Karamo Brown finally breaks silence on Queer Eye drama: ‘It broke us’

Karamo Brown has finally revealed what went on behind-the-scenes of Queer Eye and what caused him to distance himself from the rest of the “Fab Five”.

In January of this year, Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, and Jeremiah Brent went on a promotional circuit for the final season of the Netflix show – but Brown was nowhere to be seen.

He had been due to join them on CBS Mornings but pulled out, sharing a statement saying: “I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade, which is to focus on and to protect their mental health/peace from people … who seek to destroy it.”

Now, speaking to People, Brown says he put boundaries in place after years of what he claimed was toxic behaviour behind-the-scenes, which included alleged bullying and bad behaviour from show crew members, which he claimed went ignored.

According to Brown, his mother overheard some of his co-stars talking badly about him when she visited the set in 2025, and that was the final straw. It’s alleged Van Ness, France and Porowski had been part of that conversation.

Brown never asked for details of what was said, but said he saw “tears” in his mother’s eyes. “It made me realise I can no longer stay silent about how often I was made to feel like an outsider,” he said.

According to Brown, fractures started to appear after a complaint of sexual harassment was filed against him during filming. He was cleared of any wrongdoing.

‘We all knew the divide between us’

He had initially accused an unnamed co-star, who he said he had a “fun and flirty” relationship with, of filing the complaint, but later discovered it had been an anonymous third part.

Brown said: “It broke us. We all knew the divide between us.”

People claim sources told them that Brown’s relationships with Van Ness and France were particularly troubled. However Brown holds no ill will to Van Ness, commending the star on the “commendable and inspiring” work they’ve been doing on themself.

“Growth isn’t always public-facing, but I respect him for how he’s currently moving through life,” Brown said.

He also acknowledged his part to play in any backstage drama, saying: “There were times I was hurt and would lash back out. I recognise my part and how things I did impacted people.”

The show’s production company ITV America and Scout Productions said in a statement shared with the publication: “We strongly disagree with any characterisation that concerns raised during the production of Queer Eye were ignored, dismissed or allowed to continue unchecked. Throughout the series’ run, any issues brought to production leadership were taken seriously and addressed appropriately.

“Production consistently fostered a respectful and professional environment for the cast and crew – which included ongoing training, coaching and other support for the cast – maintaining clear workplace policies and practices throughout filming.”

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