Bobby Berk spoke out about leaving Queer Eye and the role Tan France had in his departure.
In an interview with Us Weekly, Bobby looked back fondly at his time as part of the Fab Five.
“We had such an amazing run. Technically, with [2019’s special filmed in] Japan, we did 11 seasons, which is the longest-running Netflix original show ever. To be a part of that was phenomenal, and I can’t wait to see their final season.”
Was Bobby fired?
Bobby served as the reality show’s design expert from seasons 1 to 8 before being replaced by Jeremiah Brent. After Berk announced his exit in November 2023, a source spilled that he had been “asked to leave because he wasn’t vibing with the cast.”
“There were many challenges with scheduling, [and] there was a loss of interest from Bobby filming the show,” the source explained at the time. “The network and the cast thought it was time to bring in fresh blood. His heart was not in it, and the rest of the cast started to resent him because of that.”
The Tan factor:
Bobby later insisted that leaving Queer Eye was his “decision” but admitted to clashing with fashion expert Tan France.
“Tan and I had a moment,” revealed Bobby in January 2024. “There was a situation, and that’s between Tan and I, and it has nothing to do with the show. It was something personal that had been brewing. Nothing romantic, just to clarify that.”
“I was angry, and that’s the end of it. We became like siblings — and siblings are always going to fight. I can foresee in six months or a year, Tan and I at each other’s house being good.”
Tan’s take:
Later that year, Tan claimed that Bobby had been “fired” from Queer Eye.
“Netflix and the production companies did a full-on casting,” Tan explained.
“I didn’t prop my friend up for the job. They ended up getting it because they were the best person for the job. Am I so happy that they have the job? Uh huh! I really am. I think they’re going to be incredible on the show. But I didn’t get them hired by getting rid of somebody else.”
With the drama now in the past, Berk is focused on his new HGTV show, Junk or Jackpot … which I’m excited for!
