It’s a toxic atmosphere within the Below Deck Mediterranean interior team. Tumi Mhlongo is unable to control her emotions towards third stew Natalya Scudder. Sandy Yawn had to call her out on it as captain of the yacht. Meanwhile, Natalya is gossiping about her boss to anyone who is still willing to listen.
One could argue that second stew Kyle Viljoen’s interference between the two ladies made matters worse. He set the stage by complaining Natalya to her future boss when the two were waiting for their visas. The South African native then told Natalya about the text Tumi sent him telling Natalya to “stay in her lane.”
Natalya’s fury was ignited, and nothing Tumi did after that would amount to anything positive. Even after the two crew mates talked it out professionally, Natalya still refused to be friends. Now the question is, could the two have done anything differently and what was Kyle’s role?
Kyle felt that the info he gave “turned back on me”
Kyle addressed the issue on a recent episode of Watch What Happens Live. Host Andy Cohen posed a fan question to Kyle. He said, “Why did you tell Natayla what Tumi said about her? And what did you think of Natalya twisting what Tumi said you texted?”
“Thank you for clarifying. That’s what I was actually trying to say,” Kyle responded. “You know, I went onto the season with a really great friendship with Natalya. So me and Tumi are drinking at the bar, waiting for the visas. Long story short, I informed her about her experience. The information, when I went to Natalya, was to say, ‘I know you were upset. I know you were angry. But don’t pursue this continuously because it’s a chance you could go off the boat.'”
That information paints a different picture. Perhaps some slick editing made it seem more of gossip session than advice.
He continued, “That is my direct words. So I was protecting my friend by saying, ‘I hear you. I validate you.’ And then that information turned back on me. So now, I just watch people go in flames.”
Andy clarified, “So you don’t think you misrepresented it?”
“Absolutley not. I felt like I was representing both sides. I came to you in confidence and you took that information and you turned it against me. So now we are in the position that we are, and I’m learning lessons throughout the season,” Kyle doubled-down.
In this scenario, Kyle is the victim who only had good intentions. As for the truth, perhaps that is up to the viewers to decide.
Catch Below Deck Mediterranean on Mondays at 9/8c on Bravo.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF KYLE’S EXPLANATION? IS THAT HOW YOU PERCEIVED THE CONVERSATION IN THE EPISODE? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF KYLE’S INVOVLEMENT IN TUMI AND NATALYA’S BEEF?
