‘Queer Eye’ Alum Bobby Berk Helps People Find Their ‘Joy’ Again With New HGTV Show ‘Junk or Jackpot?’ (Exclusive)

Bobby Berk is bringing his Queer Eye expertise to HGTV as the design expert takes on collecting chaos in his new show, Junk or Jackpot?, premiering Friday.

In the six-episode premiere season of Junk or Jackpot?, executive-produced by actor and wrestler John Cena, Berk helps passionate individuals whose prized possessions are threatening to take over their homes pare down their collections to fund a much-needed renovation makeover.

“[Junk or Jackpot?] was originally the brainchild of John Cena,” Berk told PopCulture.com ahead of Friday’s premiere. “Yes, the wrestler created an HGTV show. He was out at dinner with some friends [and] they were talking about collections, including his own, that had kind of gotten out of control.”

“And he was like, ‘You know what? I’ve really got to start getting rid of some things because I want to do a renovation and there’s not space for it.’ And he’s like, ‘I feel like I should get rid of some things to fund that renovation too, because it just makes sense to do so.’”

It was then that Cena had the spark of an idea that eventually became Junk or Jackpot?, a show that Berk explained is “all about helping people find their joy again” with collections that have gotten out of control.

“We have these people who started collecting because these things made them really happy,” the Queer Eye alum explained, pointing out that originally, the objects often have an “emotional connection” to a family member or friend. “But because they had allowed them to get out of control,” he continued, “those things that were once a source of joy and happiness were now a source of stress and anxiety, not only for themselves, but for their family members…”

By bringing in experts to appraise the items, which range from a staggering stash of superhero figurines to vinyl records and miniature sets that take over entire rooms, Berk holds his collectors’ hands as he helps them sell off items from their collection in order to fund a life-changing renovation.

“It’s really about helping people find joy in the things that once brought them joy, and doing a great renovation in the process,” he said.

Tapping into the emotional core of these collections was another important part of Berk’s job on Junk or Jackpot?, as he helped people realize that some of the things they thought were so “irreplaceable” didn’t have quite the emotional attachment they assumed.

“As they would get rid of things, like a week later, I would ask them to, from memory, list off the things they had gotten rid of,” he shared, “and a lot of times, they could only name a few of them. They had already forgotten.”

“And I’m like, ‘You see, these things that you thought you would never forget, that would be just heartbreaking to get rid of, you can’t really remember them now,” Berk continued. “And because you’ve gotten rid of them, you’ve not only funded this renovation, but you’ve made space for those things that you would never forget. Those things that really are the most important pieces in your collection.”

Having appeared on nine seasons of Queer Eye, including the Fab Five’s journey to Japan, Berk said he wasn’t daunted by any of the challenges he faced on Junk or Jackpot?. He is, however, “excited” for people to see him as a solo host after years as part of a quintet.

“It’s very different being an ensemble cast of five people,” Berk explained. You know, there’s only a certain amount of minutes in a show, and when there are five mouths, each mouth gets less minutes, you know?”

“So I’m interested to see people see me host my own show, because it was a lot of fun,” he continued. “I miss my old castmates, but yeah, it was a lot of fun being the only voice for a while.”

Junk or Jackpot? premieres Friday, Dec. 26, at 9:30 p.m. ET on HGTV.