Bachelor alum Nick Viall has admitted that he and others are works in progress amid turmoil over his podcast The Viall Files.
The reality TV star, 45, was torched by insiders over the weekend who claimed that he is regarded as one of the most 'hypocritical' and 'wildly insensitive' voices in podcasting.
But in the latest episode of Ask Nick, released February 16, Viall seemed to make a point that he is flawed like everybody else.
Viall made the comment in response to a listener seeking romance advice.
'There's a nice guy in front of me, why can't I just get over it and like him back?' they had asked.
'Listen, we all have things to work on and it's good that you are willing to look in the mirror and reflect,' Viall said in a clip that was shared online.
'But sometimes it doesn't have to be some deep underlying issue, you just maybe at 25 haven't found your person.'
Viall launched the pop culture podcast The Viall Files in 2019 which he co-hosts with his wife Natalie Joy Viall, 27.
Nick Viall has said that he is a work in progress amid turmoil over his podcast The Viall Files
The podcast host was criticized by insiders over the weekend who claimed he is one of the most 'hypocritical' voices in the industry
The show, which tackles topics from reality TV recaps to interviews with celebrity guests, has amassed more than 250 million downloads worldwide.
Bachelor alum Viall expanded his podcasting empire in 2024 when he launched his own audio lifestyle media company, Envy Media.
He also developed his own network of talent à la Call Her Daddy maven Alex Cooper.
Last April, Viall signed a four-year deal with podcasting platform Libsyn worth an estimated $30 million.
But, over the weekend, the Daily Mail revealed Viall's not so shiny reputation among his peers in the wake of fierce criticism from listeners in recent months.
For example, in an episode of the podcast on December 2, the co-hosts were accused of 'mom-shaming' Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Whitney Leavitt for landing a job on Broadway so soon after her recent stint on Dancing With the Stars.
At the time, they questioned how Leavitt, 32, would parent her three children while starring as Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway beginning in February.
'She just did Dancing With the Stars for three or four months,' Joy said. 'She has kids on a school level - maybe they are homeschooled. I don't know. To shift to Chicago in New York, that takes so much of her time. How is she managing being a mom?'
Over the weekend, the Daily Mail revealed Viall's not so shiny reputation among his peers in the wake of fierce criticism from listeners in recent months.
The backlash was swift, as listeners claimed Joy’s comments had insinuated that Leavitt’s children weren’t her top priority.
Others aptly pointed out the double standard that there would be less concern if a man with three kids was offered the same career opportunities as Leavitt.
Viall and Joy did not publicly apologize to Leavitt or address the negative response from fans.
The latest uproar began after a January 7 episode in which guest Austen Kroll was asked a jarring question about his late sister's childhood passing.
The reality star, 38, dropped by the podcast studio to chat about Southern Charm season 11, which is currently airing on Bravo. What he likely didn't expect, however, was to be asked about the death of his sister Kyle, who tragically fell off a cliff during a family hike at Chimney Rock, North Carolina, when she was just nine years old and Kroll was seven.
Kroll first opened up about his sister’s death on season four of Southern Charm, and the transformative role it has played in his life after witnessing his sister’s fall.
In a clip from the podcast episode, Kroll appeared taken aback when Joy switched gears during the conversation to discuss the traumatic event. She then asked the reality star specific details about his sister Kyle’s death, including the question, ‘What was this cliff?’
Kroll appeared visibly uncomfortable as he began to shake his leg and stutter over his words, before telling Joy, ‘I won’t even say the name of the town.’
The podcasters went on to ask Kroll about his romantic relationships and his experience filming Southern Charm, but the unsettling moment still weighed heavy on listeners of The Viall Files.
The co-hosts haven't issued a public apology to Kroll either, despite demands from listeners calling on them to do so on the podcast.