Bobby Berk is explaining his decision to unveil plans for a new television series just one day after Netflix shared the news that “Queer Eye” would conclude after its forthcoming 10th season.
In an interview with People published last week, the interior designer dismissed the implication he’d deliberately announced his forthcoming stint as the host of HGTV’s “Junk or Jackpot?” on July 10 in reaction to the “Queer Eye” cancellation, confirmed by Netflix July 9.
“I have to say, I swear on my mother’s life, my show announcement date was set,” Berk said. “No, this was planned. Show announcements don’t happen on a whim.”
For eight seasons, Berk was a member of the “Queer Eye” Fab Five, co-starring alongside Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski and Jonathan Van Ness on the Emmy-winning makeover series.
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In November 2023, he confirmed his departure from “Queer Eye” following the eighth season, which dropped last year and was set in New Orleans. Almost immediately, rumors of behind-the-scenes tensions between him and France began to swirl among fans and media outlets.
Just weeks after announcing his exit, Berk admitted to clashing with France on set, but said the pair’s working relationship had nothing to do with his decision to leave the show. Speaking to Vanity Fair in January 2024, he said the cast’s contract had expired about two years earlier and that he had already “moved on” by the time Netflix returned to the negotiating table.
A Rolling Stone exposé published that March, however, alleged France and Porowski had engaged in “mean-girl antics” to get Berk axed from the series to make way for his eventual replacement, Jeremiah Brent. In a short video posted to Instagram in the wake of the Rolling Stone article, France denied the accusation.
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In his chat with People last week, Berk acknowledged one of his former “Queer Eye” co-stars had called him out for the timing of the “Junk or Jackpot?” announcement.
“Even Karamo [Brown] was like, ‘Girl, the day after?’ I’m like, ‘No, no, no. I promise you it was already planned,’” he explained. “Some people were like, ‘Couldn’t you have waited?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, yes, but no.’”
He went on to note: “I mean, [Netflix] could have easily given me a heads-up on when that was going to be announced. I mean, I was on the show for [eight] seasons, but yeah, it’s fine.”
Set for release later this year, “Junk or Jackpot?” follows Berk as he helps homeowners across the U.S. decide if they should part with their unique collections — including “superhero figurines” and “rare puppets and dolls, and miniature sets” — to raise funds for renovating their outdated homes, according to press notes.
