Heidi Klum's Departure from 'America's Got Talent' Has Some Fans Confused

Competition show America's Got Talent is something of a summer ritual, but this year's judge's table will look a little different. Heidi Klum, who has been part of the judging panel for years, is not returning for this season. Following the news that Heidi was no longer a judge, many naturally wanted to know more about why she had decided to leave the series.

Although judges leave reality series for all kinds of reasons, we do know to some extent why Heidi decided her time with the show was done. Here's what we know.

Heidi had appeared in 11 of the previous 12 seasons before leaving the show this time around, but Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara, and Simon Cowell will all be returning as judges. Heidi first joined the show in Season 8 and was briefly replaced for Season 14 before returning just a year later.

As for why she's leaving this time around, neither Heidi nor NBC has offered an exact reason for her departure, but there's some fairly informed speculation going around.

Many suspect that Heidi left America's Got Talent because she's getting ready to return to Project Runway, which she originally hosted for more than a decade and concluded its run in 2017.

According to reporting in Deadline, the decision to keep her off of both shows might have been a business move by NBC to keep costs down, as Heidi reportedly earns one of the highest salaries in all of reality TV.

Heidi previously judged America's Got Talent while hosting Project Runway from 2013 to 2017, so it's not like it's necessarily a scheduling conflict.

“Heidi has been an incredible part of AGT, bringing her signature charm, expertise, and warmth to the show. We are enormously grateful for her many contributions and the impact she has had while celebrating the world’s greatest talent with us. We’d love for our paths to cross again,” a rep for AGT explained

Although fans of the show will certainly have to adjust to Heidi's absence, they'll be getting a familiar face in her chair. Mel B, who previously judged the show alongside Heidi before she was replaced by Sofia Vergara, will be returning for the show's 20th season.

In an interview with TV Insider, Mel even explained that she was originally let go from the show by fellow judge Simon Cowell, who is also the show's creator.

“Simon fired me! He said he didn’t, but he did!" she explained. “I was dealing with a very emotionally abusive marriage that was falling apart. My dad had died. There was a lot going on for me, but one thing that actually [was] my savior was that I got to be at that desk every day," she explained. Now that she's in a better place, she's thrilled to be back.

"I’m getting married. It couldn’t have been better timing, almost where you go, ‘Is this too good to be true?'" she explained.