• Salley Carson says Nick Viall and wife Natalie Joy privately called and apologized to Austen Kroll.
  • Carson urged a public apology, saying a private call wasn’t enough.
  • The apology follows backlash over Viall Files questions about Kroll’s sister’s death.

H2: Private apology revealed

Salley Carson told Page Six Radio that Nick Viall and his wife, Natalie Joy, privately called Austen Kroll to apologize after an interview on the Viall Files podcast drew criticism. Carson said the couple “both called him and apologized,” but added she believes a public apology is still needed.

“I do think there should be a public apology for sure,” Carson said. “I think that it needed to be a lot bigger.” She questioned whether the private nature of the apology suggested Viall and Joy were reluctant to acknowledge their mistake publicly.

H3: What happened on the podcast

The controversy stems from a Jan. 7 episode of Viall Files in which Viall and Joy pressed Kroll about his older sister Kyle, who died at age 9 after falling off a cliff during a family hiking trip. During the exchange, Joy asked details about the cliff and Kroll declined to name the town where the tragedy took place. Viewers and fellow reality stars said the line of questioning felt invasive and insensitive.

Carson said she watched the segment and felt uncomfortable for Kroll, noting that she called him afterward to check on him. “It honestly kind of broke my heart for him,” she said, adding she could tell Kroll was unsettled during the interview because his leg was shaking.

H4: Calls for accountability and editing

Carson and other critics argue that if Viall and Joy were truly sorry, they should have issued a public apology and edited or removed the uncomfortable portion of the episode. Carson told Page Six Radio that the questions “just came out of nowhere” and should have been left out if producers or hosts recognized the segment as hurtful.

Reps for Viall, Joy and Kroll did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

H5: Where to see the interview

The episode that sparked backlash is available online. Watch the Viall Files clip on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=118518047. Kroll’s appearance is also available on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-deeper-with-austen-kroll/id1448210981?i=1000744096036.

H5: What’s next

The story has prompted debate about boundaries in celebrity interviews and how hosts should handle sensitive subjects. Carson’s public comments press the issue toward transparency: she wants a clear, public acknowledgment of the mistake. For now, the hosts’ private outreach to Kroll is confirmed by Carson, but many fans and commentators still await a public statement.

For ongoing updates, follow the Viall Files channel and Page Six coverage as this develops.

Image Referance: https://pagesix.com/2026/02/10/celebrity-news/nick-viall-privately-apologized-to-austen-kroll-for-insensitive-interview/