Tan France — co-host and fashion expert on the Netflix “Queer Eye” series — has addressed the recent allegations that he pushed for the hiring of his friend Jeremiah Brent to replace former cast member and interior design expert Bobby Berk.
In a recent Rolling Stone article, sources claimed that France (with alleged support from co-host Antoni Porowski) “campaigned” for Berk to be replaced with new hire Jeremiah Brent. Brent is set to join the cast for Season 9.
“Yes, I’ve heard what’s going on, and I just want to address one point real quick,” France said in Instagram video post on Friday. “My former colleague getting fired had nothing to do with me trying to get my friend hired.”
France continued: “Netflix and the production companies did a full-on casting. 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.”
France then expressed concern about where the recent conversation surrounding the previous seasons of “Queer Eye” initially began. “This all started because of a comment on a gossip blog. That just got reposted and reposted and then it’s almost became gospel. So, from the horse’s mouth, I’m telling you, that that’s not at all how it all went down. You need to dig deeper, if you still don’t believe me, so be it, but that’s it.” (It’s unclear what comment and which blog France was referring to.)
Berk announced he was leaving the series in 2023. “It’s with a heavy heart that I announce that Season 8 will be my final season on ‘Queer Eye,’” he said in November 2023. “It’s not been an easy decision to be at peace with, but a necessary one. Although my journey with ‘Queer Eye’ is over, my journey with you is not.” Berk’s initial statement made no mention of being fired, which is how France characterized the departure in his post today.
Shortly after France posted the video, Berk posted the meme of former President Michelle Obama’s quote, “When they go low we go high!” to his X feed.
Variety reached out to representatives for both France and Berk. Berk declined to comment, and France’s publicist didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.