Bobby Berk is addressing controversy that arose after he announced his new show with HGTV just a day after Netflix revealed Queer Eye will end with season 10.
A former member of the streamer’s rebooted series, Berk served as the Fab Five’s design expert through season one to eight, before he departed from the show ahead of its ninth installment. He will now star in the new series Junk or Jackpot? via HGTV, though the announcement notably came on July 10, a day after Netflix announced Queer Eye is set to conclude after its forthcoming 10th season.
“I have to say, I swear on my mother’s life, my show announcement date was set,” he told People when asked about the timing. “No, this was planned. Show announcements don’t happen on a whim.”
One of his former Queer Eye co-star’s even reached out in the wake of the reveal. “Even Karamo [Brown] was like, ‘Girl, the day after?’ I’m like, ‘No, no, no. I promise you it was already planned,’” Berk added.
“I mean, [Netflix] could have easily given me a heads-up on when that was going to be announced,” the interior designer said. “I mean, I was on the show for [eight] seasons, but yeah, it’s fine.”
Following his season eight exit, Jeremiah Brent joined Queer Eye as the Fab Five’s design expert. When speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Brent admitted that he didn’t feel pressure to step into Berk nor OG Queer Eye personality Thom Filicia’s shoes, and rather “felt a responsibility to my castmates,” of Brown, Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness and Tan France.
“They have been on the forefront of some of the most important social issues for the last seven years, and they have worked tirelessly to create something really special,” he said of the reeboot. Still, Brent admitted that taking part in the reality series was quite a journey for himself — both personally and professionally.
“The experience unlocked parts of me that were super dormant, to be honest,” he said. “I reclaimed parts of myself that I had put away. … [Queer Eye] tethered me back to what matters about design.”