‘Queer Eye’: The Fab Five Takes On Las Vegas With Bobby Berk Replacement Jeremiah Brent In First Look At Season 9
It’s been a busy offseason for Queer Eye but, if the show is proof of anything, it’s resiliency.
With the departure of fan favorite and interior design maestro Bobby Berk earlier this year, the Netflix revival had big shoes to fill ahead of its ninth season. Thankfully, the “Fab Five” didn’t have to worry about becoming the “Fab Four” for long — replacement Jeremiah Brent appears to be fitting in just fine.
To hold fans over until the Dec. 11 Season 9 premiere, Netflix has unveiled a first look at the miracle workers, who are gearing up for another round of makeovers, this time in Las Vegas. Dressed in their signature colorful attire, Brent immediately stands out, front and center in one group photo and playfully perched atop a slot machine in another.
After previous stints in Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, Louisiana, and specials in Australia and Japan, this season will mark another change for the crew: Their first time filming on the West Coast.
According to Netflix, fans can expect another eccentric cast of clientele, referred to as “heroes” within the show. Each season, the quintet helps transform the lives of individuals, this time around encompassing everyone from a “former showgirl struggling to regain her confidence” to “a dedicated librarian in need of a change.”
Though Berk is gone, Brent will be joined by familiar faces Antoni Porowski, food and wine virtuoso; Jonathan Van Ness, grooming expert; Karamo Brown, connoisseur of all things culture; and Tan France, fashion guru.
This newest season aims to meet expectations and shed the baggage the show has carried in recent months. Following Berk’s announcement on X in November 2023 that Season 8 would be his last, rumors began to circulate of behind the scenes drama.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Berk gave some credence to the rumors, citing contract disputes, but also that he and his former castmate France had a “situation,” but said he foresaw reconciliation down the line.
“I will always have a very special place in my heart for him and Rob [France’s husband] and the kids,” he said in January. “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.”
The water would be muddied by another article from Rolling Stone that suggested further friction on set with Van Ness that led to Berk’s removal and Brent’s hiring, but France came out in defense of his new co-star in an Instagram live.
“Netflix and the production companies did a full-on casting,” he claimed at the time. “I didn’t put my friend up for the job. They ended up getting it because they were the best person for the job.”
Queer Eye is currently streaming on Netflix.
