Tim Gunn, a pivotal figure in fashion television, won't return to the "Project Runway" revival.
According to the Deadline, the mentor and former co-host discovered he was not invited back only after a conversation with Heidi Klum, his long-time colleague.
Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum, iconic for their 16-season partnership on "Project Runway," will not reunite in the upcoming revival of the show. Gunn, instrumental in mentoring designers on the series since its inception in 2004, expressed his wish to return. However, his involvement was cut by the decision of the executive producers.
In a recent conversation with a publication, Tim Gunn revealed the circumstances under which he learned of his exclusion from the revival.
"So I called my agent and he knew things were going on, but he contacted the executive producers of this new show, and they said, ‘We don’t want him.’ And [my agent] said, ‘Well, he’s done 19 seasons of Runway, 16 with Heidi. The two of them won an Emmy together as hosts, and now you’re going to separate them?’ And they said yes,” Tim Gunn recounted.
This dissociation by the producers has led to significant changes in the program's dynamics, now slated to air across Freeform, Disney+, and Hulu.
Gunn shared his candid reaction to the shift, stating that although the initial feelings were tough, he found solace in his accomplishments.
Gunn reflected on his previous experiences, afforded by his long tenure on the show. "I was initially devastated, then kind of humiliated. I thought, How lucky am I to have had the experiences that I’ve had over the last 20 years? This is phenomenal. I stopped the boohooing. I thought it was throwing hubris in the face of an angry God to mourn not being on this new show. So I’ve come to terms with it,” he said.
His rejection even included a lukewarm offer for a single-episode cameo, which he declined with candid humor.
"What do I do? Wave from a bus? As the designers are going into Mood [Fabrics]? Heidi comes to see me at the retirement home and we play croquet. So no thank you. And as Heidi would say, you’re either in or you're out. And I’m out," he explained.
The separation of Tim Gunn from "Project Runway" has spurred dialogues among fans and colleagues alike, considering his significant contributions to the show's identity and culture.
His unique mentorship helped many designers reach new potentials, marked by poignant advice and supportive gestures throughout the series. Project Runway, recognized for bringing fashion design into mainstream television, originally premiered in 2004 on Bravo.
Gunn's departure marks a poignant end to an era, admired by viewers for its educational and entertaining treatment of fashion, punctuated by his and Heidi Klum's charismatic partnership.
Though decisively moving on from Project Runway, Tim’s impactful legacy within the show and the design community will undoubtedly continue to resonate, as new leadership steers the show’s much-anticipated revival. The subsequent seasons offer an opportunity to evaluate the show’s evolving cultural and creative trajectory, especially in the absence of the mentor who shaped its earliest and most formative stages.
