Tan France — co-host and fashion expert on the Netflix series “Queer Eye” — addressed recent allegations that he pushed to hire 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 the alleged support of co-host Antoni Porowski) “She campaigned for Burke to be replaced with a new employee Jeremiah Brent. Brent is set to join the cast of season nine.
“Yes, I heard what's going on, and I just want to address one point very quickly,” France said in a video post on Instagram on Friday. “Firing my former colleague has nothing to do with my attempt to hire my friend.”
France continued: “Netflix and the production companies have fully selected the series. I did not support my friend for this position. They ended up getting it because they were the best person for the job. Am I so happy they have the job? Uh-huh! I really think they'll be amazing on the show. But I couldn't hire them by getting rid of someone else.
France then expressed concern about where the recent conversation about previous seasons of “Queer Eye” began. “This all started because of a comment on a gossip blog. This just got reposted and reposted and then it almost became gospel. So, from the horse's mouth, I'm telling you, that wasn't the case at all. You need to dig deeper, if you You still don't believe me, so be it, but that's it. (It's unclear what comment and blog France was referring to.)
Burke announced that he would be leaving the series in 2023. “It is with a heavy heart that I announce that Season 8 will be my final season on Queer Eye,” he said in November 2023. It was not an easy decision to be at peace with, but a necessary one. Even though my journey with Queer Eye is over, my journey with you is far from over. Burke's initial statement did not refer to his dismissal, which is how France described his departure in office today.
Shortly after France posted the video, Burke posted a quote from former President Michelle Obama's quote, “When they go low, we go high!” To his X feed.
diverse I contacted representatives of both France and Burke. Burke declined to comment, and his French publicist did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Lifelong beer expert. General travel enthusiast. Social media buff. Zombie maven. Communicator.”