Anytime I’ve decided to sit down and binge watch an entire season of Queer Eye on Netflix, there is about a 99.9% chance that I will be sobbing for the majority of the episodes. And while most of the hosts on Queer Eye also love to let those tears flow (I see you, Antoni!), fashion expert on the show, Tan France, has always remained somewhat stoic.
However, the fashion designer, 39, admitted that after having his son, Ismail, 16 months, with his husband of 15 years — Rob France — he’s become a bit of a weeper.
“I have only cried a couple of times on [Queer Eye,]” he admitted to PEOPLE. “But ever since I had my baby, it’s made me much more emotional. Much more emotional.”
France went on to explain that most of that emotion stems from the long periods of time he goes without seeing his son due to his filming schedule for Queer Eye, noting that the time apart is “the hardest part, without a doubt, of being a working parent.”
However, the British-American author is not just using his great taste in fashion to help some hopefuls on Queer Eye. France is currently in England filming for Say Yes to the Dress, where he says he has a “very tough shoot schedule.”
He says with such a packed schedule and long working hours, there are days when the only time he gets to see Ismail is at bedtime.
“I’m working a lot of hours. And so sometimes I only get to just see him as we’re putting him to bed,” the reality TV star said. “And that makes me really emotional because I really hate not having a lot of time with him. I just really miss him all the time.”
Before welcoming Ismail into the world via surrogate, France knew that parenthood would come with a new set of challenges. However, he remained hopeful that rewarding moments would make all the hard stuff worth it. “I know it’s going to be tough,” he told PEOPLE. “I know it is, but I’m positive the good is going to outweigh the bad.”
Though Ismail is not even two years old yet, France and his his husband hope to have more kids. Although he did admit that his aspirations of a big family might have to become a bit more realistic for his lifestyle.
“Here’s the thing. I know that I sound nuts, and we’re probably not going to have six,” he said. “I used to want six when I was like 30. I’m now almost 40. I definitely don’t think my knees can handle having kids that long. I don’t want to be running around after a toddler at 50, but … I still want a minimum of three or four,” he said.
