LOS ANGELES >> “I’m never going to survive this show,” Jeremiah Brent, the new member of “Queer Eye,” declares early into this season, wiping back tears.

Brent joined the ninth season of the Netflix series, stepping into the role of interior designer previously held by Bobby Berk, whose complicated exit from the series last year generated headlines over behind-the-scenes drama. In the short time since the season launched, Brent has made an endearing impression as the walking, talking, crying face emoji of the Fab Five.

Who knew a makeshift canopy bed could prompt an ugly cry? If you know, you know.

The TV makeover space is familiar territory for Brent. He and his husband, noted interior designer Nate Berkus, whose popularity rose after appearances on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in the aughts, have worked on the TLC series “Nate Jeremiah by Design” and HGTV’s “The Nate and Jeremiah Home Project.”

In a video call from his home in New York City, Brent spoke with the L.A. Times about all those tears, the challenge of transforming spaces in three days and texting with HomeGoods managers.

Q Jeremiah, are you OK?

A[Laughs] Somebody came up to me today — what did she say? She’s like, “There’s a whole campaign where people are saying, ‘Someone’s got to check on Jeremiah.’” I’m great. Listen, I’ve never been better. I definitely wept the whole time, as you can see. But it was happy tears.

QYou’re familiar with changing people’s lives by transforming their spaces. How is this different?

AI’ve never dealt with the stakes that this show has inherently built in. I really get three days to redo their entire home from top to finish, which I’ll never complain about because I love the work and I love doing it, but it’s intense. Something that I set for myself as a goal this season is that I don’t want to be known as somebody who makes the same room 40 different ways and is known as one-note. The spaces that I was designing were not for the viewer. They were for the people in the house, and I really wanted you to see their personalities reflected in those spaces. With Paula, I’m not somebody who reaches for bunnies and hummingbirds and flowers, but that is what brought her joy.

Q The season has been out for about a week at this point. What has the ride been like so far? What kind of messages are you getting?

A Not to get emotional, but I’ve been kind of overwhelmed with how kind people have been. I came into this season with an acute awareness of what I was inheriting. The show was in a lot of controversy the last year. There was a lot of drama, a lot of versions of people’s truth that not everybody was aligned on. My only intention in coming into the show was to work my ass off and to earn the trust of the people that are watching and also to do a really good job meeting people and doing what I love. I’ve been really grateful people have been super positive. To your point, the emotional component is just a reflection on how much people are looking for hope and positivity right now. This show is a Trojan horse in a lot of ways because we tackle really important issues. We have immigration, we have aging, we’re dealing with a mother with trans children — you name it. Every part of the American experience is in this show, part of the tapestry that’s in there. It’s the kind of conversations I want to be having and the kind of work that I need to be doing at this point in my life.

QThere was that moment on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens” where host Andy Cohen asked Karamo [Brown] about whether he hazed you. He said he just wanted to make sure you were qualified. But could you sense that they were feeling you out in those early days?

A Just like I needed to earn the trust of the viewers, I needed to earn the trust of the rest of the Fab Four. In my experience, they are the opposite of any controversy that’s come their way or been articulated in the last year. They are the kindest, the warmest, the most well-intended people.