HGTV has yanked one of its longtime renovation stars off the air after a resurfaced video showed her using a racial slur on set. The network said it has removed Nicole Curtis, host and producer of Rehab Addict, from all HGTV platforms after learning of "an offensive racial comment" made during filming, per the Detroit Free Press. In a clip published Wednesday by Radar Online, Curtis is heard saying, "Oh fart n-----," then immediately reacts, "What the f--- is that that I just said? Nick, you gotta, can you kill that?" The outlet, citing an unnamed source, said the video was shot about two years ago during production.
"Not only is language like this hurtful and disappointing to our viewers, partners, and employees—it does not align with the values of HGTV," the network said in a statement, adding that it is "dedicated to fostering a culture of respect and inclusion" in its programming and workplace. The decision came the same day two new episodes of the show's ninth season had been scheduled to air. HGTV did not say whether they ran before what People describes as the show's cancellation. The network also didn't say whether Rehab Addict would be pulled from streaming platforms; the show had vanished from HBO Max as of Wednesday night.
Curtis, who grew up in Lake Orion, Mich., addressed the controversy on Instagram, saying there was "more to this" but that she was prioritizing her family. In a text to TMZ she later posted, she thanked HGTV for a "15-year journey" and said her attention is on "relationships, and my community—the people who truly know my character." She called the word she used "wrong" said it had never been "part of my vocabulary," and apologized "to everyone."
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