‘Queer Eye’ Star to Leave After Season 8

Queer Eye’s Fab Five is becoming four. Bobby Berk announced Monday that he would be exiting the Netflix reality show after its upcoming eighth season, having previously appeared on every season of the streamer’s reboot alongside co-hosts Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown and Tan France since it debuted in 2018.

“It’s with a heavy heart that I announce that Season 8 will be my final season on Queer Eye,” wrote Berk, who acted as the interior design expert on Queer Eye, as part of a lengthy note on social media. “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.”

Berk began his exit announcement by addressing the Queer Eye community, whom he said has become “family” to him. “The love that I have received from you all over the last 6 years has been absolutely surreal,” he wrote, thanking everyone for teaching him about “kindness, love and acceptance,” and changing his life “for the better.” Berk continued, “The way you have embraced me and accepted me for who I am is something that l will truly carry with me for the rest of my life.”

In addition to the fans of Queer Eye, whom Berk thanked for sharing their own stories with him over the years, the Right At Home author expressed his gratitude for all of the Heroes he’s helped through the show over the years. “To all our wonderful, loving, amazing, and brave heroes there is so much I want to say, and so much gratitude I want to express to you all for letting me into your homes and hearts,” he wrote. “It’s all because of you that I’ve kept going all these years and each and every one of you have changed me for the better. I’m so very proud of all of you! Being able to help guide you to find the best version of yourselves is something I never took for granted and never will.”

Concluding his message, Berk wrote, “I love you all so so much and I’ll meet you all in Nola for one final season.” Season 8 of Queer Eye is set to premiere on Netflix on Jan. 24, following the Fab Five as they change lives in New Orleans. Season 9 of Queer Eye was previously announced as taking place in Las Vegas.