Tan France has given Newsweek insight into the upcoming season of Queer Eye, saying it's the "best one yet" after the show was clouded by behind-the-scenes drama.
France is one-fifth of the cast of the hit Netflix show, which is heading into its ninth season. While the program has been loved by viewers thanks to its heartwarming nature, it hit a bump in the road when news of feuds between cast members began to emerge after the show's interior designer, Bobby Berk, revealed that Season 8 would be his last.
In February, Netflix announced that Jeremiah Brent—a friend of France's—would be replacing Berk as the newest member of the Fab Five, starring alongside France, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski and Jonathan Van Ness.
The following month, Rolling Stone released an article stating France had advocated for Brent to replace Berk, with Porowski reportedly backing the decision. One source referred to what transpired as "mean-girl antics." Days later, France took to Instagram to deny these claims.
Now France, who is the fashion expert for the series, has told Newsweek that the upcoming season of Queer Eye is his favorite.
"There's another season coming later on, either this year or early next year at some point within the next seven or eight months and it's wicked," he told Newsweek.
"I can't prepare you enough, it's the best one yet. Empirically—I don't care if that's not objective, it's not, it's the best one yet."
Berk took to Instagram in November 2023 to share the news of his departure, months before the show's eighth season premiered in January 2024.
"It's not been an easy decision to be at peace with, but a necessary one," part of his statement read. "Although my journey with Queer Eye is over, my journey with you is not. You will be seeing more of me very soon."
Following his announcement, Berk unfollowed France on social media, prompting fans to question whether the two were at odds.
Days after the article was published by Rolling Stone, France uploaded a video to his Instagram stories, denying the claims.
"I just want to address one point real quick," he said. "My former colleague getting fired had nothing to do with me trying to get my friend hired."
He added: "I didn't get [Brent] hired by getting rid of somebody else."
Aside from appearing on Queer Eye, France has joined forces once again with Bobbie, a mom-founded pediatric nutrition company, to push harder for guaranteed paternity leave in the United States.
France shares two children with his husband Rob France. The couple welcomed their eldest son, Ismail, via surrogate in July 2021. They expanded their family in 2023 with their second child, Isaac, with France sharing the news on Instagram in May of that year.
In a new campaign called "When Dads Take Leave," France has opened up about returning to work just one week after welcoming their second baby. Speaking to Newsweek, he also revealed he returned to work within less than a week after his first child was born.
"At the time [the impact] was huge, especially with my first one, because no one could prepare you for your first child, it's just so overwhelming," he said.
"And so that's why I'm so proud to be a part of this campaign with Bobbie, because I understand firsthand what it feels like to not have the time to be able to spend with your newborn, and then I experienced that with my second child.
"And you know, the interesting thing is, I know that so many have said, 'Poor little rich boy, he's an entertainer,' and 'Oh, woe is him,' however, I am an example of what it looks like for most people in the U.S.
"Yes, I know I have such privilege, such privilege, working in entertainment. Financially, yeah, I could have absolutely decided I wasn't going to work anymore, I was going to quit those jobs, but I was contractually obligated. If I got out of those jobs, I was in trouble. And so, there's so much pressure, even in the entertainment industry, to go back to work as quickly as possible, because you are contractually obligated to get back to work.
"But this is just an example of what it actually looks like across the U.S. Although this campaign is about when dads take leave, but also mothers."
If passed, the FAMILY Act would give all workers up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave to care for a new child.
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