Gael and Joe Air Lingering Distrust
During the Monday, December 22 episode of the Bravo series, lingering distrust from last season resurfaced fast.
Gael made it clear she hasn’t forgotten Joe’s past actions, telling cameras, “Joe is a snake. He said we’re cool before and then he’s gone behind my back. So, I just don’t trust him.”
Joe didn’t hold back either. Reflecting on what he says happened during the previous charter season, he claimed, “I still don’t trust her. Last charter season, I didn’t even say this because of Nathan. But she was texting her boyfriend and playing with Nathan.” He went on to add, “She cheated. I lose a lot of respect when people cheat. Once a cheat, always a cheat.”
An off-camera producer quickly stepped in to remind Joe that just one day earlier, he had secretly kissed Kizzi Kitchener—despite being romantically involved with Victoria SanJuan at the time.
Caught off guard, Joe stumbled through his response before attempting to draw a distinction between the two situations.
“I’ve got some elements of regret,” he said after hesitating. “But kissing Kizzi, it’s not even in the same realm. I’m actually a single man. That’s very different for me.”
Joe’s Complicated Love Life on Display
Joe’s complicated dating history has been a recurring theme for Below Deck Med viewers. He joined season 10 midway through filming, during a period when Victoria was still grieving the death of her ex-boyfriend, Bon.
Fans may also remember Joe’s earlier love triangle involving Bri Muller and Elena Dubaich, which set the tone for his reputation aboard the yacht.
Ahead of his return to the franchise, Joe addressed his pattern of chaotic relationships in an interview with Us Weekly in November.
“My message is I’m single and if you want to have a bit of fun and give me the same energy that it just gets a bit chaotic,” he explained. “But I’m your friend at the end of the day, so I’ve still got contact with Elena and I am still in contact with Bri.”
He doubled down on that point, adding, “We’re friends and we’re young and we’re in a closed environment. It’s going to happen. But I’ve got contact with everyone and I’ve got no malicious intentions.”
When asked whether he learned anything from the fallout of those relationships, Joe was candid—almost jokingly so. He admitted he learned “absolutely nothing,” before clarifying, “To answer that question without a smile on my face, [my love life this season] was just chaos.”
Victoria Sets Boundaries
Victoria, however, seems to have drawn firmer boundaries since their time on the show. Before Joe’s infidelity storyline unfolded on-screen, she shared where they currently stand.
“Joe and I will always be cordial and will always be professional. But I don’t really consider him part of my friend group,” she told Us Weekly earlier this month. She went on to explain the standards she holds for the people closest to her, saying, “The men I keep in my friend group, I admire them because they’re more honest, have self control, hold themselves accountable and have respect — those kinds of qualities.”
While she stopped short of completely writing him off, Victoria hinted that their falling out stemmed from deeper issues. “So I wish him all the best. I think he is a lovely human but I think he has got a lot to learn from his mistakes — if he’s willing to learn from them.”
Below Deck Mediterranean airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo, with new episodes available to stream the following day on Peacock.
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