Nick Viall and his wife, Natalie Joy, are shedding light on why they have opted not to address past speculation that she was unfaithful.
“Having River, you realize what’s important in life, [and it’s] protecting our family,” Joy, 26, told Bustle in an interview published on Thursday, January 16, referring to the couple’s 23-month-old daughter. “That’s why we don’t give oxygen to any rumors about us. Then it’s going to be a headline.”
Joy explained that their daughter may see the theories one day. “She’s like, ‘Wait. What happened?’” Joy said of their little one’s hypothetical reaction. “And it’s like, none of it matters. We know what the truth is. We know what happens in our lives.”
Rumors began swirling on Reddit in May 2024 that Joy cheated on Viall, 44, around the time the couple got engaged. (Viall popped the question to Joy in January 2023 after more than two years of dating.)
Nick Viall Slams ‘Bulls—t Rumors’ Amid Natalie Joy Cheating Accusations
The speculation ramped up when Harry Jowsey referenced the theories in an Instagram comment as a way to clap back at Viall for discussing his appearance on Netflix’s Perfect Match on the “Viall Files” podcast.
“He can’t keep my dick out of his mouth 
,” Jowsey, 27, wrote in June 2024. “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 worrying about me .”
While not addressing the speculation directly, Viall discussed “rumors” during an appearance on the “Lady Gang” podcast that month.
“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,” he said. “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.”
Nick Viall and Wife Natalie Joy’s Relationship Timeline
During the more recent Bustle interview, the former Bachelor reflected on the criticism of their romance and shared that he previously did not embrace the pair’s 18-year age gap.
“When we first started dating, I was very self-conscious about the age gap,” Viall told Bustle. “But I didn’t want to be so self-conscious about it that I didn’t let [our relationship] happen.”
Viall explained that he believes people should protect their own “energy” above everything else in life.
“When people say to me that I’m [hated], it hurts my feelings. … But I have the ability to not go down a rabbit hole and try to justify myself to someone I’ve never met,” Viall said. “That’s really helped us, you know? [Especially] as new parents — what’s the best use of our energy?”
