"Troublemaker and bully": Below Deck Mediterranean fans upset with Kyle's season 8 return announcement

Below Deck Mediterranean season 8 saw the crew set sail in the pristine waters of the Italian Riviera. In its premiere episode on September 25, 2023, the installment saw an early firing and delayed arrivals of two members, leaving the large vessel grossly understaffed for its first charter.

Returning as shiprunner is Captain Sandy Yawn, with some familiar faces and some new entrants. Ending the season with the same eleven members that started off seems highly unlikely.

While the episode didn't have much drama and everybody pulled their weight, delivering a five-star experience, three members down, the fans were irked by the announcement of Kyle Viljeon's return. Kyle had also appeared on season 7 of the show but was let go, just three episodes in, owing to an ankle injury he suffered that hindered his performance.

His return to the upcoming installment caused an uproar among the fans, who thought he was lazy and rude earlier, with some already wanting him fired. X (formerly Twitter) user @MicheleB wrote:

"Hate that Kyle is coming back. He is a troublemaker and a bully. When he gets with Natalya it's really bad. #BelowDeckMed."

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Below Deck Mediterranean fans want Kyle Viljeon gone

Kyle Viljeon first appeared on season 7 of Below Deck Mediterranean, and fans didn't seem to grow a liking for him, which they expressed yet again on the internet after hearing the announcement of his return in season 8. The first episode of the latest installment showed Captain Sandy discussing this with Kyle's former nemisis, temp Chief Stew, Natalya.

Kyle didn't make it in time for the first charter due to some holdups but will most definitely be returning. How long he'll stay this time remains unclear. His scenes from the Below Deck Mediterranean season 8 preview confirm one thing—he's bringing the drama back. He's seen getting into several altercations, particularly with Natalya, where she's pushed to the point of calling him a "horrible human."

In the previous season, Kyle had fallen down a flight of stairs but managed to get out without any broken bones, suffering a minor sprain instead. On an extremely demanding charter, he didn't consider offering any help to his interior team and instead slept in his room.

While fans understood the pain, they were ticked off that he didn't help with laundry where he could be seated and do the job. In the same episode, Natalya told the cameras that this incident had resulted in her having to overwork, with her shift lasting for more than 20 hours. The Below Deck Mediterranean stew had also gotten intimate with a charter guest, which is strictly forbidden.

Kyle was romantically involved with Chief Stew Natasha Webb at the time, and together, they were seen calling Natalya names like "backstabber," "snitch," and more. This was another nail in the coffin for Kyle's reputation among the viewers.

Thus, fans took to the internet when he returned for the finale of season 7 and are doing it again, following the annoucement of Below Deck Mediterranean season 8. Viewers are absolutely appalled and unable to understand why he would be rehired.

In an exclusive interview with ET Online on September 25, Natalya admitted that Kyle and she had chatted after the previous season and seemingly sorted things out. However, she also alluded to the trailer and confessed that she would "absolutely not" be co-workers with him again. While she doesn't want fans to pick a team, it seems like they already have.

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Below Deck Mediterranean season 8 will release its second episode on October 2, at 9 pm ET on Bravo.