Heidi Klum Is Returning to Project Runway After 8 Years (Exclusive)
The German model stepped away from the beloved competition franchise in 2018 after 16 seasons as host
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She’s back!
PEOPLE has learned that Heidi Klum is returning to Project Runway after stepping away from the hit franchise in 2018.
Klum, 51, originally hosted the show from 2004 to 2017 (the season 16 finale airing November 2017 was her last) and won the 2013 Emmy Award for her role, which she shared with her co-host and close friend Tim Gunn. She was nominated an impressive nine times during her tenure with the Project Runway, with the reality competition program earning dozens of nominations overall.
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Project Runway, which originally launched on Bravo, before moving to Lifetime and then back to Bravo, will now see its home on Freeform, Disney+ and Hulu. From its conception in 2004 with season 1, it has welcomed a number of talented designers onto the show — and Klum was there for many of them (and to say her signature farewell of “auf wiedersehen” to all of those who were cut each week).
The show has included All Stars seasons — bringing designers back from previous seasons to give them a second shot at winning — as well as Project Runway: Junior, crowning champions of all ages and backgrounds. Well-known past contestants include Gunnar Deatherage — who has designed for Chappell Roan — Irina Shabayeva, and most notably, Christian Siriano, who has found much success as a top fashion designer since winning season 4 of the show.
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Klum brought her personality to her hosting gig while at the helm of Project Runway — and brought her style to the runway and TV screens with each episode. Though the designers were competing for the top prize each season, Klum showed up each week dressed to impress in fashions indicative of the time — whether it was a monochromatic wide-leg pantsuit, metallic plunging minidress or a curled-under bob haircut that screamed early aughts.
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Klum and her co-host Gunn both bid farewell to Project Runway after the 2017 season. Klum said in a statement at the time, “After 16 incredible seasons, I am saying ‘Auf Wiedersehen’ to Project Runway, a show that I was honored to host and help create. I am incredibly proud of the show, and it will always have a special place in my heart. I am so appreciative of the dedicated fans, and most of all, I am grateful that we could shine a light on creativity and help launch so many talented designers’ careers.”
After announcing their exit, the two told PEOPLE that they likened Project Runway to their “baby,” and after 16 years, their baby was all grown up, so it was time for them to move on to something else.
“We love our baby and we wish our baby good luck. But now we’re ready to pop out a new one,” Klum said at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, referring to the pair’s new show at the time, Making the Cut.
Debuting this year, Season 21 of Project Runway will feature 10 episodes aired weekly, but the judges and premiere date have not yet been announced.
When Klum and Gunn left Project Runway to lead their own fashion competition, Making the Cut on Amazon Prime Video, Karlie Kloss took over hosting duties for the next two seasons, with Siriano serving as mentor. For Seasons 19 and 20, Siriano took over for Kloss, pulling double duty as host and mentor.
