Tan France took to Instagram to clear rumors about the departure of his “Queer Eye” co-star Friday.
The fashion guru of the hit Netflix series “Queer Eye” posted to Instagram to address his involvement in Bobby Berk’s exit from the show. “Yes, I’ve heard what’s going on, and I just want to address one point real quick. My former colleague getting fired had nothing to do with me trying to get my friend hired,” France said in the Instagram post.
France, found himself at the center of controversy following the announcement that Berk would not return for its ninth season. Jeremiah Brent is set to fill Berk’s shoes. This ignited rumors of an alleged behind-the-scenes campaign spearheaded by France to favor his friend, according to the The Hollywood Reporter (THR).
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“I didn’t prop 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 going to be incredible on the show. But I didn’t get them hired by getting rid of somebody else,” France continued. (RELATED: ‘Queer Eye’ Drama Confirmed As Bobby Berk Dishes On His Feud With Tan France: REPORT)
He also dismissed the gossip that led to Berk’s departure as baseless.
“This all started because of a comment on a gossip blog. That just got reposted and reposted, and then it almost became gospel. So, from the horse’s mouth, I’m telling you, that that’s not at all how it all went down. That’s all I have to say on the matter. You need to dig deeper, if you still don’t believe me, so be it, but that’s it,” France said.
Berk’s representatives have chosen to remain silent on the issue, according to THR. However, he has previously spoken up about his alleged feud with France. Berk said his exit was due to his contract ending. He and his fellow co-stars, including Karamo Brown, France, Antoni Porowski, and Jonathan Van Ness, were said to have reached an agreement on a contract that came to an end in September 2022.