Natalya Scudder has made a temporary comeback to Below Deck Mediterranean after leaving the show only a few weeks earlier.
After a few tense interactions with co-star Kyle Viljoen and head stewardess Tumi Mhlongo, she chose to pack her belongings and leave the boat in an episode that aired earlier this month, advising Captain Sandy Yawn that she needed to prioritise her “mental health.”
The 26-year-old, however, made a surprising return in the series eight midseason teaser, joining the ensemble on a crazy night out.
The stew was spotted crashing the event in a split second, leaving some of her former colleagues delighted – and others less so.
‘Surprise! I thought I’d come say hi,’ Natalya rejoiced as she seemed to rekindle her romance with deckhand Luka Brunton, leaving fellow yachtie Jessika Asai unimpressed.
More boatmances seemed to come crumbling down as Jess shifted her attention to Max Salvador, despite his bond with new stew Lily Davison.
We honestly can’t keep up.
Aside from love triangles popping up all over the superyacht, the teaser showed Tumi struggling with her team after Natalya’s exit, admitting that the interior crew is ‘hanging on a thread’.
‘She is dead weight,’ she said of newcomer Lily’s skills. ‘I’ve given her more than enough and she’s not getting it.’
Kyle was forced to keep him in line as he took aim at an unknown member of the cast, stating that they would be the one to “separate the interior team.”
Sitting him down for a chat, Tumi fumed: ‘You’re overstepping boundaries…’
How will Kyle take the stern comments?
As Monday’s episode followed up on the cliffhanger, Captain Sandy called him out for his behaviour on board – after Natalya indicated that he was partially to blame for her early departure.
‘I promise you I will put you on the dock so fast if you don’t change,’ she warned. ‘Your bullying, your screaming, your lack of respect in the workplace for people, I won’t tolerate it, Kyle.
‘If I have one crew member come to me about you, you’re off.’
Kyle was raging over the reprimand, and threatened to ‘resign’, telling Tumi: ‘I’ve never seen her so angry for Natalya’s departure and she asks me who’s the common denominator.
‘I will take that I had my arguments, but being called common denominator, you can understand that would upset you too.’
Below Deck Mediterranean airs on Bravo at 9pm on Mondays, and is available to stream on the same day.
