'Queer Eye' star Bobby Berk announces his exit from the show
Bobby Berk, one of the five co-hosts on Netflix's "Queer Eye," has announced he will be departing the hit reality show after its upcoming eighth season.
The interior designer shared the news via social media Monday, revealing to his fans that season 8, which will take place in New Orleans and premiere in January 2024, will be his last appearance on the show.
Berk, 42, who hosted the show alongside co-stars Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski and Tan France since the reboot was launched in 2018, wrote a heartfelt statement, posted both on Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter.
He began by expressing his gratitude to the "Queer Eye" community, which he said has "become family to me."
"The love that I have received from you all over the last 6 years has been absolutely surreal," he wrote. "You have tuned in and been dedicated fans and together we were able to share the healing powers of design. I learned from you all about kindness, love and acceptance and that has changed my life for the better."
Berk said he is thankful for the audience, who he said "embraced me and accepted me for who I am," and for all those who have "shared so many stories with me about how the show has touched your lives."
"I could not be more grateful to each and every one of you for being brave enough to share your experiences," he wrote.
He also dedicated the statement to "all our wonderful, loving, amazing, and brave heroes," thanking them "for letting me into your homes and hearts."
"It's all because of you that I've kept going all these years and each and every one of you have changed me for the better. I'm so very proud of all of you!" he continued.
Concluding the message, Berk wrote, "It's with a heavy heart that I announce that season 8 will be my final season on Queer Eye."
"It's not been an easy decision to be at peace with, but a necessary one," he added. "Although my journey with Queer Eye is over, my journey with you is not. You will be seeing more of me very soon."
Netflix announced Monday that "Queer Eye" had been renewed for a future ninth season, which will take place in Las Vegas. The show has won 10 Emmy Awards since its debut in 2018, including five for outstanding structured reality program.
In light of Berk's exit from the show, ITV Entertainment, Scout Productions and Netflix shared a joint statement with ABC News, saying, "We appreciate the heart and dedication Bobby Berk brought to Queer Eye over eight amazing seasons. He will always be a member of the Fab Five family and we wish him the very best."
ABC News has reached out to Berk's representatives for additional comment.
