Below Deck Mediterranean – How Kyle Viljoen Caused Tumi & Natalya’s Feud (Will It Continue Throughout The Season?)
Summary
- Tumi and Kyle’s feud with Natalya on Below Deck Med season 8 may have been sparked by preconceived notions and Kyle warning Tumi about Natalya’s behavior.
- Tumi’s icy attitude towards Natalya upon arrival and calling the boat a “sh**t show” may have been influenced by Kyle’s opinion of her, as suggested by Natalya.
- Tumi and Natalya’s working relationship may suffer throughout the season due to their conflicting views and lack of respect, as indicated by their social media interactions and the trailer for Below Deck Med season 8.
Kyle Viljoen has clearly spear-headed Tumi Mhlongo and Natalya Scudder’s feud on Below Deck Mediterranean season 8, but why? At the start of the season, Tumi and Kyle were unable to make it to the yacht on time, and Natalya was named the temporary chief stew. Tumi and Kyle were stuck in customs due to visa issues and missed a full charter, and Natalya had to run the interior on her own with two stews. When Tumi finally arrived following the end of the first charter, she and Natalya were already off on the wrong foot.
During Below Deck Med season 7, Kyle and Natalya had a very up-and-down relationship. There were times when they were best friends and other times when they couldn’t stand each other. Natalya often undermined her former chief stew, Natasha Wedd, and clearly, Kyle took note of this. Natalya wanted to have a better season than last year, but it seems some preconceived notions may have ruined that for her.
Kyle Warned Tumi About Natalya Before Arriving On Below Deck Med
During Below Deck Med season 8, episode 2, Tumi finally arrived in Italy on board the yacht Mustique after being stuck in customs for days. When she got there, Natalya immediately gave her a tour of the boat and a rundown of how the interior was going. However, Tumi was icy towards Natalya from the start.
Viewers discovered early on in Tumi’s arrival that she was told by Kyle that he and Natalya have had their issues, but she didn’t disclose the specifics. Tumi didn’t want to disrespect Natalya but also wanted to let her know that she was in charge. However, Tumi may have taken things too far when she called the boat a “sh**t show” not too long after stepping on board. Natalya believes Kyle poisoned Tumi’s opinion of her before they even met.
Will Tumi & Natalya Mend Fences Before The End Of The Season?
It seems Tumi’s preconceived notions about Natalya may hurt their working relationship for the rest of the season. Tumi is clearly trying to demand respect from Natalyam who was always undermining her last chief stew for her lack of a work ethic, and doesn’t want a repeat of last season. Judging by the trailer for Below Deck Med season 8, it doesn’t seem like Natalya and Tumi, or Natalya and Kyle, were able to mend fences. Plus, neither Tumi nor Natalya following each other on Instagram, a clear sign of an ongoing feud.
Below Deck Mediterranean airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo
Sources: Tumi Mhlongo/Instagram, Natalya Scudder/Instagram
