Project Runway’s Original Host Heidi Klum Makes Grand Return for Season 21 on Freeform
In an exciting development for fashion reality TV fans, supermodel Heidi Klum is making her triumphant return to “Project Runway” for its 21st season. This announcement comes after a six-year hiatus following her departure from the show in 2018, marking a significant moment in the series’ evolution.
The iconic fashion competition show is undergoing a major transition, moving to Disney’s Freeform network after its previous run on Bravo. Season 21, scheduled to premiere later this year, will consist of 10 episodes. Viewers will have multiple viewing options, as episodes will be available for streaming on both Disney+ and Hulu following their initial Freeform broadcast.
Klum’s history with “Project Runway” runs deep, spanning 16 seasons since the show’s inception on Bravo in 2004. She stewarded the series through its transition to Lifetime in 2009, where it flourished for 11 seasons. Her 2018 departure, alongside longtime mentor Tim Gunn, coincided with the show’s return to Bravo for Season 17. During the interim, Karlie Kloss and Christian Siriano took the reins as host and mentor respectively, with Siriano later assuming both roles for Seasons 19 and 20.
Following their exit from “Project Runway,” Klum and Gunn didn’t step away from the fashion competition genre entirely. The duo collaborated on “Making the Cut,” an Amazon Prime Video series that ran for three successful seasons starting in 2020. Their departure from “Project Runway” was part of a larger shift following the resolution of a complex legal battle between NBCUniversal and the Weinstein Company over contractual rights.
The show’s production has been under the stewardship of Spyglass Media Group since Season 17, with Alfred Street Industries joining as co-producer. The executive production team includes Spyglass’ Gary Barber and Alfred Street’s Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz, Dan Volpe, and Nan Strait, who will oversee this exciting new chapter in the show’s history.