Nick Viall subtly addresses rumors wife Natalie Joy cheated on him after engagement

Nick Viall has addressed infidelity rumors surrounding his wife, Natalie Joy.

The Bachelor alum, 43, appeared on the Lady Gang podcast, where he slammed “insane” speculation that Joy cheated on him shortly after their engagement last year. Speaking to co-hosts Keltie Knight and Becca Tobin on June 25, Viall shared how he’s learned to navigate some of the criticism from internet trolls.

“I don’t go on, I disconnect,” he said. “I’m really good at protecting my mental health and the mental health of my family. And I mean it when I say it, like, I’ve always liked to work. I’ve enjoyed work. Like the more I build the show, the less famous I want to be. I mean that.”

“I’m aware of a ton of rumors about me and I know that I’m unaware of 90 percent more because I don’t read it,” the Viall Files host continued. “I don’t read my own press. I don’t read my comments. I’m not on Reddit – I actively stay off of it – and I’m just unaware of things that people say.”

The reality TV star acknowledged that “it is what it is” when it comes to fan speculation about his personal life. “It’s just like, I like being successful, I’ve chosen this lane,” Viall said. Although he admitted that he’s “human” and has had his “moments of weakness” in giving into online rumors, Viall maintained that engaging in the drama isn’t worth it at the end of the day.

“When something happens, you’re just terrified of what people might be saying,” he explained. “And then two days go by and people move on. You’re like: ‘If I had just not ever been made aware about this, I wouldn’t have been stressed for two or three days. And that’s what keeps me off.”

As for his wife, who he married in April this year, Viall shared that Joy has also learned how to tune out the rumors and negative comments. “She’s gotten much better. You can never have thick enough skin to handle whatever rumors are about you,” he said.

Speculation surrounding the couple, who share four-month-old daughter River Rose, began circulating on Reddit in May when users claimed that Joy, 25, cheated on Viall after their engagement in January 2023. The rumors intensified when Too Hot To Handle alum Harry Jowsey left a comment under his recent Instagram post, calling out Viall and the alleged infidelity.

“Mate your [sic] getting roasted by @nickviall you should go on his podcast and do an interview,” one Instagram user wrote, to which the Perfect Match star replied: “... 50-year-old man gossiping about people in their 20s dating, he should be more focused on his wife cheating on him and repairing that then [sic] worrying about me.”

Despite speculation surrounding their relationship, Joy celebrated Viall’s first Father’s Day earlier this month with a sweet tribute posted to Instagram.

“Happy first Father’s Day to the man who does it all and more! I truly envy the relationship you and River have and it brings tears to my eyes knowing she gets to grow up having you in her corner,” the social media influencer captioned her June 16 post.

She shared several photos of the family of three, including a black and white snap of their April wedding and an image of Joy welcoming their daughter River in the hospital last February. “Her face LIGHTS up the second you walk in the room and the biggest smile comes across her face,” she added. “You were born to be a dad! And a husband! and I’m so glad you’re ours!!!!”