The popular Netflix series Queer Eye has already been green-lit for a sensational Season 9, despite controversy over the fact that Bobby Berk will not be on board. As one of the original cast, Bobby revealed that he would not be part of the next run of episodes. We can now reveal he has been replaced by Jeremiah Brent.
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Jeremiah Brent Will Replace Bobby Berk in Queer Eye Season 9
Esteemed interior designer Jeremiah Brent will join Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, and Jonathan Van Ness to complete the new Fab Five, who will be in action in Vegas upon the release of Queer Eye Season 9.
Brent has been married to fellow interior designer Nate Berkus for a decade, and the two of them have fronted multiple renovation shows including Nate & Jeremiah by Design, Nate & Jeremiah Save My House, and The Nate & Jeremiah Home Project.
Queer Eye Season 9 Still Missing Release Date
The action may be moving to Las Vegas, but the format will remain the same for the ninth season of Queer Eye, which has been officially confirmed for months. At the time of writing, there remains no official confirmation of the exact release date for Season 9, but it is comforting to know that the show will return, even though Bobby will not be in the lineup.
Why has Bobby Berk quit Queer Eye and the Fab 5?
In a long thread on X, formerly Twitter, Bobby announced that he would be leaving Queer Eye after the latest season.
To the Queer Eye Community who have become family to me.
The love that I have received from you all over the last 6 years has been absolutely surreal. You have tuned in and been dedicated fans and together we were able to share the healing powers of design.
— Bobby (@bobbyberk) November 13, 2023
The final few posts in the thread take on a more ominous tone as Bobby concludes:
“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. Although my journey with Queer Eye is over, my journey with you is not. You will be seeing more of me very soon.”
The exact reason why Bobby has left the show has of course led to a lot of speculation from the media, and at the time of writing, there has been no official reason for Bobby’s departure. The post on social media has had some responses from the rest of the team on the show, so a fallout does not seem plausible. However, there have always been rumors that the cast members essentially play characters on the show and that their real-life personas are nothing like those they display on-screen.
This rumor has been reiterated in responses to Bobby’s announcement, including on TikTok, where user @mvstevens shares some first-hand insight into the group dynamic, gleaned from an ex-friend having previously dated one of the Fab Five:
@mvstevens #bobbyberk leaving #queereye is NOT surprising to me—but congrats baby, you’re officially the #gingerspice of the group ?? #netflix #spicegirls #greenscreen
If these suggestions about drug-fuelled orgies, open discussion of inter-group politics, and a wide dislike of Jonathan van Ness are true, then it stands to reason that Bobby could have quit the show for any number of reasons, including simply being sick of maintaining a persona or dealing with the rest of the group.
Queer Eye Season 9 Rumours
An article on USmagazine has some additional answers for us. They reveal that a source close to the show said that Bobby left as “he wasn’t vibing with the cast.” This would track with some of the claims made in the TikTok post above.
The article goes on to reveal more from the source, saying,
“There were many challenges with scheduling [and] there was a loss of interest from Bobby filming the show. The network and the cast thought it was time to bring in fresh blood. His heart was not in it and the rest of the cast started to resent him because of that.”
Sadly, Bobby may have just felt that he had done everything he could on the show, and it was time to move on. Some people have noted that Bobby and Tan do not follow each other on social media, and that has sparked rumors of discord amongst the team, though could equally mean nothing at all.
Whatever the reason, it does mean that Bobby may be replaced in Season 9, and that could make for an exciting start to the new series when it arrives, or compromise the longstanding dynamic that has helped to make the show so popular for so long.
Note: This article was updated on 23/03/2024 to reflect the latest news about Bobby Berk’s replacement. The rest of the article remains in its original form.
