The Fab Five bids farewell to one of their own.
Bobby Berk, the interior design expert on the Emmy-winning Netflix series “Queer Eye,” revealed on Nov. 13 his departure from the show following the upcoming eighth season. Embraced in a heartfelt message shared on Instagram.
The 42-year-old uploaded a collection of photos featuring his interactions with the show’s heroes over the years. Berk concluded with a lovely picture alongside the other members of the Fab Five: Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, and Tan France.
“To the Queer Eye Community, who have become family to me,” Berk expressed. “The love I have received from you all over the last 6 years has been absolutely surreal.”
He mentioned that his life evolved when “Queer Eye” premiered in February 2018 and that he has absorbed kindness, love, and acceptance from the show’s devoted fans.
“The way you have embraced and accepted me for who I am is something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” Berk wrote.
He then acknowledged the show’s “heroes”: the contestants who are featured in each episode.
“It’s all because of you that I’ve held on all these years and each one of you has changed me for the better. I’m so very proud of all of you!” he added.
After years of aiding heroes in transforming their homes as the reality show’s interior design guru, Berk is leaving the series.
“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,” he said.
He ended with, “I love you all so much, and let’s meet in Nola for one final season.” Berk concluded his post with the hashtag #foreverthefab5.
Members of the “Queer Eye” family left kind and supportive messages in the comments.
Porowski, the show’s food and wine expert, wrote, “#foreverthefab5 indeed, and don’t forget it,” and included a series of red heart emojis.
Culture and lifestyle expert Brown agreed, writing, “@bobby we are #ForeverTheFab5 | no matter what. I’m about to be a Netflix’s door & e-mails telling them you can’t leave!”
“Who is coming with me? I love you!” Brown added.
Van Ness, the grooming and beauty expert, simply left three red heart emojis in the comments.
Berk’s announcement was posted around the same time the show confirmed on its social media accounts that it had been renewed for Season Eight.
“Queer Eye is coming back for Season 8 on January 24, 2024!” the show shared on Instagram beside a photo of the Fab Five taking a selfie.
“After six incredible years of life-changing transformations, Season 8 will be Bobby Berk’s last with the Fab Five,” the show said. “We appreciate the heart and dedication he has brought to Queer Eye and wish him the very best.”
Netflix, as well as “Queer Eye” producers ITV Entertainment and Scout Productions, provided a similar statement to TODAY.com, saying, “He will always be a member of the Fab Five family and we wish him the very best.”
Season Seven of “Queer Eye” premiered in May. At the time, the co-hosts spoke to TODAY.com about the lessons they learned on the show.
Berk told TODAY.com that working with the heroes, particularly one Season Seven standout named Stephanie Williams, helped him see how important it is for queer people to not “dull” their shine.
“We dull our personalities to make other people comfortable. I really hope that (the world) and all the queer people who still do that realize they don’t have to do that. They need to live for themselves,” he said.
Berk also reminisced about filming Season One of “Queer Eye,” before the show became a huge hit.
“I remember the last day of filming the first season,” he recalled. “We all got in the car together to go to the airport to leave and we were like, ‘Well, it’s been fun. You know, maybe we’ll see each other around.’”
Now, eight seasons and 10 Emmys later, Berk’s time with the group is coming to an end.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
