Queer Eye Season 7: What We Know So Far
There are endless shows to binge-watch on Netflix, but none of them are quite like "Queer Eye." The hit reality show features five fabulous queer stars who completely transform people's lives. From their clothing and beauty routines to their confidence and eating habits, the Fab Five come in as Fairy Godmother-like figures to help struggling people find their path. It's magical, and the world needs more of it, which means that, naturally, fans are dying for Season 7.
While the original iteration came out in 2003, the "Queer Eye" reboot took Netflix by storm in 2018 (via IMDb). Since then, the feel-good show has had six successful seasons. Each time, the Fab Five — Karamo Brown, Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, Tan France, and Bobby Berk — touches down in a new city intent on changing the lives of their featured "Heroes." The show has incredible ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, with Season 5 even scoring a whopping 100%.
Bottom line: Everybody is obsessed with this show. Here's everything we know about "Queer Eye" Season 7 thus far, because let's face it, you're going to want to be the first to know about the new episodes.
Is there a release date for Queer Eye Season 7?
"Queer Eye" Season 6 was released in 2021. That means that there's been quite a gap between seasons. However, ratings were obviously not the issue. Up until the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Netflix was launching two seasons of the show per year since it premiered in 2018 (via IMDb). Unfortunately, like most things, the pandemic slowed the process down considerably.
There was a year and a half gap between the fifth and sixth seasons of "Queer Eye," for instance, the longest fans have ever gone without a season. The Fab Five themselves seemingly had no insider info about it either. As Antoni Porowski shrugged on "Watch What Happens Live," in November 2022, since it's a Netflix project, the cast was likely to find out a few days before it aired.
While it's unclear whether they actually got a heads-up in the end, Netflix confirmed the seven-episode season will finally drop on May 12, 2023 (per ET Canada).
The cast of Queer Eye is a staple
Although the launch dates and lengths between the seasons may change, there is one thing that stays the same — the Fab Five. Karamo Brown, Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, Tan France, and Bobby Berk are all staples. Since the beginning, they have been active on the show and beloved by fans all over the world.
Each has a different role. Brown is a culture expert, Van Ness is a master hair whiz, Porowski is a chef, France handles all things fashion, and Berk covers interior design (via TV Guide). Together, the lovable cast creates a well-rounded, completely balanced show, and suffice it to say "Queer Eye" wouldn't work without them.
While each star has other endeavors on the go besides just the show, they always make it a point to come together to film and change lives. The Fab Five haven't missed a single episode together the entire time they've been shooting for Netflix, and it's likely that Season 7 will be the exact same.
Queer Eye has won tons of awards
In case you're not quite sure how beloved this show is, allow us to put it in perspective. "Queer Eye" has been around for six seasons and has thus far won a whopping ten Emmy Awards in that time. So not only does "Queer Eye" have a crazy high rating among its viewers, but the voting academy has also weighed in. Of course, the show is much bigger than just awards.
The Fab Five are actively changing the lives of every person who takes part for the better. "It's been amazing to be on a show that's able to win awards like an Emmy but be a show that's out there doing good as well," Bobby Berk told People. "And to be a show that we really enjoy doing; a show that is making a difference but is also being recognized is also a dream come true."
Is everyone from the Queer Eye cast returning for Season 7?
Nobody really expected Netflix's "Queer Eye" reboot to be as popular as it is, and it's clear that the main reason is because of the Fab Five themselves. Thus, it's tough to imagine the show returning for a seventh season without Antoni Porowski, Bobby Berk, Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, and Karamo Brown. However, France made headlines when he admitted, during an interview with Insider, that they might be reaching their sell-by date soon.
"We're all knocking on a bit," France acknowledged, arguing that once the "middle-aged period" begins, viewers and participants alike might be less inclined to take their opinions onboard. "I'm sure that they'll want somebody younger and hipper to advise them," the style expert, who also appears on "Next In Fashion" alongside Gigi and Bella Hadid, noted. Thankfully, co-star Porowski reckons there's nothing to worry about. In fact, he'd welcome the chance to move on.
The bestselling cookbook author was appearing on "Watch What Happens Live" when a fan wondered how he felt about France's concerns. Porowski stated simply, "I'm all for love and abundance." He went on to explain that, eventually, the current Fab Five will have to "pass the torch" to a different group of experts, but considering how vital the show is, Porowski would rather it continue on indefinitely than potentially dig his heels in about appearing on it.
Queer Eye Season 7 filmed in New Orleans
As a hilarious Instagram post from April 2022 confirmed, Season 7 of "Queer Eye" took place across New Orleans, with the show's official account writing: "Beignets for everyone!! If you know someone in NOLA who is deserving of a 'Queer Eye' make-better let us know," alongside the casting info. According to E! News, they began shooting in June 2022, with Netflix sharing: "The Fab Five have only just arrived to The Big Easy and are excited to join the party in this amazing city."
The streamer added, "Get ready for new adventures and more tears real soon." The first two seasons took place in Georgia, while Season 3 moved to Missouri and Kansas, Season 4 included parts of Missouri and Illinois, Season 5 relocated to New Jersey and Pennyslvania, and finally, Season 6 took place solely in Texas. Renovation expert Bobby Berk revealed to E! News that they'd condensed the already tight shooting schedule down from five days to around three or four.
"It's been a lot of fun. Very busy, especially in my department doing two homes in less than two weeks now," Berk confirmed. As for how they've taken to life in NOLA, the reality star enthused: "New Orleans has a culture all its own. It's unlike any other city in the U.S. It's Cajun and Creole culture that you just don't find anywhere else. It's almost like being in a different country and I mean that in the best way."
Tan France said Season 7 was the 'hardest' to film
Bobby Berk might have been thrilled to set up shop in The Big Easy but his co-star Tan France wasn't quite as taken with New Orleans. During a chat with E! News, the British-American designer admitted, "New Orleans was the hardest place we ever shot." Although the show is well-known for making viewers sob uncontrollably, France shared, "I cried more this season than I've ever cried on 'Queer Eye' ever." As for what got him so choked up, the "Next In Fashion" star explained it was because of the lingering effects of Hurricane Katrina, which hit him hard because France wasn't yet living in the States when the disaster occurred.
"Seeing the devastation, seeing what it did to families, seeing how much poverty it created, that's what got me. Some of our heroes have just never been able to recover. And so that's why the transformations were so special because it's as if many of them have stood still in time," he said. Likewise, because everybody knows the Fab Five so well now, they've been pushed to think outside the box and make each makeover even more fabulous and life-changing than before.
As a result, France reckons Season 7 is the "most interesting" and "unique" yet. Co-star Jonathan Van Ness agreed, telling E!'s "Daily Pop" emphatically, "We've had the most dramatic transformations we've ever had. I did my biggest haircut ever. Like, the most length off of anybody."
How to watch every episode of Queer Eye thus far
The "Queer Eye" reboot is a Netflix exclusive, so if you're looking to revisit all the previous tear-inducing and life-affirming episodes before Season 7 rolls around, that's where you'll find them. As for "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," the original series on which it's based, you can catch all five seasons streaming on Tubi, according to Just Watch. Likewise, there's one season available for purchase on Amazon too.
It's worth remembering that the original iteration was groundbreaking for its time, with Carson Kressley (who'll also be familiar to "RuPaul's Drag Race" fans as a judge on the hit show) informing E! News proudly, "It was instantly kind of water-cooler television." As Kressley sees it, "Part of it was because out-of-the-closet queer men had never really been allowed to just be themselves on TV before and that turned out to be revolutionary."
"Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" ran from 2003 to 2007, encompassing 100 episodes total, with the original Fab Five reuniting in 2021 for "Reunion Road Trip." Us Weekly confirmed there's no competition between the two casts either, with original star Jai Rodriguez revealing they'd all grown close since the reboot premiered. Likewise, he and the four other original cast members wished their modern contemporaries nothing but the best, even enthusiastically referring to it as "Queer Eye 2.0."