HGTV’s Nicole Curtis claimed she was being extorted with a video of her using a racial slur shortly before it was leaked.
Curtis, 49, addressed speculation that someone on her crew released the footage that ultimately got her fired from the network, writing via Instagram on Wednesday, February 18, “I was not contracted to any network or show. (think free agent in sports) Any crew hired, paid by me, The footage is mine. My crew didn’t steal my footage.”
The reality TV star alleged that someone close to her was blackmailing her.
“I don’t have ‘sets’. I own all my properties. In other words, no one is my ‘boss’, I’m the boss. I create product & sell the rights of it & my likeness for limited contracted use,” she continued. “Someone personal (not crew) had access, demanded [money], I didn’t pay — here we are.”
Curtis hosted Rehab Addict, which premiered on the DIY Network in 2010 before moving to HGTV four years later. Season 9 initially aired two episodes in June 2025 before it was abruptly put on pause.
The hiatus came amid scheduling changes at the network, with five shows — Battle on the Beach, Farmhouse Fixer, Married to Real Estate, Bargain Block and Izzy Does It — being canceled.
“I made the executive decision to shelf the rest of our new shows until fall. I appreciate your support and understanding for the late notice,” Curtis wrote via Instagram at the time. “It’s just a lot of hours (my hours) to get a show on air and we (my family + me) thought – why are we giving up summer when we have the ability to do this in the fall?”
Rehab Addict was expected to return earlier this month. On February 11 — the same day new episodes were slated to be released — RadarOnline published footage of Curtis using the n-word while completing a renovation project for the series.
HGTV subsequently confirmed that the show would no longer be airing.
“HGTV was recently made aware of an offensive racial comment made during the filming of Rehab Addict. 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 told Us Weekly in a statement. “Accordingly, we have removed the series from all HGTV platforms. We remain dedicated to fostering a culture of respect and inclusion across our content and our workplace.”
Curtis, meanwhile, addressed the situation via her Instagram Story. “There is more to this, but my family comes first and I need to be mom right now more than anything else,” she wrote. “I will take the time to be as I’ve always been with you, transparent and honest. TMZ called me as I had just turned my phone on after being at school – I said this briefly – but there is more …”
Warner Bros. Discovery ultimately pulled the rest of the planned new episodes off HGTV’s schedule and removed past episodes from HBO Max and Discovery+.
