Tan France is setting the record straight on a claim made in a bombshell exposé that he got his “Queer Eye” co-star Bobby Berk fired in order to get his pal Jeremiah Brent the job.
“My former colleague getting fired had nothing to do with me trying to get my friend hired,” the celebrity stylist explained in a video posted on Instagram Friday.
“Netflix and the production companies did a full-on casting. I didn’t put my friend [Brent] up for the job. They ended up getting it because they were the best person for the job.”
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France, 40, recognized that he was “so happy” Brent, 39, had been hired to take over the interior designer role from Berk, 42, adding, “I think they are going to be incredible on the show.”
However, he reiterated, “I didn’t get them hired by getting rid of somebody else,” notably without using either Brent or Berk’s names.
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France said he first heard about the claim on a “gossip blog” and appeared dismayed that it has now become “gospel” after being published in Rolling Stone’s recent report.
The outlet cited three sources who claimed France — with support from co-star Antoni Porowski — had “campaigned” to get off Berk off their Netflix show, with one source calling it “mean-girl antics.”
“From the horse’s mouth, I’m telling you that that’s not at all how it went down, and that’s all I’ll say on the matter,” the “Next in Fashion” co-host concluded his video.
Berk announced in November 2023 that he was leaving “Queer Eye” after eight seasons on the show.
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“It’s with a heavy heart that I announce that season 8 will be my final season on Queer Eye,” he said on Instagram at the time. “It’s not been an easy decision to be at peace with, but a necessary one.”
Berk then admitted in an interview with Vanity Fair the following January that he and France had had tension behind the scenes but noted it had “nothing to do with the show.”
A rep for the design expert declined Pvnew’s request for comment. However, Berk appeared to address the video by posting a meme on X Friday of Michelle Obama’s quote that said, “Our motto is: ‘When they go low we go high!”
Although France weighed in on the claims made about him in Rolling Stone’s story, he did not speak on one of the standout allegations from the piece about his co-star Jonathan Van Ness’ “rage issues.”
Multiple sources claimed to the magazine that the hair guru, 36, was often fuming on set, with one insider claiming, “[There’s] a real emotion of fear around them when they get angry.”
However, Van Ness seems to have approved of France’s post Friday because they “liked” it.
Several other people have come to the “Over the Top” author’s defense this week.
Participants who underwent transformations on “Queer Eye” spoke to TMZ, claiming they never witnessed Van Ness exhibit rude or inappropriate behavior while filming.
Cory Waldrop, who appeared on the Netflix show’s first season, even recalled the hairstylist once allowing him to cut production’s food truck line as evidence of the latter’s kind nature.
“Hometown heroes” — which is the name given to the guests who are given the makeovers — also dispelled the claim that Van Ness fought over the spotlight with their co-stars, who aside from France, Porowski and Berk include self-help guru Karamo Brown.
“[Van Ness] seemed well-liked by everybody,” Michael Richard II, who appeared on Season 7, said.
Ryan Dyer, who was a guest on Season 5, agreed that he never thought the “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness” podcast host appeared like they wanted “all the attention.”
Van Ness has not yet addressed the allegations.
