'Time to Do Some Work on Yourself': HGTV Star Nicole Curtis Gets Eviscerated for Claiming She's 'Not the Victim' After Getting Caught Saying the 'N Word' on Tape
Nicole Curtis said she was 'here' to 'take' the 'hate' and 'pain' after a video was released of her saying the 'N word.'
Feb. 13 2026, Published 9:39 a.m. ET
Fired HGTV star Nicole Curtis was eviscerated after she claimed she's "not the victim" in response to RadarOnline.com revealing a never-before-seen video of her using the "N word."
Curtis took to her Instagram on February 12 to issue an emotional reply to the clip.
What Did Nicole Curtis Say Now?
Nicole Curtis admitted she's 'filled with remorse and regret' over saying the 'N word.'
Over a picture of bricks, the disgraced reality star explained this "isn't a post" she ever thought she'd be writing and that she had "drafted" it "more times" than she could count, but "nothing seems to be enough."
"There is anger, there is hate, there is pain. I’m here to take it," she shared. "I haven't been hiding, ignoring, waiting for this to pass. I’ve just been playing this all over and over again and watching the video and having this all out together to say the right thing, do the right thing after doing the wrongest of wrongs."
Curtis, 49, went on to declare she is "sorry" and "filled with remorse and regret" as much as she was "one second after that word was said 4 years ago in 2022."
She then insisted people are getting a "limited view," as what's been shown is her "footage that was stolen" and then "manipulated and edited" to "coincide" with her return to TV "to create this chaos of hate, anger, disappointment."
"I make no excuse for this," she added. "I am not (a) victim. Nothing I say or do will take that moment 4 years ago away. I know it was wrong. This will never happen again."
Nicole Curtis Understands the 'Hurt' and 'Anger'
Nicole Curtis said she was 'not okay with the fact' that she said the 'N word.'
Curtis noted she wants to "be clear" that she wasn't addressing what happened because she was "caught" but was "here because I am not okay with the fact that I said that." She also explained she had been "submerged in the African American community" her "entire adult life," and, while she hears the word daily, she understands the "trauma" someone like her using it could bring.
"And yet, it came from me," she continued. "You ask – how did that just easily come out. I don’t have an answer for that. It did, and it shocked me, as shown."
She also tried to explain what she was even saying when she casually dropped the term "fart n-----," sharing she has thrown "together words" due to not being able to swear on TV, including "fart digger" and "fart knocker" as of late.
Curtis also addressed people coming at HGTV, noting they weren't aware of it as "it was shot on my own personal time, done [SIC] and equipment" and that "no one was aware" of it aside from the "people in that room."
She concluded by noting she will be "speaking live tomorrow," offering people who want to "have a conversation" to call her, and reiterating that she's "sorry" and understands the "hurt" and "anger."
What Did People Say in Response to Nicole Curtis' Latest Post?
'Don't act like you've never said it before,' one person wrote in response to Nicole Curtis attempting to apologize for her 'N word' video.
Instagram users flooded the comments on Curtis' latest post, with many continuing to slam her.
"The word wouldn’t have come out if your mouth if it wasn’t in your vocabulary," one person shared. "Time to do some deep, deep work on yourself."
"Dude, give us a break," another similarly echoed. "Don’t act like you’ve never said it before. You’re not remorseful that you said it. You’re remorseful because you got caught and now you’re going to pay for it."
A third wrote: "Baby this is a part of your daily vocabulary that hard ER is not what you hear in rap songs or what you hear black ppl use WITH EACH OTHER you said it in harsh way and this is how you all talk around the dinner table without a doubt!!"
Still, another questioned why she didn't "apologize in 2022" as she knew she said it and that it was "recorded.
"And yet you hoped no one would ever find out. Your apology is late," they added.
Some others were more open to her apology, with one person claiming, "mistakes happen," and another stating, "The next big rehab will be your reputation. If anyone can do it: it’s you. Continue to do good work. Continue to make spaces for people. I believe in forgiveness. Like they always say: actions speak louder than words."
Nicole Curtis Dropped a Racial Epithet
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In the clip Radar exclusively dropped, Curtis was having trouble with some renovation work she was partaking in when she shockingly blurted out, "Why? It's the last one. Oh, fart n*****."
Immediately after, she begged her crew to delete the recording, as she was clearly aware of what had just rolled off her tongue.
"What the f*** is that I just said?" she said, while some of the people off camera were heard laughing. "Nick, you gotta, you gotta, can you kill that? F*** my life."
HGTV fired her as a result, explaining they were "recently made aware" of an offensive racial comment made during the filming of Rehab Addict.
"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," they elaborated.
The network also stated they had "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 statement concluded.
