HGTV is once again in the midst of cancellation turmoil, months after a slew of series were axed in mid-2025, only this time the impetus went well beyond just the rising cost of materials. The cable network canceled the long-running series Rehab Addict, which was finally set to return with new episodes, over a resurfaced video depicting host Nicole Curtis using a racial slur. Now, nearly a week later, the TV personality has offered up a revised take on why that video was released.
Six days after her initial apology post, Curtis returned to Instagram to speak her mind about everything that’s gone on in her orbit since the cancellation, and she shared ample thanks and appreciation to her friends and followers who reached out in an understanding manner. She also included the below alleged exposition behind the video’s origins, which differs slightly from what she stated a week prior. In her words:
***disclaimer to those spreading misinformation. 4 years ago - 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.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. Someone personal (not crew) had access, demanded $, I didn’t pay-here we are
Nicole Curtis on Instagram
Currently, Nicole Curtis is claiming that someone she knows personally somehow had access to her footage, and that they confiscated it and attempted to extort money from her in order to keep the footage from going public. She makes it clear that she doesn't believe it was someone in her crew, but doesn't get any more specific when pointing fingers.
If that is indeed the case, then it's possible the racial slur video could lead to some kind of legal issues, considering extortion and blackmail are criminal acts. That said, Curtis doesn't imply she's aiming for a lawsuit, which would no doubt draw this scandalous incident out over many months, which may not be in the former TV host's best interests.
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Throughout her latest post, Curtis makes a point to address that she and her crew are still busy doing renovation work in Detroit even without any cameras rolling, and claims that they aren't paid residuals for HGTV repeat airings. She also claims that Rehab Addict brought "20 million dollars into distressed neighborhoods between Minneapolis and Detroit," among other self-congratulatory statements.
Previously, Nicole Curtis also claimed that the footage was stolen, but with the caveat that it was also tweaked in some way to make her look bad. As she put it:
I show this, I say this and I realize you are getting a limited view as what has been circulating is a clip of MY footage that was stolen then manipulated, edited and sold to s tabloid to coincide with my return to television only to create this chaos of hate, anger, disappointment. I make no excuse for this. I am not s victim. Nothing I say or do will take that moment 4 years ago away. I know it was wrong. This will never happen again
While most of the details about the video are still unknown, Curtis' claim that it was released to coincide with her return to TV does seem to have merit, if only from a timing perspective. Back in August, she spoke out about being responsible for pulling Season 9 off of HGTV after two episodes aired, saying that she wanted to recut the eps to make them as good as could be.
Months later, Curtis and HGTV took to social media on February 9 to share that Rehab Addict would be back in action on February 11, though that return obviously didn't go through as planned, with the video's release setting the cancellation in motion.
