Antoni Porowski has spoken out about the behind-the-scenes tension that overshadowed the final season of ‘Queer Eye’, saying he is ‘left with more questions than answers’ about how the show ended. The food and wine expert, who starred in the Netflix reboot for nearly a decade, addressed the drama in his first interview since the series concluded.
In January, co-star Karamo Brown pulled out of a ‘CBS Mornings’ segment citing fears of bullying, claiming he had been ‘mentally and emotionally abused for years’. This followed a 2024 Rolling Stone investigation into alleged emotionally abusive behaviour by Jonathan Van Ness, which Van Ness has denied. Porowski said he was sad that the controversy ‘served as a distraction’ from the work of the cast and crew.
‘For anybody who’s paying attention to how all of that ended, I was sad that I felt like it served as a distraction in honoring the countless people who’ve worked on the show from day one,’ Porowski told Variety. He added that he hopes fans remember the positive impact of the show, which celebrated LGBTQ+ community and inclusivity.
Porowski is now focusing on his new National Geographic series ‘Best of the World With Antoni Porowski’, premiering on June 7. The show sees him travel to Mexico City, London, Paris and New York, exploring local cultures and cuisines. He described the transition from ensemble to solo hosting as ‘quick’, starting just three months after filming the final ‘Queer Eye’ season.
Reflecting on his time on ‘Queer Eye’, Porowski said he was ‘taught the importance of connecting with other people and just understanding other perspectives’. He remains in touch with ‘some’ of the cast but declined to name names, saying: ‘Who knows what the future holds?’
