Queer Eye Season 6 - Here's What We Can Tell Fans So Far
The Fab Five have been entertaining audiences on "Queer Eye" since the reboot premiered in 2018. The show follows hosts Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, and Jonathan Van Ness as they help people improve their lives by focusing on their mental health, giving them home and style makeovers, and more. Each episode profiles a different person, or "hero," as the guys call them. The show has captured the hearts of fans for its inclusivity and positivity, as noted by the BBC.
With a loyal fanbase, Netflix was quick to renew the show for a sixth season. But like many television productions, filming for "Queer Eye" Season 6 has been impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This has caused fans to be impatient and ask the streaming service when they'll be able to see the Fab Five on-screen again.
Keep reading for the scoop on when "Queer Eye" will return and what fans can expect in Season 6.
When will Queer Eye Season 6 premiere on Netflix?
Since the "Queer Eye" reboot premiered in 2018, fans have been treated to two seasons a year: one in the winter and a second in the summer or fall. Season 5 was released in June 2020, and Season 6 would've premiered in early 2021 if production hadn't been halted by the coronavirus.
In a July 2020 interview with PureWow, Bobby Berk revealed that the show was in its early stages of filming in Austin, Texas last March when production was halted because of the coronavirus. "We were filming Season 6 when all this hit," he said. "We got through one episode in Austin. And then, unfortunately, everyone got quarantined, so we had to stop filming." Bobby gave another update to Showbiz Cheat Sheet in November 2020 suggesting Season 6 would be delayed by several months because of social distancing mandates. "Our show is not filmed on a set," he explained. "We're out there in real life, in stores and restaurants, and salons. Interacting with people in public. So it's impossible to keep talent, crew, and heroes safe."
Production resumed in April after Netflix deemed it safe for the Fab Five and the participants to film in close proximity. "We're SO EXCITED to step our cowboy boots back in Austin to film Queer Eye: Texas!" the show tweeted. With the show putting the finishing touches on production, fans can probably expect Season 6 to roll out in late 2021 or early 2022.
Who is returning to Queer Eye Season 6?
Although Season 6 of "Queer Eye" has been delayed, fans can take some relief knowing that the Fab Five will be returning for the series. Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, and Jonathan Van Ness will continue to give tips and tricks to their heroes. But fans might have to bring tissues when they watch because Season 6 will be all about getting deep into emotions, especially because of how hard the coronavirus has been on the participants.
"We were all back in it," Bobby told Hollywood Life in June about their experiences filming for the upcoming season. "We were all fully recharged and ready to be open and emotional. I don't think we got through 10 minutes of the first episode we filmed before I was bawling. It's definitely a much more emotional season. It felt really good to be back to helping people again." He added, "Every single hero we worked with had, of course, been affected in some way [by the pandemic]."
When it comes to touching audiences, there's no one better at it than the Fab Five, which will make the wait for Season 6 even more worth it.
Queer Eye Season 6 was eye-opening for the Fab Five
As noted above, "Queer Eye" Season 6 was filmed in Austin, Texas, and while the Fab Five enjoyed filming there, they also experienced discrimination from locals. Karamo Brown revealed that he received "blatant" hate while filming on the People Everyday podcast in June.
"This is real conversations of coming across people who are very blatant about 'I don't interact with Black folks, I don't interact with brown folks, I don't interact with y'all gays.'" Karamo said on the podcast (via USA Today). Karamo continued, "This was the first time I've ever had people tell me after, 'I hated you.'" He said the hatred is "because no one has ever challenged them when it comes to their emotional or mental health."
But despite facing hate in the Cowboy State, Karamo said that the Fab Five was "needed" there to inform and educate locals about diversity and inclusivity, which will no doubt play out when Season 6 is released.