Why Bobby Berk isn't returning to Queer Eye (All the drama explained)

From the very beginning of Netflix's Queer Eye, we were joined by five amazing members, Tan France, Jonathan van Ness, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski, and Bobby Berk.

Undoubtedly, each remarkable individual, known as the Fab Five, brought something unique to the table. Be it their ability to style a show-stopping outfit or cook up a dish so savory that it'll make anyone's mouth drool. However, as amazing as these talents are, fans of the show were often left speechless by Berk's ability to transform a living space into something completely innovative and stunning.

Witnessing Berk's renovations often felt like the cherry on top, as it would shock both the viewers and the people fortunate enough to receive the renovation. What's more, he often felt like the father of the group since he was always so level-headed and focused on ensuring their special guests felt heard, seen, and loved.

Simply put, Bobby Berk is a powerhouse, which is why fans were left puzzled after he announced that he was leaving Queer Eye after 8 seasons.

Was it simply Berk's time to go? Or is there another underlying reason for his unexpected departure? Here's everything we know.

Bobby clarifies where things stand between him and Tan

During a new interview with Vanity Fair, Bobby cleared the air involving what happened between him and his co-star Tan France. Per the reality star, he and Tan "had a moment," and had some sort of conflict or dispute, though he doesn't go into detail.

“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," he says.

Afterward, Bobby unfollowed Tan on Instagram, and that's why he couldn't tag him in his posts as you can only tag mutuals on the social media platform. Bobby says he probably shouldn't have unfollowed Tan, but compares their relationship to siblings, sometimes fights happen.

That said, there is hope on the horizon for things to "thaw" between them and get back into each other's good graces. They recently shared a sweet moment at the Emmy's, and Bobby says that it was like the first "bandage on a wound."

"I will always have a very special place in my heart for him and Rob [France’s husband] and the kids. I can foresee in six months or a year, Tan and I at each other’s house being good. The Emmys was already the first bandage on that wound."

Why Bobby Berk left Queer Eye

According to an exclusive from an insider source at Us Weekly, Bobby Berk allegedly left Queer Eye due to tension between his fellow four castmates. While the media outlet didn't go into detail concerning what the drama between Berk and his other four peers was, they did claim that Berk was on an island by himself, leaving him with no other choice but to split.

"There were many challenges with scheduling [and] there was a loss of interest from Bobby filming the show," an insider shared. "The network and the cast thought it was time to bring in fresh blood. His heart was not in it and the rest of the cast started to resent him because of that."

Another insider from the outlet contradicted this statement by adding that Berk "was not asked to leave", alluding to the fact that the ball was in Berk's court from the very beginning.

Based on the insiders' reveals and Berk's Twitter thread, it's difficult to know the order of events. It's even harder to separate what's true from what's embellished. Even so, fans who have had their suspicions about the behind-the-scenes prior to Bobby Berk's departure have their own theories on what happened.

Most Queer Eye fans still support Bobby Berk

As expected, Reddit fans are also confused about the entire Bobby Berk ordeal, especially because the insiders are saying two conflicting things.

One side of the fandom believes that Berk couldn't possibly have been asked to leave, as he was a fan favorite.

"Personally, I doubt he was asked to leave," one Redditor expressed. "He seems to have a crazy work ethic, and you can tell from listening to how he interacts with the other four that they do care for each other. I don’t think they would want him gone."

Others think that there is no beef and that things just fizzled out naturally.

"Maybe he just wanted to move on to something else or he’s feeling burned out from years of doing this," another comment read. "There doesn’t have to be drama."

There are even some fans who looked beyond the scope of the article and found that there may have actually been a few disagreements between members.

For example, one Redditor found that Karamo Brown interacted with Berk's initial Instagram post about his exit and even got his message pinned by Berk shortly afterward.

"@bobby we are #ForeverTheFab5 no matter what. I'm about to be a(t) Netflix's door & e-mails telling them you can't leave," Brown wrote. "Who's coming with me? I love you!"

Other members of the Fab Five, such as Antoni Porowski, Jonathan van Ness, and even van Ness' hair Instagram, interacted with the goodbye post, too. Whether or not these messages and replies were genuine, though, remains to be seen.

Regardless of what has transpired, fans are gutted and really don't want Berk to exit the show. Only time will tell if this departure will be permanent, but, until then, we wish Bobby Berk the best in all his future endeavors. (This might even include a show of his own!)

Don't forget to tune in to the season 8 premiere of Queer Eye on Wednesday, Jan. 24, only on Netflix.