HGTV's Nicole Curtis has claimed that the video of her saying the N-word on camera was released to purposely derail her career, while also arguing that it was manipulated, edited and sold to coincide with her return to television.
Rehab Addict, Curtis's show, was removed from the network's platforms earlier this week after a clip emerged of the television personality using the racial slur while filming the series in 2022.
The tape's release coincided with Curtis's return to HGTV with two episodes of Rehab Addict's ninth season airing on February 11.
The show was dropped from HGTV shortly thereafter and all episodes of Rehab Addict have been removed from its platforms.
In a new statement, Curtis acknowledged that her language was born of pain and anger, claiming she felt remorse and regret.
She also claimed that the video was manipulated and was distributed to 'create this chaos of hate.'
Taking to Instagram on Thursday night, she wrote in part: 'I am sorry. I am filled with remorse and regret, just as much as I was one second after that word was said four years ago in 2022.
'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 a tabloid to coincide with my return to television only to create this chaos of hate, anger, disappointment.'
HGTV's Nicole Curtis has claimed that the video of her saying the N-word was released to sabotage her career
The Rehab Addict host begged her cameraman to delete the footage in a leaked tape after she had said the racial slur
Daily Mail has contacted HGTV for comment.
Elsewhere in her statement, Curtis stressed that she makes no excuse for the language she used and said that she is not a victim.
She said: 'I'm not addressing this because I was "caught." I'm here because I am not okay with the fact that I said that.'
Curtis also addressed questions about how easily she said the racial slur and argued that she has long thrown 'random' words together.
'The most famous "son of a beehive digger" which took the place of SOB when I became a mommy and could not swear on TV,' she wrote.
'In recent years, I've added fart digger, fart knocker. It's documented.'
In the incident leading to her show's removal, Curtis was recorded uttering the racial slur as she worked on renovations.
In the clip, published by Radar, the Michigan native was heard saying: 'Oh, fart n*.'
In a new statement, Curtis claimed that the video was manipulated and was distributed to 'create this chaos of hate'
The television personality's show, Rehab Addict, has been removed from HGTV platforms
Upon realizing her mistake in front of the camera, she was then seen begging the crew to delete the footage.
'What the f* is that I just said?' she said.
Addressing her crew, she continued, 'Nick, you gotta, you gotta, can you kill that? F* my life.'
According to the publication, the video was captured approximately two years ago and appears to match with scenes that aired in the season 10 episode Nicole Goes West, which aired in June 2025.
The footage was not included in the final cut of the episode.
'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,' a spokesperson for HGTV told Daily Mail.
'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.'