Karamo Brown Says He Was ‘Depressed’ Behind the Scenes of ‘Queer Eye’ Despite Upbeat Demeanor

Karamo Brown has spoken out about the behind the scenes drama on the set of Queer Eye, and he revealed how he acted in front of the camera stood in stark contrast to how he felt in real life.

“I was depressed,” Brown, 45, said in an interview with People published on Tuesday, June 2. “It felt shameful because I was teaching people that they could be better, but in my own life I was trapped.”

In Queer Eye, the former Real World: Philadelphia star was always upbeat and positive as he helped the people who turned to the show for a lifestyle change. However, when the cameras weren’t rolling, tension was brewing between himself and his costars – Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, and Jeremiah Brent. (Bobby Berk was one of the original stars but stepped away after season 8 and was replaced with Brent.)

When his mother, Charmaine, visited the set, she confessed to Brown that she had overheard his costars speaking poorly about him.

“The thing I know is the tears I saw in my mother’s eyes,” the Dancing with the Stars alum explained. “[She kept repeating], ‘I thought they were your friends.’ It made me realize I can no longer stay silent about how often I was made to feel like an outsider.”

Brown also claimed that members of the production team and executives were bullies and showed what he called “bad behavior,” but when he spoke about the issues, they were brushed off.

“Everyone would just say, ‘Well, that’s just that person,’ instead of saying, ‘This behavior does not fly in a professional environment,'” he told the publication. “It impacted me negatively, consistently.”

However, ITV America and Scout Productions denied Brown’s claims.

“We strongly disagree with any characterization that concerns raised during the production of Queer Eye were ignored, dismissed or allowed to continue unchecked,” they said in a statement given to People. “Throughout the series’ run, any issues brought to production leadership were taken seriously and addressed appropriately.”

The statement concluded by saying, “Production consistently fostered a respectful and professional environment for the cast and crew — which included ongoing training, coaching and other support for the cast — maintaining clear workplace policies and practices throughout filming. We remain incredibly proud of Queer Eye‘s lasting impact and the community the series helped build over more than 20 years.”