Below Deck Med alum Natalya Scudder has opened up about her second season on the hit yachting show.
Natalya didn’t hold back expressing her feelings about working with Tumi Mhlongo.
It turns out Natalya clashes even more with Tumi than she did with Season 7 chief stew Natasha Webb.
The Below Deck Med Season 8 trailer highlighted the turbulent relationship between Natalya and Tumi.
In the premiere, Tumi was MIA due to visa issues, with Natalya stepping up as interim chief stew.
Natalya has shed more light on that situation and opens up about why she butted heads more with Tumi than Natasha on the show.
Below Deck Med star Natalya Scudder talks ‘more drama’ with Tumi Mhlongo than Natasha Webb
In an interview with Showbiz Cheatsheet, Natalya wasted no time getting real about her situation with Tumi. Natalya’s tears in the first look footage are from Tumi, despite the trailer making it look like Kyle Viljoen made her cry.
“Can’t give away too much, but yeah, [we] definitely have a lot of moments and there is a lot of times during the seasons we have ups and downs,” she said. “But it’s definitely some of the most drama I’ve ever had, more than what I had with Tash.”
Having watched her on Below Deck Down Under Season 1, Natalya was excited to work with Tumi. Unfortunately, her positive thoughts for a better working relationship with Tumi than with Natasha went south quickly.
For those wondering, Natalya clashing with Tumi has nothing to do with Natalya moving to second stew once Tumi arrives on the yacht.
Natalya was fine stepping down to enjoy more time with the guests. However, their different managing styles certainly added to their tense relationship.
Tumi and Kyle aren’t the only ones that Natalya faces off with this season, either.
Natalya Scudder teases Below Deck Med Season 8 crew drama
There’s no question that Natalya’s in for a challenging season. It seems the various personalities on the crew prove to be not so easy for Natalya to manage.
“I clash heads with a solid two or three people this season,” she told Showbiz Cheatsheet.
Natalya also spilled that she will not be disrespected, something Tumi and others do on Season 8 of Below Deck Med.
“I’m very welcoming and I love positive energy. But when someone disrespects me or when someone upsets me, I’m definitely not one to sit back and just be like, ‘Yeah, that’s fine. They treat me like that,” Natalya shared. “I respect anyone until they give me a reason not to and I can’t bite my tongue.”
The stew added there was a lot of lack of respect amid the crew, at least when it came to her.
Oh yes, Below Deck Med fans have plenty to look forward to regarding the crew drama this season, especially where Natalya Scudder is concerned.
As Monsters and Critics previously reported, Season 8 made history with the premiere thanks to bosun Ruan Irving and his forged documents.
Ruan came out to address the situation and tease that his drama with the crew may not be over either.
Below Deck Med airs Mondays at 9/8c on Bravo. Seasons 1-7 are streaming on Peacock.