HGTV Star Fired Amid Shocking Behind-the-Scenes Revelations

Hours after a bombshell video of a top HGTV star dropping the 'n-word' was leaked online, the longtime home designer's show was taken off air.

Rehab Addict, which initially debuted on the DIY network in 2010, returned to screens on Wednesday after going on hiatus back in July 2025 when host Nicole Curtis claimed she made the 'executive decision' to shelve the remaining episodes and recut them for a later release.

But apparently, that wasn't the full story.

Curtis, 49, did not have the authority to pull the episodes, according to an insider. And for some, her racial slur was the 'final straw' in a long line of altercations.

One source told the Daily Mail that Curtis was on the outs with HGTV for some time now because she was 'difficult to work with and would submit her episodes and other things [bosses] requested past deadlines.'

The source claimed it was the network - rather than Curtis - who made the decision to abruptly end season nine after two episodes last summer.

Rehab Addict hosted by Nicole Curtis, 49, has been taken off air from HGTV after unaired footage of her dropping the 'n-word' was leaked online on Wednesday

Insiders have revealed to the Daily Mail about the truth of her show's removal and what she's really like to work with behind the scenes

'It's definitely been a power struggle between Nicole and HGTV and there have been a lot of conflicts,' the insider said. 'She can't meet deadlines. She would always push and push and push to the last minute.

'She got a warning from HGTV to submit the remaining season nine episodes, which is why she wrote it was "now or never" when airing the episodes. That's also why they gave her the noon timeslot... The racial slur was the final straw.'

Days prior to the new episodes dropping, Curtis surprised fans with the announcement on her social media: 'Straight from Detroit - the new episodes drop Wednesday... was told now or never - so you get them now.'

The turning point seemingly came in 2021 when she founded her production company, Porte Cochere Production, and attempted to take more control.

'Since she decided to have her own production company and take over production, she's been handling contracts to contractors, builders, crew, those who work with her on the show and she hasn't handled them well,' said a second source, noting that there have been payment issues in the past.

Last year, her business partner, Jordan Garland filed a lawsuit accusing the reality star of not paying him for his work on Rehab Addict, the The Sun reported. However, it was dismissed months later in October 2025 after Garland was paid $36,750 for his services and reimbursed for costs.

A source revealed that Curtis and HGTV had their disputes since she was 'difficult to work with' and would not meet deadlines

The source said that her crew has 'packed up and left' since 'they didn't want to deal with her' and that that she's had contract issues in the past

The source went on to describe Curtis as an 'unhinged individual.' 

'She can flip a switch - like she will be yelling and throwing things, and then in a snap, start laughing like everything's fine,' they claimed. 

'Even some of her crew has said, "We want nothing to do with you," and cameramen have packed up and left on set because they didn't want to deal with her.

'She's a nightmare to work with. She doesn't treat people well and walks over them.'

While the source noted that Curtis is a hard worker and a good storyteller, she allegedly 'barks orders' at people and has them working on jobs that they weren't originally hired to do.

Despite her alleged behavior, they insisted she is not racist. 'I literally have never heard her say that word or anything of any type of racial slur whatsoever,' they said. 'She's 100 percent not racist.'

But the nail in her coffin came on Wednesday when a video published on RadarOnline featured her making a racial slur. 'Oh, fart n*****,' she said during a moment of frustration at renovation work on a home.

Visibly worried, she quickly turned to the camera and said: 'What the f**k was that that I just said?'

She then insisted that a crew member named Nick 'kill that,' implying he needed to erase the footage. The video was shot when taping part of season nine, episode one, but was filmed back in 2022 in Wyoming and Detroit, Michigan.

An HGTV exec told the Daily Mail about her cancelation: 'The last thing HGTV needs right now as we're trying to stay afloat is to have a controversy like that. It's just too big of a risk'

Her subsequent series removal was not a 'unanimous decision,' an HGTV exec told the Daily Mail. 

'You hate to have someone throw everything away for a one-second lapse in judgement,' they said. 'We agonized yesterday about this, what to do. We knew we had to address it, but we also wanted to see how big it got before we did a knee-jerk reaction. As it started to get more attention, we knew we had to act. We had to do something.

'The decision wasn't unanimous at all. We weighed the pros and cons. Keep in mind that this means an entire crew is out of work today, if production stops. It signifies the end of a job. And that's always a rough thing to do. There was talk about having her apologize and just moving on.

'There was a little bit of pushback. Some angling. A bit of bargaining. What if we apologize and what if we add diversity to the show? What can we do to fix this? But the fact is that, for better or for worse, there's nothing that can be done. That's the kiss of death.'

They said bosses 'would work with her again in the future, after an appropriate amount of time has passed' but right now she is 'too much of a liability.'

'The last thing HGTV needs right now as we're trying to stay afloat is to have a controversy like that. It's just too big of a risk,' they added.

Curtis addressed the slur in a statement to TMZ: '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 continued, 'There is more to this, but my family comes first and I need to be mom right now more than anything else. I will take the time to be as I've always been with you, transparent and honest.'

Curtis has two children: Ethan, 29, and Harper, 10.

The Daily Mail has contacted Curtis and HGTV for comment. A representative from HGTV issued an official statement saying they were 'recently made aware of an offensive racial comment made during the filming of Rehab Addict.'

'We understand that language like this is hurtful and disappointing to our viewers, partners, and employees, and it does not align with the values of HGTV,' they said.

They also confirmed that they 'removed the series from all HGTV platforms' and that they 'remain dedicated to fostering a culture of respect and inclusion across our content and our workplace.'