Nicole Curtis is speaking out after HGTV removed Rehab Addict from its platforms following the emergence of behind-the-scenes footage showing her using a racial slur during filming.
The clip, first reported by RadarOnline on Wednesday, February 11, appeared online the very day the long-running home renovation show was set to make its return to TV.
In the footage, Curtis is seen growing visibly frustrated during a renovation and blurting out the n-word. She quickly appears shocked by what she said and asks for the moment to be edited out. Despite that, the clip eventually surfaced online.
HGTV said it had only recently learned about the incident. In a statement, the network confirmed it was “recently made aware of an offensive racial comment made during the filming of Rehab Addict.”
The network added that the language was “hurtful and disappointing to our viewers, partners, and employees” and does not align with its values. As a result, HGTV pulled the series from all of its platforms.
Curtis later responded in a statement to TMZ, apologizing for her use of the slur. “I want to be clear: the word in question is wrong and not part of my vocabulary and never has been, and I apologize to everyone,” she said.
She also told TMZ that she was unaware HGTV planned to remove the show on the same day it was supposed to return from its hiatus.
On her Instagram Stories, Curtis posted screenshots of a text exchange with the outlet, reflecting on her time with the network. In one message, she wrote,
“I’m grateful for the 15-year journey we’ve shared. It’s been a meaningful chapter, but my focus isn’t on my career.” She added that right now, her main priority is her “relationships” and “community.”
In another slide, she shared, “There is more to this, but my family comes first, and I need to be mom right now more than anything else.”
Curtis explained that she had been at school and had just turned her phone back on when TMZ contacted her. She added that she plans to “take the time to be as I’ve always been… transparent and honest.”
Rehab Addict first premiered in 2010, documenting Curtis as she restored historic homes on the brink of demolition. The series returned for its ninth season in June 2025 after a lengthy hiatus, with Curtis and HGTV promoting new episodes slated to air on February 11 earlier this year.
At this time, the show has been taken down from HGTV’s platforms, and there are no announced plans for its return.
