Was Nicole Curtis Blackmailed? Ex HGTV Star Claims &x27;Someone Personal&x27; Demanded Money Before Racial Slur Video Was Leaked Natalia SenanayakeFri, February 20, 2026 at 11:24 PM UTC 0 Nicole Curtis Nicole Curtis/Instagram Former HGTV star Nicole Curtis claimed "someone personal" to her was demanding money before footage of her saying the nword was leaked The video resulted in her HGTV show Rehab Addict being cancelled the same day it was set to return In a previous Instagram post, Curtis claimed someone had "stolen" the footage from her after it circulated online earlier in February Nicole...
Was Nicole Curtis Blackmailed? Ex HGTV Star Claims 'Someone Personal' Demanded Money Before Racial Slur Video Was Leaked
Natalia SenanayakeFri, February 20, 2026 at 11:24 PM UTC
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Nicole Curtis
Nicole Curtis/Instagram
Former HGTV star Nicole Curtis claimed "someone personal" to her was demanding money before footage of her saying the n-word was leaked
The video resulted in her HGTV show Rehab Addict being cancelled the same day it was set to return
In a previous Instagram post, Curtis claimed someone had "stolen" the footage from her after it circulated online earlier in February
Nicole Curtis is claiming "someone personal" to her demanded money before video footage of her using a racial slur was leaked earlier this month.
A clip of the former HGTV star, 49, saying the n-word was shared by Radar Online on Wednesday, Feb. 11. The video — which circulated the same day her HGTV show Rehab Addict was set to return — resulted in the new season being pulled and the series being removed "from all HGTV platforms," the network previously confirmed to PEOPLE in a statement.
In a Feb. 17 Instagram post, Curtis reiterated that the footage was captured four years ago and that it was not for any HGTV show or project with the network. She also went on to allege that someone "demanded" money from her at some point before it was released to the public.
Nicole Curtis
Nicole Curtis/Instagram
"I was not contracted to any network or show. (think free agent in sports) Any crew hired, paid by me, the footage is mine," she wrote in the caption. "My crew didn't steal my footage. I don't have 'sets.' I own all my properties."
She added, of the footage, "Someone personal (not crew) had access, demanded $, I didn't pay - here we are."
In an earlier Instagram post addressing the situation, she apologized for using the racial slur before alleging that it was "stolen" from her.
Her caption read, 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 4 years ago in 2022."
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She then went on to claim viewers 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 [sic] tabloid to coincide with my return to television only to create this chaos of hate, anger, disappointment."
"That was all my footage, my cameras, my house - it was not for HGTV, not for a show, no one would have ever seen the footage," she continued, adding, "HGTV was not aware because it was shot on my own personal time, done and equipment."
Nicole Curtis for 'Rehab Addict'
Nicole Curtis/Instagram
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Rehab Addict, which first premiered in 2010, followed Curtis as she worked to restore historic, run-down homes mostly around her hometown of Detroit.
The series returned for season 9 in June 2025 and aired two episodes before Curtis "made the executive decision" to shelve and recut the remaining episodes. Earlier this month, she announced the show would officially be returning to HGTV on Feb. 11 in a joint Instagram post with the network.
However, after the clip surfaced online, the network confirmed to PEOPLE that it was pulling the new season, noting at the time that Curtis' language was "hurtful and disappointing" and "does not align with the values of HGTV."
The statement added, "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."
on People
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: February 20, 2026 at 06:45PM on Source: PRIME TIME
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