NBC just kicked off America’s Got Talent Season 20, but there’s a familiar face missing from the judging panel. That’s Heidi Klum. The legendary supermodel is not a judge on the latest season of AGT, after serving on the panel from 2013 to 2019, and again from 2020 to 2024. Of course, we’ve got all of the tea on why Heidi is no longer on AGT, and who they hired to replace her.
Why did Heidi Klum leave America’s Got Talent?
America’s Got Talent, which was created by Simon Cowell, kicked off its 20th season on Tuesday, May 27. Terry Crews returned as host, plus Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara returned to their longstanding roles as judges. For the most part, it’s business as usual for Season 20, except for Heidi’s absence.
Heidi hasn’t revealed a specific reason for exiting AGT, but it’s highly speculated that this has everything to do with her return to Project Runway. This isn’t like when Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough quit the show due to a toxic work environment. Heidi seems to have left on good terms.
In January 2025, Heidi confirmed her return to Project Runway, which will make the jump from Bravo to Freeform. She, along with Nina Garcia, Law Roach, and Christian Siriano, will usher in a new era for the show. She can’t easily do that on Freeform if she’s locked into a contract on NBC’s AGT.
“Heidi has been an incredible part of AGT, bringing her signature charm, expertise, and warmth to the show,” a rep for AGT told Deadline in a statement.
“We are enormously grateful for her many contributions and the impact she has had while celebrating the world’s greatest talent with us,” the statement continued. “We’d love for our paths to cross again.”
Who replaced Heidi Klum on AGT?
Spice Girls star Melanie “Mel B” Brown joined the judges panel for America’s Got Talent Season 20, filling the seat once held by Heidi.
That shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. Mel has been a judge on this show before. Plus, she has pretty much made a full-time career out of being a reality TV judge. That’s not shade, it’s just a fact. In the last decade, she’s judged The X Factor Australia, The X Factor UK, Queen of the Universe, The Voice Kids: Australia, and The Masked Singer: Australia, just to name a few.
Although Mel B is no stranger to this genre, she told TV Insider that her AGT return arrived at at the perfect time in her life. When she previously judged the show in Seasons 8 through 13, she was navigating a difficult time.
“I was dealing with a very emotionally abusive marriage that was falling apart,” Mel revealed. “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.”
Since then, Mel has appeared on Season 1 of AGT: The Champions. She also filled in for Sophia Vergara during a brief stint on AGT: Fantasy League. When the opportunity to return for the main series came across her desk, she didn’t hesitate before signing on the dotted line.
America’s Got Talent Season 20 airs on Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC.
TELL US – WILL YOU MISS HEIDI KLUM AS A JUDGE ON AMERICA’S GOT TALENT? DO YOU THINK MEL B IS A GOOD REPLACEMENT FOR HEIDI?
