Bobby Berk, star of Netflix’s Queer Eye, has announced his departure from the show.
The 42-year-old interior designer described the choice as “necessary,” but “not easy to accept.”
Queer Eye has been a huge sensation with viewers since it relaunched on Netflix in 2018. Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, and Antoni Porowski all host the show.
Each episode of the reality television follows the Fab Five as they alter the lives of various people.
Bobby’s statement, shared on social media on Monday, read in full: ‘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. I learned from you all about kindness, love and acceptance and that has changed my life for the better.’
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Bobby went on: ‘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.
‘Throughout these years, you, the die-hard fans of Queer Eye, have all shared so many stories with me about how the show has touched your lives and I could not be more grateful to each and every one of you for being brave enough to share your experiences.
‘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. 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.’
He continued: ‘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. It’s with a heavy heart that I announce that season 8 will be my final season on Queer Eye.’
Bobby concluded: ‘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. I love you all so so much and I’ll meet you all in Nola for one final season.’
