Tumi Mhlongo has traded in Below Deck Down Under for Below Deck Med and a promotion.
The trailer for Below Deck Med Season 8 revealed that Tumi will be Captain Sandy Yawn’s newest chief stew.
Tumi killed it on Season 1 of Below Deck Down Under working for Aesha Scott as a second stew.
However, that doesn’t mean stepping into a new gig on a different reality TV show wasn’t difficult for Tumi.
That’s why Tumi has shared a message to fans as well as a thank you for the kind responses since her Below Deck Med stint was revealed.
Taking to Instagram, Tumi shared a picture and a TikTok video to express her happiness.
Below Deck Down Under alum Tumi Mhlongo has a message for fans
In the caption of the IG post, Tumi kicked things off with a huge thank you to fans for all the love and support since the Below Deck Med trailer dropped.
“It can be very difficult working in an industry where their isn’t a lot of people like me and I would be lieing If I said I haven’t doubted myself a couple times,” she said. “But I always focused on working hard, growing, learning and removing myself from the politics and the BS!”
Tumi ended her message with a note to stay kind but also reminded her followers to stand up for themselves. Then she did a quick tease of the upcoming season of the yachting show.
“CHEERS to a New Seasonš„Get your popcorn ready, it’s going to be a WILD seasonšI LOVE YOU ALLš¤š¤,” Tumi expressed.
Captain Sandy Yawn popped up in the comments section of Tumi’s post to give her mad props. The captain also shared how lucky she felt to have gotten to work with Tumi.
It seems the feeling was mutual because Tumi responded with the same sentiment about working with Captain Sandy.
Below Deck stars react to Tumi Mhlongo taking over the chief stew role
After the trailer dropped, Tumi shared an Instagram Post announcing her new show and her new job.
The comments section was filled with familiar faces from the Below Deck family showing their happiness for Tumi.
Aesha was one of the first to respond to share her excitement for her friend. Below Deck alum Heather Chase also entered the chat to gush over Tumi, as did Below Deck Med Season 8 stew Jessika Asai.
Tumi’s former Below Deck Down Under costar Magda Ziomek is ready to watch Tumi in her new gig. Below Deck alum Ashling Lorger called Tumi an “ABSOLUTE QUEEN.” Below Deck Med alum Anastasia Surmava referred to Tumi as a”GORGEOUS WOMAN.”
Joao Franco, Gabriela Barragan, and Hayley De Sola Pinto all chimed in with emojis to reply to Tumi’s IG post.
The wait’s almost over for Below Deck Med Season 8. As Monsters and Critics previously reported, Captain Sandy has a crew filled with new and familiar faces like never before.
Below Deck Med Season 8 premieres on Monday, September 25 at 9/8c on Bravo.