Kyle Viljoen‘s time on Below Deck Mediterranean got more complicated after a fight with Jessika Asai — and that’s just the beginning.
During a new episode of the hit Bravo series, which aired on Monday, November 6, Kyle tried to get Jessika to spend more time on service instead of laundry.
“I know you have second stew experience. Are you confident on service? I am, like, no energy. I have a lot of exhaustion,” he told his fellow stew. “I just think it is fair that you also get to do service too.”
Kyle, who is currently the second stew, brought up the idea of Jessika taking on more responsibility to their boss, Tumi Mhlongo.
“I hate an all-girl [charter guest] group because they do cute, weird s—t that no one likes. I am not mentally and emotionally equipped to be on service. I am going to do housekeeping and I’ll take over for Jess,” he said during a conversation with Tumi.
The chief stew, however, wasn’t on board with the idea, telling the cameras, “Kyle has more experience in service, and depending on how crazy these guests are and what their demands are, I need Kyle’s energy this charter. He can try to run all he wants. He’s not going anywhere.”
Later in the episode, the drama picked up when Kyle said during a group meeting that it was “up to Tumi” whether Jessika could lead service. Tumi laughed at Kyle’s attempt to swap tasks, which Jessika mistook as shade at her skills as a stew.
“Kyle is so shady. He’s trying to put me on the spot in front of Jess so he can get out of service and it’s annoying,” Tumi said in a confessional. “Less than two hours ago we literally had a conversation about him being on service this charter. So cute but try again next week.”
Jessika directly asked Tumi whether her hard work wasn’t being called into question. The duo figured out the misunderstanding but when Tumi mentioned Jessika’s comments to Kyle he was less than thrilled to be caught in the middle.
“So she’s trying to turn the tables here? I have done everything for this girl, and she just wiped the floor with me. To Tumi, my chief stew. How dare you?” Kyle told the cameras. “I’m not friends with anybody. I don’t trust a single f—king soul on this boat.”
The episode ended with Kyle and Jessika going at each other.
“You know what sucks? I was there for you. The fact that you said I made you feel like a green stew? That f—king sucks dude. I was the only one promoting you to be in service,” he noted to Jessika. “What do you mean why is this triggering me? Why would you go to Tumi behind my back and tell her [that]?”
Kyle got emotional remembering how he “had faith” in Jessika. Meanwhile, Tumi found herself at odds with Natalya Scudder after telling Kyle she wouldn’t mind the third stew going home amid issues with her boyfriend.
“Natalya, I would never want someone who is struggling at home to stay on the boat. Ever,” Tumi told Natalya about her comments. “A refresh button does not mean I need to be friends with you. We’re working colleagues.”
She added: “Her feelings are completely valid. It is her tone that f—king aggravates me.”
Natalya, for her part, questioned why Tumi was still privately talking about her. “I’ve done my job, and we’ve been getting along. But apparently, there’s little comments being said that are throwing a little bit of shade,” she fired back. “You’re not a really good leader.”
In a preview for next week’s episode, Jessika and Kyle are both seen crying at different points in the charter. “Everyone is at their breaking point. It could get worse from here,” Tumi tells the cameras before an argument between Kyle and Natalya plays out on screen.
While it is unclear what causes the commotion, Natalya is surprised by how Kyle is speaking to her.
“I’m one of your friends, don’t talk to me like that,” she says after Kyle shades her “f—ked up” life. “Kyle, I’ve never been spoken to like that in my life, and I can’t believe you’re saying this.”
Kyle remains unbothered by his reaction and even smiles as Natalya walks off, adding, “I don’t care. You have been a fake ass bitch talking s—t behind my back since day 1. Get away from me.”
Below Deck Mediterranean airs on Bravo Mondays at 9 p.m. ET.
