A 15-year run on home renovation television ended abruptly on Wednesday when HGTV pulled the plug on Nicole Curtis and her long-running series Rehab Addict. The network made the decision hours after a leaked recording surfaced showing the 49-year-old host using a racial slur during production. The footage was published online the same day the show was scheduled to return with its first new episodes since July 2025.
The cancellation removes every episode of Rehab Addict from all HGTV platforms, including streaming services HBO Max and Discovery+. Curtis, who built her career on restoring historic homes with a no-frills approach, has since apologized but stated her focus is no longer on television.
What Happened on the Set of Rehab Addict?
The video, first published by RadarOnline on February 11, shows Curtis working on a renovation project in Wyoming. She appears frustrated while handling what she calls “the last one.” At that moment, she says, “Oh fart n—–.”
Curtis immediately reacts to her own words. She looks toward the crew and says, “What the f— is that that I just said? Nick, you gotta, you gotta, can you kill that?” A crew member identified as Nick responds that he has 35 minutes of footage recorded and cannot delete it. Curtis then puts her head down and says, “F— my life.”
The moment was captured on production cameras approximately two years ago, according to the report. It never aired on television. The episode filmed that day was eventually broadcast in June 2025 without the slur.
Why Did HGTV Cancel Rehab Addict Immediately?
HGTV did not wait to investigate. The network released an official statement to multiple outlets including USA TODAY, Variety, and People on Wednesday afternoon.
“HGTV was recently made aware of an offensive racial comment made during the filming of Rehab Addict. Not only is language like this hurtful and disappointing to our viewers, partners, and employees — it does not align with the values of HGTV. Accordingly, we have removed the series from all HGTV platforms. We remain dedicated to fostering a culture of respect and inclusion across our content and our workplace.”
The decision was not just about the past. Season 9 of Rehab Addict had been on hold since July 2025. Curtis previously made an “executive decision” to pause the season so she could recut episodes and reshoot certain scenes using her own money. She cited wanting the show to be “great” rather than rushed.
After months of delays, HGTV scheduled the return for February 11, 2026. Curtis herself promoted the drop on Instagram, writing, “The new episodes drop Wednesday … was told now or never — so you get them now.”
Those episodes never aired. The network removed the show just hours before they were set to premiere at noon.
Nicole Curtis‘s Apology and Response
Curtis initially learned about the scandal when TMZ contacted her. She had been offline handling school pickup with her child. By Wednesday evening, she posted a series of messages to her Instagram Stories addressing the situation.
She first wrote:
“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.”
Minutes later, she shared a screenshot of the text message she sent to a TMZ reporter. The statement read:
“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. 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 ended the message with a personal note about her day:
“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.”
Curtis did not address the specific details of the video or explain why she used the word. She also did not hold a press conference or grant interviews beyond the text statement.
The Unusual Path of Season 9
The cancellation closes a confusing chapter for Rehab Addict. The show originally ran from 2010 to 2018 on DIY Network and later HGTV. After a multi-year break, it returned in June 2025 with high hopes.
Only two episodes aired. Curtis, who owns her own production company, announced in July that she was shelving the rest of the season. She explained on Instagram that she did not want to give up her summer and that the episodes were not yet where she wanted them to be.
By October, she revealed she had recut the episodes entirely. She paid for reshoots using what she called her “rug money.” She wrote, “I own the production company which means it’s my money and my time. Now, if I had aired these in July, they would have been ok, but I like great.”
On New Year’s Eve 2025, she pushed the season again, stating, “I’m a right energy, right time person and 2025 did not hold the best.” The episodes were finally locked in for February 2026.
That return lasted less than 12 hours before the leak surfaced and the show was terminated.
What Happens to Rehab Addict Now?
All eight complete seasons and the partial ninth season have been removed from circulation. HBO Max and Discovery+ no longer carry the series. Reruns are not scheduled on any Warner Bros. Discovery network.
Curtis has not announced any plans to appeal the decision or shop the show elsewhere. Her production company remains active, but she has stated her priority is her family and local community, not television.
The network has not commented on whether the footage was submitted to human resources or if an internal investigation was conducted at the time of filming. No other crew members or production staff have spoken publicly about the incident.
The End of a Home Renovation Era
Rehab Addict premiered in October 2010 on DIY Network. Unlike glossy real estate shows that followed, Curtis focused on saving old, neglected homes from demolition. She worked in Michigan and Minnesota, often handling demolition and design herself.
The show moved to HGTV in 2014 and became a reliable ratings performer. It spawned two spinoffs: Rehab Addict Rescue in 2021 and Rehab Addict Lake House Rescue in 2022. Those shows have also been removed from platforms, though the network has not issued separate statements about them.
Curtis was known for her hands-on, no-makeup approach and her willingness to fight with contractors and city officials on camera. That same stubborn personality was visible in the leaked video as she struggled with a task and immediately regretted her words.
Also Read:
No Return Planned
As of February 12, 2026, there are no active plans to bring Rehab Addict back to any platform. HGTV has not indicated it will reconsider its decision. Curtis has not scheduled future television projects.
The 49-year-old host remains active on social media but has not posted additional comments since her Wednesday evening stories. Her last public post before the scandal promoted the now-canceled February 11 premiere.
The series that survived network changes, budget battles, and the host’s own perfectionism did not survive the two-year-old recording that surfaced at the worst possible moment.
Stay updated with the latest television news and celebrity updates only on VvipTimes.
