Below Deck Mediterranean's Tumi Mhlongo Recounts Her Surprising Reactions While Rewatching Season 8
Below Deck Med's Tumi Mhlongo reflects on the intense drama that unfolded during season 8 of Bravo's hit show The chief stew shares her candid reactions to the captivating moments that had viewers hooked
Tumi Mhlongo Fred Jagueneau/Bravo
Tumi Mhlongo, the central figure of Below Deck Mediterranean season 8, finds it fascinating to watch the show and discover things she didn't see or hear before. After viewing the latest episode of the popular Bravo series on Monday, October 30, the chief stew expressed her surprise and exclaimed, "'Hold on, that happened?!'"
After Natalya Scudder filled in as chief stew on the Mustique due to Tumi's immigration issues, Tumi resumed her position. Kyle Viljoen also joined as the second stew later on in the season.
Upon taking charge, Tumi found herself in conflict with Natalya. She promptly cautioned Kyle that she was not hesitant to assert her authority.
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"I wanted to give you a heads up between us. I know you're friends with her, but Nat needs to stick to her own responsibilities because if Tumi loses her temper, it could lead to her storming off due to a diva moment," Tumi messaged during the October 9 episode. To which Kyle responded, "I'm sorry to hear this - I did warn you that she can be troublesome for all of us."
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Natalya received another text message from Kyle, cautioning her about the possible jeopardy of her job. In return, Natalya informed Captain Sandy that Tumi had supposedly made threats to dismiss her during a conversation with Kyle— an assertion that was denied by Tumi, a former cast member of Below Deck Down Under.
Kyle expressed his repentance for becoming involved in the dispute later on.
I enjoy hearing some juicy gossip, but I now realize that by getting involved, I only made the situation worse. I made the mistake of discussing with Tumi how things went between Natalya and me during season 7. Tumi responded by saying, "I know you're friends with her, but she needs to stay in her own lane. Tumi getting upset might lead to her storming off due to a diva moment," he shared with the cameras. I have a knack for gathering information, but my flaw is that I struggle to keep it to myself. This is not a good trait, believe me, I understand.
Thankfully, with Sandy's guidance, Tumi and Natalya were eventually able to come to an understanding.
“In the workplace, mutual respect is essential. Engaging in such behavior is not acceptable and should not occur. In such instances, it is my responsibility to deescalate the situation, after which it is important for you to step back and allow the leader to handle it,” the captain explained. "By establishing boundaries independently, they are more likely to cultivate respect for one another. However, if I witness Natalya yelling at Tumi once again and Tumi is unable to mitigate the conflict, then I must intervene and make a decision."
Though Tumi and Natalya may have moved forward from the controversy, Kyle felt compelled to express his thoughts on their reconciliation.
"I do enjoy a nice cup of tea and I appreciate the fact that Natalya and Tumi resolved their issues regarding the text message. However, I must admit that I am rather displeased with Natalya. By involving Sandy and talking about me in that way... My intention in sharing Tumi's message with Natalya was purely an act of friendship. It was never meant for Natalya to use me as a weapon against others."
Kyle firmly stated, "This boat can only accommodate one gossip at the moment, and that title belongs to me. I am the self-proclaimed tea queen."
Below Deck Mediterranean airs on Bravo Mondays at 9 p.m. ET.
