‘Below Deck Med' Fans Take Sides in Nathan Gallagher and Joe Bradley's Explosive Fallout
After emotionally opening up last week on Below Deck Mediterranean about his mother's breast cancer diagnosis, deckhand Joe Bradley seems to have captured more than just the fan vote.
When Joe and bosun Nathan Gallagher returned to Below Deck Med after what ultimately became a contentious previous season, their bromance had fizzled. The former best friends became estranged after Nathan disapproved of the way Joe handled his hookups with Victoria "V" SanJuan - kissing stew Kizzi Kitchener after V left the boat sick.
Now that Nathan and Joe are back and working together, their interactions have gone from chilly to downright contentious. And while Nathan hugged Joe when he opened up about his mother's health battle, don't expect the former best friends to become close again anytime soon.
After last week's episode, Below Deck fans seem to be firmly on Joe's side, with many sharing that Nathan should stop trying to intimidate him. "Sorry to hear about your mom. Sending prayers your way. Keep up the great work. Don't let Nathan intimidate you. Hope you both can get to a place of peace and respect," one person wrote on Bravo's Instagram post.
Another person wrote, "Really, such a shame that @nathanjgallagher_ refused to hear you out. He created a story in his head and pissed himself off. I think it's time he goes home to his family and you step up as bosun!!!"
At the same time, fans remember the chaos Joe caused last season among the crew. "Please make us proud this season man. Behave!!!!! And lighten up on the womanizing," one person wrote, with some people noting that they've seen Joe grow since last season. "Must say Bravo to Joe for his growth and dedication to the job this charter," another commenter wrote.
During last week's episode, Captain Sandy Yawn connected Joe with an oncologist on FaceTime to help him through this tough time, especially while he's away. Joe thanked Captain Sandy on Instagram, writing, "Thank you Captain, I adore you."
He also thanked the fans for their support. "I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who's watched the episode and taken the time to reach out," he wrote on a Bravo Instagram post. "The amount of support, kind messages, and love shown towards my family has honestly been overwhelming. There have been far too many messages for me to reply to individually, but please know I've read them and appreciate every single one. Sharing something so personal wasn't easy, but seeing the kindness from so many people has meant the world to me and my family."
He concluded: "Thank you all for the support."
Below Deck Mediterranean is on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.
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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 12:38 PM.