Nicole Curtis: Rehab Addict Controversy – What She Said, Apology & Aftermath

Updated: February 12, 2026 – Nicole Curtis, the beloved HGTV star known for restoring historic homes on her long-running series Rehab Addict, has been dropped by the network and removed from all platforms after a leaked video showed her uttering a racial slur while filming. Below is a complete, chronological breakdown of exactly what Curtis said on camera, her immediate reaction, and every statement she has issued since the footage surfaced.

📺 The Leaked Footage: What Nicole Curtis Said

On February 11, 2026, RadarOnline published video footage obtained from the set of Rehab Addict, reportedly filmed approximately two years ago in Wyoming during production for what would become Season 9 .

The footage shows Curtis working on a wire frame, visibly frustrated with a piece of equipment. She then says:

"Why? It's the last one. Oh, fart n*****."

Immediately upon uttering the slur, Curtis appears to recognize her mistake. She is visibly shocked and turns to a crew member off-camera:

"What the f*** is that I just said? Nick, you gotta, you gotta, can you kill that? F*** my life."

Someone off-camera can be heard laughing in the background . The footage was never included in the final cut of the episode, which aired in June 2025 .

📱 Nicole Curtis's Apology: Complete Statements

🔹 Initial Statement to TMZ (via Text Message)

Following the leak, Curtis spoke with TMZ via text message. Her full statement reads:

"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, addressing her future with HGTV and her current priorities:

"Regarding HGTV, 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. My focus, at this moment, is rightfully on my relationships, and my community — the people who truly know my character and where my heart is."

Curtis also explained that she had been offline and unaware of the firestorm until contacted by reporters:

"As discussed, I'm a mom and I was doing mom things all day and unplugged. I realize my shows were airing, but my family is my priority and I'm just catching up to all this now."

🔹 Official Statement to The Detroit News

A representative for Curtis issued a more detailed, on-the-record statement exclusively to The Detroit News, where Curtis has long been a beloved figure for her restoration work in the city. The full text reads:

"Nicole is deeply saddened by the hurt her words have caused. She takes full responsibility for their impact, regardless of context. What occurred was a clear slip of the tongue — a mistaken version of one of her well-known expressions — spoken after 17 hours of physically demanding work and very little sleep. Even so, she understands that intent does not erase impact, and she is truly sorry."

The statement clarified that Curtis's typical "playful expressions" include phrases like "son of a cow digger" and "fart nugget" — phrases she has used on-air throughout her career .

🔹 Instagram Stories

On the evening of February 11, Curtis posted a series of messages to her Instagram Stories. The text, preserved in screenshots, reads:

"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. TMZ called me as I had just turned my phone on after being at school — I said this briefly — but there is more."

She did not elaborate on what she meant by "there is more," though her team later indicated they were seeking to release unedited footage of the incident to provide "complete context" .

📋 Summary Table: Nicole Curtis's Statements

🏠 HGTV's Response and Cancellation

Within hours of the video's release, HGTV issued a terse statement announcing the immediate termination of its relationship with Curtis. The statement, provided to multiple outlets, reads in full:

"Not only is language like this hurtful and disappointing to our viewers, partners, and employees — it does not align with the values of HGTV. We have ended our relationship with Nicole Curtis and will cease distribution of all related content."

The network's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, subsequently removed all episodes of Rehab Addict from its platforms, including HBO Max and Discovery+. Curtis's profile was also removed from the HGTV website .

🗣️ Public and Critical Reaction

Reaction to the leak and Curtis's apology has been sharply divided. Social media platforms saw immediate and intense debate throughout the night of February 11 and into February 12.

🔻 Criticism

Many commenters rejected the "slip of the tongue" explanation. One widely-shared post on X (formerly Twitter) read:

"That word doesn't slip out unless you use it. She didn't trip over her words — she said it clearly and then panicked."

Another user wrote:

"'Fart nugget' and a racial slur do not sound alike. I'm not buying it."

🔺 Support

Longtime fans of Curtis and Rehab Addict expressed support, citing her decades of demonstrated character and her restoration work in predominantly Black neighborhoods in Detroit. One supporter posted:

"Nicole has spent 15 years giving back to communities of color. She restored historic homes in Detroit when no one else would. One exhausted, stupid mistake doesn't erase that."

🏛️ Detroit Leaders Weigh In

Several Detroit community leaders and preservationists with whom Curtis worked closely have remained publicly silent as of February 12. Sources close to Curtis indicate she has been in direct contact with local leaders since the video surfaced .

❓ What Does "There Is More" Mean?

Curtis's statement that "there is more to this" has prompted widespread speculation. Her representative told The Hollywood Reporter that Curtis's team is "seeking to release the full, unedited footage from that day's shoot" in order to provide "complete context" for the remark and her immediate reaction .

It remains unclear whether the crew member heard laughing was responding to the slur itself or to Curtis's panicked reaction. No additional footage has been released as of this publication.

📌 Timeline of Events

📚 References

1. "Nicole Curtis Caught Using Racial Slur On 'Rehab Addict' Set — Network Kills Show". RadarOnline. February 11, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
2. "Nicole Curtis Drops N-Word In Video, 'Rehab Addict' Canceled By HGTV". TMZ. February 11, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
3. "Detroit 'Rehab Addict' star Nicole Curtis dropped by HGTV after racial slur". The Detroit News. February 11, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
4. "Nicole Curtis Dropped by HGTV After Racial Slur Surfaces". The Hollywood Reporter. February 11, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
5. Nicole Curtis Instagram Stories (via screenshots). February 11, 2026.
6. "HGTV Cuts Ties With Nicole Curtis, Pulls 'Rehab Addict' After Racial Slur Surfaces". Variety. February 11, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
7. "Nicole Curtis dropped by HGTV, 'Rehab Addict' pulled after racial slur video surfaces". USA Today. February 11, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.

📌 Related Articles

• HGTV: Complete History of Network Controversies
• Detroit Historic Preservation: Nicole Curtis's Legacy
• Rehab Addict: A Look Back at 15 Seasons
• Celebrity Apologies: When "Slip of the Tongue" Defenses Work — and When They Don't

This article will be updated as additional footage or statements are released. Check back for the latest developments.