In a sudden and serious development in the world of home renovation television, HGTV has canceled one of its most enduring series — Rehab Addict — after host Nicole Curtis was caught on camera using a racial slur. The fallout has been swift, prompting an official apology from Curtis and intense reactions online. Here’s what you need to know about the controversy, the cancellation, and Curtis’s response.
Nicole Curtis and the End of Rehab Addict: What Happened?
Rehab Addict, the long-running series starring Nicole Curtis, first launched in 2010 on the DIY Network before moving to HGTV in 2014. The show became an HGTV staple, chronicling Curtis’s work restoring historic homes in places like Detroit and Minneapolis, with a strong fanbase built over more than a decade.
The controversy began when previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage from a Rehab Addict production session surfaced online. In the video, Curtis can be heard using the n-word while expressing frustration during filming — a moment that was reportedly recorded roughly two years ago. She immediately reacts with shock and attempts to have the clip deleted, but the footage nonetheless made its way into the public sphere.
HGTV responded by pulling the plug. The network issued a statement saying it was “recently made aware of an offensive racial comment made during the filming of Rehab Addict,” and emphasized that the language in question was hurtful and inconsistent with its values. As a result, HGTV canceled the series and removed it from all its platforms, including streaming services like HBO Max and Discovery+.
This decision came on the same day the show was scheduled to return with new episodes after a hiatus — making the cancellation abrupt and immediate.
The Nicole Curtis Apology: Full Context and Key Elements
After the footage and cancellation made headlines, Nicole Curtis issued a public apology, acknowledging the incident and expressing remorse. In her statement to media outlets, she said she wanted to be clear that the racial slur “is wrong and not part of my vocabulary and never has been,” and apologized to “everyone.”
Curtis also said she was unaware of HGTV’s decision to cancel the show at the time she made the apology, noting that she had just turned her phone on after being “unplugged” with family. She described the 15-year journey with Rehab Addict as meaningful, added that her current focus is on her relationships and community, and expressed gratitude for the experiences she had with the network.
Across social media and in interviews, Curtis reiterated her regret and emphasized that she does not condone racist language, framing the incident as a serious mistake.
What This Means for the Show and for Curtis
The cancellation of Rehab Addict marks an abrupt end to one of HGTV’s most recognizable renovation series. Whether or not the show or Curtis will ever return to television remains unclear — at least in the immediate future, all episodes have been pulled and Curtis’s collaboration with the network appears to be over.
For fans of the show, the news is jarring: Rehab Addict had aired multiple seasons, and new episodes had already been filmed prior to the controversy. Some viewers have expressed disappointment at the sudden end, while others have welcomed the network’s decision to take a firm stance against offensive language.
The incident is also likely to spark conversations about language, accountability, and how public figures navigate mistakes that touch on race and representation — especially in spaces that reach wide and diverse audiences.
Final Takeaway
The cancellation of Rehab Addict and Nicole Curtis’s apology underscore both the high stakes for public figures today and the broadcast industry’s evolving standards around language and inclusivity. What began as a minor production clip has turned into a career-significant moment for Curtis, with repercussions that may extend well beyond HGTV’s programming slate.
If you have more specific questions about Nicole Curtis, Rehab Addict, or how networks handle controversy, feel free to ask.
