How toxic is Netflix's biggest 'feel good' show off-camera? As Jonathan Van Ness slams Queer Eye 'expose' - a look at the behind the scenes 'drama' including claims of 'rage issues' and feuds between the cast
It is the Netflix hit which is billed as a feel good makeover show, helping those who have lost their way in life turn it around with the assistance of the Fab Five; Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, Karamo Brown, Tan France and formerly Bobby Berk.
While the show has built a strong fan base due to its hosts' larger than life personalities and genuine affection for the people they've helped, Queer Eye was recently hit by a scathing expose with accusations of toxicity behind the scenes.
Queer Eye premiered on Netflix in 2018 and immediately became a pop culture phenomenon, however it has now been alleged that things weren't as rosy once the cameras stopped rolling.
Bobby revealed that there was an off-camera 'situation' between himself and his former co-star Tan, who announced he was leaving the show after nine series last year, sparking wild theories about the reason behind his exit.
An explosive Rolling Stone article reported in March that Tan and Anthony 'conspired' to get Bobby kicked off the show in favour of hiring the British star's friend, Jeremiah Brent, for the new series. Tan has strongly denied the allegations.
Queer Eye is billed as a feel good makeover show, helping those who have lost their way in life turn it around with the assistance of the Fab Five; (pictured Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Bobby Berk and Karamo Brown)
Tan revealed that there was an off-camera 'situation' between himself and his former co-star Bobby, who announced he was leaving the show after nine series last year, sparking wild theories about the reason behind his exit
The publication also accused Jonathan of being a 'monster' off-camera and told how they made the show 'increasing difficult to produce', according to multiple production sources, who all spoke anonymously (pictured February)
The publication also accused Jonathan of being a 'monster' off-camera and told how they made the show 'increasing difficult to produce', according to multiple production sources, who all spoke anonymously.
Jonathan, who is trans non-binary and uses all pronouns, finally broke their silence about the expose on the podcast Table Manners With Jessie And Lennie Ware, where he claimed that the accusations were not 'based in reality.'
He said: 'I think a lot of people were like looking for a reason to hate me or like looking for a reason to be like, "See, I always knew that they were a fake c*** and this is the proof."
Jonathan responded to claims that they were 'emotionally abusive', have 'rage issues', and were a 'nightmare' to work with, with one sources claiming they would have at least one outburst per week while filming.
They said the cast first learned of the expose back in December 2023 and they claimed that a lot of the information that had been gathered was 'taken out of context' in order to make them look 'as bad as possible.'
Jonathan went on to completely the article as being 'completely untrue' and alleged that it was done 'in bad faith', but did admit their were times when they have 'snapped' at people and 'could have done better'.
The bombshell report claimed 'there's a real emotion of fear around them [Jonathan] when they get angry. It's almost like a cartoon where it oozes out of them'.
'It's intense and scary,' they added, further claiming that Jonathan was a 'yeller' who would 'explode once a week'.
One source said that Jonathan has a 'very warm, very charismatic' side to their personality which is what the public sees, but there's another side that comes out behind the scenes.
Jonathan blasted the bombshell report which had claims that he was emotionally 'abusive' on set of the reality series as not being 'based in reality'; the new Queer Eye cast is pictured with Bobby's replacement Jeremiah Brent (centre)
Queer Eye premiered on Netflix in 2018 and immediately became a pop culture phenomenon
Rolling Stone also claims that the Queer Eye cast were engaged in 'petty disputes and competition' with each other over screen time and who was the 'top star' on the show
'At least once a day, they would need to yell at somebody. It might be something small, but there's always going to be somebody to point out and blame and make the villain of the day,' they alleged.
While each cast member has gone on to find success on their own terms, Jonathan was arguably the breakout star of the series.
Not only doe they have the most social media followers of the group, they have published three books -including a New York Times bestseller- and launched the hit podcast Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness.
The podcast was turned into its own standalone Netflix series in 2022 and they also have a successful haircare line called JVN, which is stocked in Sephora.
Rolling Stone also claims that the Queer Eye cast were engaged in 'petty disputes and competition' with each other over screen time and who was the 'top star' on the show. Dailymail.com reached out Jonathan's management at the time.
Following the Rolling Stones expose, Tan (pictured) was forced to deny allegations that he and Antony had 'campaigned' to get interior designer Bobby replaced with Jeremiah
Addressing the report on Instagram on March 8, Tan, 41, said, 'My former colleague getting fired had nothing to do with me trying to get my friend hired'
Bobby was replaced on the series by Jeremiah Brent (pictured) - who is a friend of Tan's
Interior designer Bobby quit the series last November after six years to focus on other projects.
Following the Rolling Stones expose, Tan was forced to deny allegations that he and Antony had 'campaigned' to get interior designer Bobby replaced with Jeremiah.
Addressing the report on Instagram on March 8, Tan, 41, said, 'My former colleague getting fired had nothing to do with me trying to get my friend hired.'
He continued: 'Netflix and the production companies did a full on casting. I didn't put 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 gonna be incredible on the show. But I didn't get them hired by getting rid of somebody else.'
Despite Tan's statement that Bobby was 'fired', Bobby himself has publicly stated that he chose to walk away from the hit series due to scheduling conflicts.
However, according to Rolling Stone, Bobby was allegedly 'blindsided' by the way his departure played out. The publication also claimed that Bobby had been butting heads with Tan and Jonathan on set.
While Bobby has yet to comment publicly on the claims, he shared a cryptic post to X (formerly Twitter) after Tan's Instagram video.
The post was a GIF of former First Lady Michelle Obama saying, 'When they go low, we go high.'
The ninth season of Queer Eye, which is set in Las Vegas, is set to hit Netflix later this year.
'My former colleague getting fired had nothing to do with me trying to get my friend hired,' France stressed to his 3.9million followers
Bobby responded with a cryptic post on X that seemed aimed at Tan
When Bobby announced he was exiting Queer Eye last November, many fans believed it was because he was the most under-appreciated member of the Fab Five.
The design expert appeared to do the most work each episode renovating and redesigning entire homes and work spaces for their chosen 'heroes'.
Bobby clarified to Vanity Fair in January: 'You will have never found me quoted as saying that I have the most important job and I do the most work. All five of us are of equal importance.'
'Queer Eye has been the most amazing gift that I couldn't have ever imagined. It's been a life-changing moment. I'm leaving something that is a huge part of my life. Even though it's my decision, it still wasn't an easy one.'
The entire cast signed seven-cycle contracts ending September 2022, and they believed season eight would be the final one.
Bobby recalled: 'We took pictures and cried. We thought we were done. Mentally and emotionally, I thought we all moved on. I know I did, and I started planning other things.'
One year later, the Fab Five were surprised with brand new four-cycle contracts, and everyone decided to sign on except for Bobby.
When Bobby announced he was exiting Queer Eye last November, many fans believed it was because he was the most under-appreciated member of the Fab Five
The design expert appeared to do the most work each episode renovating and redesigning entire homes and work spaces for their chosen 'heroes'
'With only one of us not coming back, Netflix felt [it] could recast one person [for the Las Vegas-set ninth season],' Bobby explained.
'There were definitely emotions. But each one of us had our reasons why we did what we did. I can't be mad - for a second I was.
'All the plans that I had made when I thought we weren't coming back, I just wasn't willing to change those. I would have had to pump the brakes on multiple other projects that are already in process.
'We had mentally just prepared ourselves to move on - that's why I left.'
However, he did admit that he 'had a moment' with co-star Tan, which caused him to unfollow the fashion consultant on Instagram.
'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 - and nothing romantic, just to clarify that,' Bobby admitted.
'Should I have unfollowed Tan? No. Maybe I should have just muted him. But that day, I was angry, and that's the end of it. We became like siblings, and siblings are always going to fight.'
When the feuding friends won their first-ever Emmy Awards for outstanding structured reality program for their roles as Queer Eye producers, they embraced during the January 7th Creative Arts Emmy ceremony.
'We both said congratulations. And that's where we are right now,' he noted.
'I will always have a very special place in my heart for him and [Tan's husband] Rob and the kids. I can foresee in six months or a year, Tan and I at each other's house being good. The Emmys was already the first bandage on that wound.'
