NEED TO KNOW
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When did it premiere on Netflix in 2018? show Queer Eye , The Fab Five included Bobby Berk, Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski, and Tan France.
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Burke left the series after eight seasons in November 2023, citing other commitments and the series' unexpected renewal by Netflix.
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In January 2026, Brown revealed that he had been subjected to years of "mental and emotional abuse" on set.
What's up with the show's "Fab Five" Queer Eye they're not going so well.
The Emmy Award-winning Netflix reboot of the reality series aired for 10 seasons from 2018 to 2026. The show originally followed the "Fab Five"—interior design expert Bobby Berk, self-care expert Jonathan Van Ness, culture expert Karamo Brown, food and wine connoisseur Antoni Porowski, and fashion guru Tanya France—who set out to improve the way people live.
The first major cast change came in November 2023, when the interior designer announced on Instagram that she was leaving the show after eight seasons.
More than two years later, fans show Queer Eye learned of the behind-the-scenes conflict when Brown missed a series of press conferences in January 2026. While his colleagues appeared in Today with Jenna & Sheinelle , Brown instead stated on NBC's Morning Show that he "felt like a victim of mental and emotional abuse for years.".
Now, a culture expert is breaking his silence about the show's "toxic" drama, telling PEOPLE in June 2026 about one incident that truly "broke" the Fab Five before the show even premiered.
Here's everything you need to know about the show's drama Queer Eye .
Burke announced his departure from the show in 2023 after his original contract expired.
Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Jeremiah Brent, and Karamo Brown in the first season of "Queer Eye." Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Burke left the show before season nine, but a source close to the production told PEOPLE that his departure was "not related to relationships" with his castmates, with whom he had maintained "friendly" relationships.
However, after his departure announcement, rumors of a rift between Burke and France surfaced, as fans noticed he had unfollowed the fashion expert on social media. Then, in January 2024, Burke revealed Vanity Fair , that there was a "situation" between them that made him "angry," but assured fans that he and France "will be fine.".
Burke then revealed that his departure was due to other commitments he took on when he thought the show was over.
When the show started Queer Eye , He and his co-stars initially signed a seven-season deal that ended in September 2022 after filming two seasons in New Orleans.
«"We thought it was over," Burke said. "Psychologically and emotionally, I thought we'd all come to terms with the situation. I thought so myself, and I started planning for something else.".
However, according to the design guru, Netflix decided to renew the series and offer the Fab Five a new contract in the fall of 2023 after strikes by the Writers Guild and the Screen Actors Association led to a shortage of original programming.
Burke decided not to sign a new contract, while the remaining four players signed shortly before the deadline. Regarding his other plans, Burke said he was "not prepared to change them.".
«"I would have had to slow down work on many other projects that were already in progress. We were mentally prepared to move forward—that's why I left," he continued.
Burke's place on the Fab Five has been taken by Jeremiah Brent, who has taken on the role of interior design expert and decorating guru for the show's final two seasons.
Brown first revealed that she felt "mentally and verbally abused" when she missed press conferences with the cast in early 2026.
In early January 2026, Brown decided to skip several interviews on the morning show along with his colleagues, including Porowski, France, Van Ness, and Brent.
Presenter CBS morning programs Gayle King announced he had pulled out of the show an hour before it was scheduled to air and released a statement explaining his decision.
«"I hope everyone remembers the main theme I've been trying to convey to them for the past decade: to focus on maintaining your mental health and peace of mind and protecting it from people or the world that seek to destroy it; that's why I'm not here today," the statement read.
When his colleagues showed up later that day, Today with Jenna & Sheinelle« , the culture expert said in a separate statement to the NBC morning show that he had "felt like a victim of mental and emotional abuse for years"—and that his therapist advised him to "protect himself and his peace of mind by not attending this event." (Brown did not specify who caused him to feel this way.)
At the time, a source told PEOPLE that Brown's altercation with his castmates occurred after his "mom was on set and overheard them talking about Karamo, and she confronted him about it.".
«"It wasn't an attempt at gossip or intimidation, but it did lead to a breakdown in his relationships with Anthony, Tan and Jonathan," a source close to the situation said.
Brown's co-stars responded to his statements on air, denying his claims of a hostile environment on set.
Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Jeremiah Brent, and Antoni Porowski in Episode 903 of "Queer Eye." Photo courtesy of Netflix.
Brown's co-stars were asked about his decision and comments made on air.
After King read Brown's statement and asked the rest of the Fab Five for their opinions, Porowski responded, "Surprised is an understatement.".
«I’ll be honest, our family from the show Queer Eye »I’ve been doing this for almost ten years now—it’s hard to believe—and families are complicated people, and we are certainly no exception,” he said.
«"But I think both can exist simultaneously," Porowski added. "And while that's certainly true, we're also here to showcase these incredible heroes we have and to truly honor the legacy of the past decade of our lives and all these wonderful characters we've been fortunate enough to meet and interact with.".
Brent also spoke out, saying that his "experience in this group changed me. Seeing how they interact with the world, how much they taught me about life, friendship, and love. I felt safe and supported by the people here.".
Brown's co-stars were again questioned about his absence following his subsequent statement on the program Today with Jenna & Sheinelle.
In response to the statement, they praised their former colleague for "looking after himself" and emphasized the importance of the series.
Burke subtly hinted at the drama in a since-deleted TikTok video from January 2026, posting a clip of Chappelle Roan's "My Kink is Karma.".
In the comments to the post, one fan wrote: «I’m honestly a little upset that they ruined the ending [of the show] like that. Queer Eye ]. The fans deserved better. But that made me laugh. Glad to see you're doing well, Bobby!" Burke replied, "Honestly, same thing, which is why I rode off into the sunset in silence.".
In June 2026, Brown said the sexual harassment complaint against him "broke" the "Fab Five.".
In a June 2026 interview with PEOPLE magazine, Brown revealed that the group first broke up in the first few weeks of filming when a sexual harassment complaint was filed against him.
Brown claimed that during the show's casting process, he and another member of the "Fab Five," whom he declined to name publicly, had a "fun and flirtatious" relationship. Brown, who claimed he was cleared of wrongdoing, initially blamed his castmate for filing the complaint. However, he later learned the complaint came from an anonymous third party.
«"It broke us," he said of the group. "We all realized there was a rift between us.".
A source within the production team denied Brown's "account of events" in an interview with PEOPLE, but confirmed that an investigation had been conducted and said that "all parties wanted to move forward with the show.".
Although Brown appeared on the show throughout its entire run, he confirmed to PEOPLE that the final straw for him was when his mother overheard his castmates making negative comments about him during a set visit in 2025. (Multiple sources confirmed to PEOPLE that Van Ness, France, and Porowski were involved in the conversation.)
Brown said he didn't press his mother to know the details of what was said, but her reaction made him realize he "could no longer remain silent about how often I was made to feel like an outcast.".
Brown's former co-stars did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
The actors were reportedly under increasing pressure from a senior executive.
Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Jeremiah Brent, and Karamo Brown on "Queer Eye." Photo: Jenny Anderson/Netflix
Brown told PEOPLE that the alleged pressure the "Fab Five" were subjected to from management also contributed to the toxic atmosphere on set. He recalled that during the first days of filming, a senior executive told him he was "not a star" and threatened to "fire" him "tomorrow.".
A source close to the production confirmed Brown's claims to PEOPLE, saying that during the show's first season, the eldest member frequently threatened to fire the Fab Five.
«"[They] wanted them to come in and tear their houses apart and tell them how terrible everything was because that's what the original Fab Five did," the insider said, referring to the 2000s Bravo hit., «"Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"» . "This caustic homosexuality worked in the early 2000s, but the new lineup is a completely different person.".
One of the crew members described the atmosphere in the show Queer Eye «toxic as hell.».
Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Bobby Berk, and Karamo Brown. Photo: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
Brown told PEOPLE that there had been tension with several of his Fab Five co-stars for years, and that executives and crew members had done nothing about it.
«"Everyone just said, 'Well, that's just the way he is,' instead of saying, 'That kind of behavior is unacceptable in a professional environment,'" he said. "It had a negative impact on me all the time.".
Brown told PEOPLE that struggling with the allegedly toxic environment led to depression, and that he relapsed during the third season in 2018 after 12 years of sobriety. (He claims to be sober again now.)
A source close to the film crew also confirmed his words, admitting that although show Queer Eye «"helped a lot of people," the atmosphere there "was actually terribly toxic.".
The show's production company, ITV America and Scout Productions, responded to these claims in a statement: "We strongly disagree with any assertion that concerns raised during the production of the show Queer Eye, were ignored, dismissed, or allowed to continue unaddressed.".
«"Throughout the series' run, any concerns raised with the production management team were taken seriously and addressed appropriately," the statement reads. "The production team consistently created a respectful and professional environment for the cast and crew, which included ongoing training, mentoring, and other support for the cast, as well as maintaining clear workplace policies and practices throughout the production.".
The statement continued: "We remain incredibly proud of the impact the series has had. Queer Eye , and the community he helped build over more than 20 years.».
Read the original article on People.