Following allegations against Sherry Pie for catfishing and exploiting at least five actors over several years, RuPaul's Drag Race announced Friday (March 6) that the season 12 contestant has been disqualified from the competition.

Pie, whose birth name is Joey Gugliemelli, is set to make her official television debut on episode 2 of season 12, airing Friday night on VH1. The drag queen will still appear on Friday's episode, and potentially in future episodes of the season, but will not be considered for the cash prize or crown.

“In light of recent developments and Sherry Pie’s statement, Sherry Pie has been disqualified from RuPaul’s Drag Race," a spokesperson for VH1 tells Billboard via email. "Out of respect for the hard work of the other queens, VH1 will air the season as planned. Sherry will not appear in the grand finale scheduled to be filmed later this spring.”

According to a recent Buzzfeed report, five actors accused Gugliemelli of posing over email as a casting director named Allison Mossie, pressuring each of them to film videos of themselves in various states of undress as "auditions" for a fake play titled Bulk. One accuser said that Gugliemelli coerced him into masturbating on camera.

Gugliemelli shared a statement on his Sherry Pie Facebook page, apologizing for his past behavior and attributing his actions to poor mental health. "I want to start by saying how sorry I am that I caused such trauma and pain and how horribly embarrassed and disgusted I am with myself," he wrote. "Until being on RuPaul’s Drag Race, I never really understood how much my mental health and taking care of things meant. I learned on that show how important 'loving yourself' is and I don’t think I have ever loved myself. I have been seeking help and receiving treatment since coming back to NYC ... I also want to say how sorry I am to my sisters of season 12 and honestly the whole network and production company. All I can do is change the behavior and that starts with me and doing that work."

RuPaul's Drag Race will air Friday night on VH1 at 8 p.m. ET.