‘Queer Eye’ star Karamo Brown abruptly backs out of interviews with co-stars

Karamo Brown abruptly backed out of multiple live morning shows, just an hour before air time on Tuesday.

Brown was expected to join his “Queer Eye” castmates Jeremiah Brent, Tan France, Antoni Porowski and Jonathan van Ness for a round of live interviews, including appearances on “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle” and “CBS Mornings.”

Instead, CBS anchor Gayle King read a letter from Brown apologizing for being absent but explaining his decision to sit out.

Karamo Brown, one of the “Fab Five” of Netflix’s “Queer Eye,” did not participate in this morning’s interview with the cast, writing to CBS Mornings that he hopes people remember to “protect their mental health/peace.”

Brown’s assistant told CBS Mornings that the expert was… pic.twitter.com/oDDtlo8Y7v

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) January 20, 2026

“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 or a world who seek to destroy it; which is why I can’t be there today,” the statement read.

King also said she received a message from Brown’s assistant claiming the reality star was “worried about being bullied.”

When asked about Brown’s remarks, his co-stars said they were surprised.

“Surprised is a fair understatement,” Porowski said. “I will say, our ‘Queer Eye’ family — we’ve been doing this for almost a decade, which is pretty wild to believe — and families are complicated and we’re definitely not excluded from that. But I think two things can exist at the same time, and while that is definitely true, we’re also here to showcase these incredible heroes we have and really honor the legacy of this past decade of our lives and all these wonderful heroes that we’ve had the blessing of getting to meet and have conversations with.”

Brent, who replaced Bobby Berk on season 9 of the show, echoed a similar sentiment praising his castmates.

“My experience in this group has been transformative,” he told King. “To see the way that they move through the world, the way that they have taught me so much about life and friendship and love. I have felt safe and supported by the people up here.”

Shortly after, the cast addressed Brown’s absence again on “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle,” where Brown sent a video message saying, “Just like the themes of this season, I’m modeling what I believe is most important, which I want to remind you all, love yourselves and protect yourselves. That’s why I’m here at home and not there.”

The reality star also sent the NBC show a statement saying that he “has felt mentally and emotionally abused for years,” and was advised by his therapist not to attend the interview.

Brown was one of the original members of the show, which has aired since 2003.

Fans noticed last week that Brown had unfollowed France, Porowski and van Ness, a move that raised eyebrows as Season 10’s premiere approached.

Brown hasn’t revealed who, specifically, is behind the tension.

Season 10 of “Queer Eye,” set in Washington, D.C., drops on Netflix on Wednesday.