Queer Eye Star Karamo Brown Opens Up About Skipping Press Appearances for Final Season, Relapsing During Netflix Show

Queer Eye star Karamo Brown is opening up on why he skipped press appearances for the final season of the hit Netflix show and shares more about his rough experiences filming the reality TV series, including relapsing during the show’s third season and his mom overhearing others badmouthing him on set.

In January, Brown pulled out of appearances on CBS Mornings and Today with the rest of the Fab Five (Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France and Jeremiah Brent), doing so at the last minute and merely releasing the following statement: “I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade, which is to focus on and protect their mental health/peace from people or a world who seek to destroy it; which is why I can’t be there today.”

Additionally, Brown’s assistant told CBS Mornings and Today, respectively, that he was “worried about being bullied” and had “felt mentally and emotionally abused for years.”

Now, Brown tells People in a cover story that he and his co-stars “had always come together because of the fans, but because of the work I’d done on myself, I asked, ‘If I stay quiet right now and pretend I’m sick or something, whose peace am I protecting?’”

And he continues to argue he dealt with toxicity with his costars, made worse by bullying and unchecked bad behavior he alleges he experienced from execs and members of the production.

“Everyone would just say, ‘Well, that’s just that person,’ instead of saying, ‘This behavior does not fly in a professional environment,’” he says. “It impacted me negatively, consistently.”

Queer Eye production company ITV America and Scout Productions disagreed in a statement with Brown’s suggestion that concerns were dismissed or overlooked and affirmed that the production aimed to create a “respectful and professional environment.”

“We strongly disagree with any characterization that concerns raised during the production of Queer Eye were ignored, dismissed or allowed to continue unchecked,” the statement reads. “Throughout the series’ run, any issues brought to production leadership were taken seriously and addressed appropriately. Production consistently fostered a respectful and professional environment for the cast and crew — which included ongoing training, coaching and other support for the cast — maintaining clear workplace policies and practices throughout filming. We remain incredibly proud of Queer Eye‘s lasting impact and the community the series helped build over more than 20 years.”

Brown argues that he and his co-stars, including original star Bobby Berk who was replaced by Brent in 2024, first became divided after a sexual harassment complaint was filed against Brown in the first few weeks of filming. He claims an unnamed member of the Fab Five and he had a “fun and flirty” relationship during casting. He initially accused his co-star of filing the complaint. He later learned it came from an anonymous third party and explained that he was cleared of any wrongdoing. A source inside production disputed to People how Brown characterized what happened but says an investigation was conducted and “all parties wanted to move on with the show.”

Still, Brown recalls a senior leader telling him in the show’s early days, “You are not a star. I will get rid of you tomorrow.”

Multiple sources told People that Brown had particularly tense relationships with France and Van Ness, who previously said that a Rolling Stone exposé about him being emotionally abusive was “not really based in reality.”

Brown and Van Ness haven’t spoken, but Brown speaks highly of his former co-star.

“The work I have seen Jonathan pouring into himself is commendable and inspiring,” he says. “Growth isn’t always public-facing, but I respect him for how he’s currently moving through life.”

Brown also admits sometimes, “I was hurt and would lash back out. I recognize my part and how things I did impacted people.”

He also talks to People about how he relapsed in 2018, during the show’s third season, after 12 years of sobriety.

“A drink would lead to weed, cocaine, pills,” he says. “I wasn’t coping right, but I pretended like I was. I was so broken.”

He says he’s now sober again, telling People, “I’ve not had a single drink, cocktail — nothing.”

Brown also confirms what was reported by TMZ shortly after he backed out of the Queer Eye press appearances, that his mom overheard his co-stars badmouthing him when she visited the set in 2025.

“The thing I know is the tears I saw in my mother’s eyes,” he says. “[She kept repeating], ‘I thought they were your friends.’ It made me realize I can no longer stay silent about how often I was made to feel like an outsider.”

His former co-stars didn’t respond to People‘s requests for comment, but Brown is hoping they can resolve any issues.

“I think we all deserve a bit of grace for how we handled ourselves and one another,” he says. “We werejust doing our best. It may not have felt like that in the moment, but it’s very clear to me now.”