NBCUniversal Tumi Mhlongo
The 8th season of “Below Deck Mediterranean” is a few episodes in now and the interior team is responsible for most of the drama so far. After Tumi Mhlongo joined the boat as chief stew following the first charter with Natalya Scudder as the temporary chief stew, neither has seen eye-to-eye.
After the third “Below Deck Med” season 8 episode, second stew Kyle Viljoen made it clear that he was a fan of Mhlongo as chief stew. “I am so incredibly happy that Tumi is chief,” he wrote in an Instagram Story, as saved on Reddit. “She says her say and never lets it linger on longer than it should.”
Viljoen added, “I am also so overjoyed to be working alongside her and as she stated there’s very rarely people of color seen on yachts or in certain positions. I can attest to that in my 6 years experience.” While he was complimentary of her on his Story, Viljoen pointed out that he thought Natasha Webb, his chief stew from “Below Deck Med” season 7, was a better communicator.
During Viljoen’s October 16 “Watch What Happens Live” appearance, host Andy Cohen asked him to pick between the two and he chose Webb without hesitation.
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Tumi Mhlongo Previously Admitted That She Regretted Trusting Kyle Viljoen
Mhlongo has also addressed some of her issues with Scudder during her time as chief stew as well as her relationship with Viljoen. In one tweet, she pointed out, “I keep seeing Kyle ‘sabotaged’ I just want it to be known natalya + him were were on good terms, hence she wanted to room with him!! Did he mention a lil about his season with her absolutely, but not enough to formulate an opinion about her !!”
In another now-deleted tweet saved on Reddit, Mhlongo wrote, “One thing I regret is trusting Kyle!! Point blank period. I will own that.”
Natalya Scudder & Tumi Mhlongo Clashed on Multiple Occasions Since Beginning the Season Together
Things between Scudder and Mhlongo came to a head during the 4th episode of “Below Deck Mediterranean,” when they raised their voices in another argument. This one was about cleaning the guest cabins as Mhlongo pointed out that Scudder hadn’t cleaned them to her standards.
As Scudder yelled at Mhlongo to not wave her hands at her, Captain Sandy Yawn intervened and told both to go to the bridge. She told them both that they needed to communicate and sort out their issues or they’d be off the boat. During the episode, Mhlongo acknowledged in a confessional interview that her text to Viljoen venting about Scudder was unprofessional, and she later shared that she needed to “take the L for peace.”
Meanwhile, Viljoen acknowledged that he likely made the situation worse between the two by telling Scudder about Mhlongo’s text. On a few occasions, he supported a frustrated Mhlongo after a discussion with Scudder. The episode ended with an argument between the two women in the laundry room as Scudder told Mhlongo that she was happy working with her but they would never be friends.
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