The tension is palpable between bosun Nathan Gallagher and deckhand Joe Bradley on Below Deck Mediterranean Season 11, and in a new preview for Episode 3 (airing Monday, June 22 at 8/7c), Nathan’s girlfriend, Gael Cameron, is reconsidering if Nathan returning for another charter season is the best move.
How to Watch
“I don’t want Nathan to have to go through a season with this back and forth because of our bad blood,” Gael confesses of her own past issues with Joe. “It makes me nervous knowing that he’s going to be on a boat with him for six weeks. I’m just questioning if being here’s the right decision.”
She continues, “Nathan is now the father of my child, and I want to protect my family.”
Fans may recall that Gael and her baby son moved into a rental in Croatia near the yacht marina, to be closer to Nathan during the charter season. When Nathan returns home early from the first crew night out in the above preview, Gael, sensing something is off, presses him to share what happened.
“I’m pissed off,” he admits. “We’re at dinner, and I hear f—king Joe [say], ‘Oh but me and Gael have our problems.’ I’m not gonna stand for it.”
Earlier in the preview, Nathan confronts Joe over bringing up Gael’s name at dinner with the crew. “The issue that you have with Gael, just cut it out. I’m not gonna let you sit there and f—king bad mouth her,” he tells him. Although Joe says he “didn’t bad-mouth her,” Nathan isn’t interested in his explanation.
“To me, you did. That’s my girlfriend. That’s the f—king mother of my f—king child,” he explains to him, and warns what’ll happen if Joe speaks about Gael again. “My next reaction isn’t gonna be as f—king nice, man.”
The drama among Below Deck Med‘s Gael Cameron, Joe Bradley, and Nathan Gallagher, explained
Elsewhere in the above preview, Gael expresses her guilt at her part in the drama among her, Joe, and Nathan. “I’m sorry you’ve been put in that position,” Gael says to Nathan. “[Joe]’s never been able to articulate whatever his problem is with me. He disrespected me, he disrespected literally every girl in his wake. He has no moral grounds. It was just a bit of a shock when I found out here was here again.”
In case you need a refresher, Gael’s issues with Joe date back to when they were deckhands together with Nathan on Below Deck Med Season 9. Gael listed her problems with Joe during Episode 15. “Calling me a ‘princess’ here, and you know you mean it in a s–tty way,” she told him. “You just turn around like you’ve gotta check my work to make sure I’m working.”
Later she informed him, “If you’re going to be a prick to me, I’m just not going to give you my time of day.”
Joe also found himself in a love triangle with stews Bri Muller and Elena “Ellie” Dubaich during Season 9, and Gael had a problem with his treatment of the women. “Joe is being a little bit of a dick,” she confessed to producers during Episode 12. “He is choosing what he wants when he wants it, without considering how it affects the girls. It’s just not nice anymore, so I’m losing respect for Joe in that sense.”
RELATED: Kizzi Kitchener Reveals If Any Below Deck Med Yachties Are Invited to Her Wedding
Flash forward to Season 10, and Joe once again found himself in a romantic mess when he hooked up with Kizzi Kitchener, despite carrying on a boatmance with Victoria “V” SanJuan. Gael, who’d filled in as a temporary deckhand for Victoria during the infamous kiss, was once again upset with Joe’s treatment of women, and she was joined by Nathan.
“Just stop. I wouldn’t do that to one of my friends,” Nathan scolded Joe at the time. “And then f—king saying, ‘Aw, just get over it. It’s not that f—king intense.’ Well, it might be to [Victoria]!” Nathan also reprimanded Joe, “Just keep it in your f—king trousers!”
Now during Season 11, both Joe and Nathan acknowledged they hadn’t seen or spoken to each other between charter seasons.
Nathan explained to a producer the reason he cut Joe off. “Coming to the end of last season, the way he was treating women was f—ked. I haven’t talked to him since. I was like, ‘Do I really want to be in this person’s company anymore?’ And I don’t,” Nathan admitted.
Aesha Scott weighs in on the feud between Joe Bradley and Nathan Gallagher
Chief stew Aesha Scott—who also worked with Joe, Nathan and Gael on both Below Deck Med Seasons 9 and 10—weighed in on the escalating drama during the crew night out in the above preview.
“With Joe and Nathan, there is so much residual anger from the past,” she confesses to producers. “But they need to find a way to get back on the same wavelength. If only for the sake of the boat.”
RELATED: Gael Cameron Sheds More Light on Her Below Deck Med Season 10 Experience: “Changed My Whole World”
Aesha texts Nathan to check in on his mental state after his blow-up with Joe, and also sits down with Joe to talk about it.
“Aesha, me and Nathan are never going to be the same. You do know that, don’t you?” Joe points out, but Aesha tells him, “Don’t worry.”
“I’m not worrying,” Joe answers. “I know how he’s like. I know how to manage it.” Aesha concedes, “You’re both very stubborn,” but adds she’s a neutral party. “I will always listen to each side. We’re a team and I love you.”
Learn more about Gael’s health update just months after welcoming her baby boy Kayden.
