview of the next episode, Solène hinted at "not feeling it anymore" with Kyle. In the meantime, another glimpse showed her kissing co-star and Stew, Jess, while Kyle screamed, "Hey!" in the background.

Earlier in June, Kyle was alleged to have had an intimate relationship with one of the charter guests. In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, published on June 3, 2025, Captain Kerry delved into the matter, saying that "an investigation" was done after the rumors started to surface.

"It will be interesting to see what happens after I interviewed each of the crew members — including what was actually said behind [my back]," he said.

Below Deck fans will have to follow the series to see how Kyle's alleged encounter with a guest impacts his time on the yacht.

---

Below Deck episodes can be streamed on Peacock.

Edited by Raina Saha