After Bobby Berk left Queer Eye, fans were convinced it was because of his apparent feud with co-star Tan France. So, what exactly happened between them?
What Happened Between Tan France and Bobby Berk?
In November 2023, Bobby broke fans’ hearts when he announced his departure from the Queer Eye after six years.
“It’s with a heavy heart that I announce that season 8 will be my final season on Queer Eye,” Bobby wrote via Instagram, adding that this has “not been an easy decision to be at peace with, but a necessary one.”
At the time, viewers wondered whether or not Tan and Bobby were getting along behind the scenes after Bobby unfollowed Tan on social media. However, according to Bobby’s latest interview, it’s still unclear how the negativity brewed between them.
The duo definitely fueled rumors of their drama, though, with silent digs and snubs. Fans even spotted that one of Bobby’s Instagram posts in early January 2024 initially tagged all of his other Queer Eye stars except Tan, according to The Sun.
Did Bobby Leave ‘Queer Eye’ Because of Tan?
During an interview with Vanity Fair that was published on January 26, Bobby pointed out that he hoped “this interview will help extinguish some of the speculation. He then added, “I want people to know that Tan and I — we will be fine.”
“Tan and I had a moment,” Bobby admitted. “There was a situation, and that’s between Tan and I, and it has nothing to do with the show. It was something personal that had been brewing — and nothing romantic, just to clarify that.”
According to Bobby’s new comments, he insisted that his and Tan’s tense “situation” did not lead to his departure from the unscripted series.
“Should I have unfollowed Tan? No. Maybe I should have just muted him,” Berk confessed, before adding, “But that day, I was angry, and that’s the end of it. We became like siblings — and siblings are always going to fight.”
Why Did Bobby Berk Leave ‘Queer Eye’?
While Bobby clarified that he did not leave Queer Eye because of Tan, he recalled the “emotions” among the cast when he didn’t sign back on to return to the show.
“There were definitely emotions. But each one of us had our reasons why we did what we did,” he emphasized. “I can’t be mad — for a second I was. All the plans that I had made when I thought we weren’t coming back, I just wasn’t willing to change those. I would have had to pump the brakes on multiple other projects that are already in process. We had mentally just prepared ourselves to move on — that’s why I left.”
Since the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes hit Hollywood in 2023, Bobby was referring to how the fate of Queer Eye was left up in the air.
“We’d just assumed that the show wouldn’t come back if we all didn’t come back,” he explained. “I was like, I’m not going to be having FOMO ’cause the show is not going to happen. I had become at peace with it.”
In November 2023, Bobby broke the news to fans that he was leaving the show.
“Although my journey with Queer Eye is over, my journey with you is not,” he promised. “You will be seeing more of me very soon. The love that I have received from you all over the last six 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. 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.”