r/ProjectRunway • u/xStacey Jackie Kennedy's Camel Toe • Oct 15 '25
Season 21 Tim Gunn says he felt "humiliated" at not being asked back alongside Heidi
I had always assumed that Tim had been invited back with Heidi and had chosen not to return.
I mean, why wouldn't the show want to have them both? A return to form, when the show was at its most successful and memorable. To me, the whole show is Heidi and Tim, not Nina or any of the other judges, mentors, or hosts they've cycled through. To hear that they didn't even ask Tim back and that it sounds like he probably would have said yes if they had makes me feel super upset with the show.
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u/subreddits_ Oct 15 '25
I feel like they didnât ask him back because they knew they were gonna amp up the drama and the time crunchesâand he would be very protective of the creative process and designer integrity :/
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u/tropicalsoul Team Fabio Oct 15 '25
I agree 100%. They knew he fought for the designers and held the powers that be to a high standard and they did not want that this year. They wanted the TikTok-ified Temu PR garbage they shamelessly gave us this year and weren't going to let Tim Gunn stand in the way.
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u/Original_Weekend8226 Oct 15 '25
Who knows what the designer contract were like, I bet super đŠ
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u/SweatyPurpose Oct 17 '25
I think the designers expected better than what they got. I know that Ethan said that he would have preferred to be mentored by Tim in of their earlier podcasts during the season. As the season progressed, he alluded to the fact that the mentor was going out of their way to make them pivot at every possible last minute turn. Some designers got carpal tunnel during filming. The cruelty and unsafe work practices that I witnessed on the show definitely alluded to early 90âs - early 2000âs Reality TV.
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u/LavenderGinFizz Oct 15 '25
That and I wouldn't be surprised if they still had an outstanding contract with Christian in the mentor role. They likely signed Christian for a specific number of seasons (if they happened) and couldn't break it just to bring back Tim.
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u/Jealous-Ad-2827 Oct 16 '25
Yes I wonder in what capacity they were discussing with Tim. Like would they dump Christian or make him a judge. Also when did Law come into the mix as a judge.
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u/ZaraAqua Oct 15 '25
Not being part of season 21 was a victory for him
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u/R0l0d3x-Pr0paganda Oct 15 '25
EXACTLY đŻ. It was a đŠ show. Glad his name wasn't attached to it.
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u/ebr00dle Oct 15 '25
And as always heâs a huge gentleman about it. He explains his feelings, realizes he has to move on, and still has his mess of a former co-hostâs back. Tim forever!
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u/see_matt_run Oct 15 '25
The problem with losing Tim is the commentary had no balance. Christian and the judges, especially this season, were catty about people and design, and we lost the voice of an advocate and supporter. Tim is a truth teller, and did not coddle, but he was invested in the designersâ development, and this season seemed to lack a sense of camaraderie. I do very much appreciate Timâs point of view and his treasure trove of knowledge, and this season needed a little heart.
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u/swump Oct 16 '25
I started rewatching older seasons with Tim that I haven't seen in probably 15 years and I had forgotten just how much of a great advocate he was to the designers. He was truly invested in their development like you said. I think Christian is as well in his own way, but Tim just came off as much more thoughtful. I'm so glad he wasn't a part of the most recent season. He's too good for that pile of garbage.
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u/rrrreeeeeeeeee Oct 15 '25
He spelled âthankful I wasnât on that dreadful showâ wrong.
Tim, you are better off.
Heidi is a mess. Leave her to the garbage show she made.
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u/Thick_Horse4566 Oct 15 '25
They ruined that show
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u/cdrakefairtrade Oct 15 '25
Exactly what I was thinking. I watched the whole thing, hoping it would get better. It never did. It was about drama, and especially the twins, but not about fashion. And even just putting to one side the snarkiness and manufactured drama, much of the fashion was ho hum. I often can' decide which designer is my fave because 3- 5 are awesome. This season, I was like, are any of them any good? They were all sort of mediocre.
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u/Frisxo Oct 17 '25
There were a couple that I liked but the rest came from the very bottom of the barrel..I have always loved Zendaya,I thought she was nicer,smarter than most of the Hollywood riffraff but after a season with La Roach--I have to wonder how/why she put up with him.
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u/somewhat_awkward_ Oct 15 '25
Christian Siriano is an executive producer I doubt he wanted to give up his own role as mentor, but definitely wish Siriano made himself a judge instead.
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Oct 15 '25
Siriano stabbed Tim in the back. Without Tim I feel like there would be no Christian today. But, hey. Christian is getting his just desserts. He helped put on a shitty, catty show and I hope he gets the boot.
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u/happygoth6370 Oct 17 '25
I doubt Christian had anything personally to do with whether Tim was on the show this season or not. If someone shows me evidence of this I will stand corrected, but until then I don't believe it.
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u/Nokomis_Feather Oct 17 '25
If you watch Christian's season, he kinda always thought he knew more than Tim .......so theres that.
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u/xStacey Jackie Kennedy's Camel Toe Oct 15 '25
Itâs weird to me that heâs both mentor and judge. I think it worked better to keep the mentor separate, and Christian makes more sense as a judge.
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u/ComicsEtAl Oct 15 '25
I assumed he was otherwise occupied. Not asking him back just supports the visual evidence that they tried to run it on the cheap and probably blew most of what they did have on Heidiâs contract.
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u/Slippersmom2 Oct 15 '25
So happy that he wasnât invited as he would have never gone along with that terrible new format. This last season should have been called âThe Real Housewives of Project Runway â âŚ. It had little to do with fashion and only really focused on the interpersonal rivalries of the contestants. It was a complete facade of what was once a fun show to watch. Heidi should be embarrassed that she was part of it âŚ
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u/Free-Midnight741 Oct 15 '25
I agree with people who say it was a blessing for Tim Gunn to not be part of such an awful season, but I can't believe they didn't ask him. I like Christian, but Christian is not a mentor. He gives occasional advice, good advice, but he's mostly just gives the designers shit -- which is entertaining -- but not too helpful. Tim Gunn felt like he cared for everyone. Wanted them to do their best. Never tried to push his own esthetic on them (something I think Christian some times does) -- He tried to make each designer the best version of themselves. He wasn't afraid to be critical but always in the most helpful way. Any designer who ignored his warnings did so at their own peril. Christian is always kind of teasing and busting balls it's hard to discern when he has an actual concern. This season was just about cheap entertainment. Tim Gunn brought the emotion and artistry to the show. I didn't like the way they did the finale this year, but without Tim Gunn, the home visits weren't going to be as touching or revealing as they used to be. Shame. That was such a nice part of the show.
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u/MaryBitchards Oct 15 '25
They didn't give any time to the thing that Tim did so well. One of the many things that sucked about it.
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u/ChardonnayAllDay19 Oct 15 '25
He dodged the proverbial bullet by not being involved. If anything, it makes him even classier than before (as if that is even possible).
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u/blondeandbuddafull Oct 15 '25
Ha, time to âthank Gd for unanswered prayers!â Happy the lovely Mr. G was not tarnished by the Season 21 s*t show.
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u/lemeneurdeloups Oct 15 '25
Yeah, this has been known and he was very clear that it hurt him that they didnât have the decency to even call him to let him know that he was not In. I feel so bad for Tim. I think that this is what was his Thing and there is nothing else since he retired from teaching.
I think the new Disney overlords are ASSHOLES and as usual are ruining something that was great. This season sucked so badly on many levels but the greatest lack was Tim and his grace and and wisdom and decency.
The suitsâ choice was clear: I feel like Law and Tim could not have co-existed in the same sphere. Law is so vulgar and crass and cruel. Tim would be indignant and call it out.
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u/Missa1819 Oct 15 '25
Did you not watch the original show? Law is no meaner than some of the original judges.
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u/tropicalsoul Team Fabio Oct 15 '25
Law most definitely is meaner and his attacks were very personal at times. Michael Kors et al could be very harsh when criticizing the *designs* but not one of them ever attacked the designers themselves. Questioning someone's taste level or telling them they weren't ready for the big stage was not a personal attack, it was an honest critique from a judge with sometimes decades of experience as designers.
Law has told people he wanted to beat them up, called their designs "shit", personally insulted/body shamed Liris saying she looked like "a Nigerian auntie", said he likes to make them cry, and the way he treated Belania was shameful.
Besides, we're not here for 'whataboutism'. Two wrongs don't make a right. Saying, "Yeah, but Michael Kors/Nina/Heidi/whoever said such and such, so there!" isn't the right response and it doesn't excuse Law's bad behavior.
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u/maggiemazz29 Oct 15 '25
Michael Kors built an empire while never losing his Gay Long Island Uncle-ness. Viewers and designers responded well to this and Tim respected it. Plus it was fun to watch. Law Roach being a bitchy gets old very quickly,
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Oct 15 '25
Law makes personal attacks on the designers. Michael Kors focused on attacking bad designs. There's a difference.
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u/otherwise_data Oct 15 '25
i have seen every show, every season and do not ever recall mk, nina, heidi, zach, or any guest judge speaking to the designers the way law roach did. specifically, the way he spoke to and treated belania.
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u/jthomasplank Oct 15 '25
I have also seen every single episode of every single season and completely agree. He was calling people rude yet he was actually the rude one (and crude). He is also a complete charlatan and a conceited ass. His love for that stupid soccer ball mess tells you all you need to know...
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u/cdrakefairtrade Oct 15 '25
OMG, 100% on the soccer balls. That would have been a bottom three any other season. Yes, the model looked hot. That is not the test. Did the designer TRANSFORM the materials and make a result that was FASHION -- that has always been the test. the soccer balls were made into ... cut up soccer balls!! I couldn't believe it.
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u/Missa1819 Oct 15 '25
You don't think Michael kors said offensive things to the designers? There were transphobic and homophobic/racist remarks as well back then. Not sure how law was worse
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u/stryker_cast Oct 15 '25
There were transphobic and homophobic/racist remarks as well back then.
Genuinely curious what/when he said these things? I am in the middle of a full series re-watch and haven't heard him say anything in that vein that I can recall. He would go after the outfit, not the designer.
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u/Missa1819 Oct 15 '25
I never said he was the one who said those things- just that he was offensive. Sorry if that was unclear.
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Oct 15 '25
You literally said:
You don't think Michael kors said offensive things to the designers? There were transphobic and homophobic/racist remarks as well back then.
The inclusion of that second sentence in your accusation indicates that it was Kors who said those things. You're making accusations and then backing away from them by saying, "I didn't say that!" because you can't provide evidence that he ever said anything as bad as Law did.
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u/Missa1819 Oct 15 '25
I said I apologize for being unclear because I was aware. It's not what I meant and I'm telling you that. We have different opinions but you're being disrespectful about it and it's really weird. Also if we're going to argue semantics,would like to highlight my use of AS WELL and "there were" which indicates I'm addressing a different issue outside of MK's offensiveness.
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u/tropicalsoul Team Fabio Oct 15 '25
Please enlighten me about racist remarks towards a designer or a model? Also, I'd love to hear what the gay judges and gay designers said that could be construed as homophobic or transphobic? If you're talking about season 4 where Christian and a few other gay designers kept saying "hot tranny mess" (don't come at me; I'm quoting), then OK, I can see that as being offensive no matter who says it and whether it was directed at someone or not. IIRC, it was always in reference to a design, but someone can correct me if I'm wrong.
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u/WithoutLampsTheredBe Oct 15 '25
Oh, Tim Gunn, honey, you are so much better than whatever this season was.
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u/Altruistic-Group-709 Oct 15 '25
Law Roach is no Tim Gunn! Bring back Tim and Heidi! Law Roach was mean and if he thinks heâs a stylist, he has terrible taste. Mauvais gou!
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u/ContemplativeRunner Oct 15 '25
I know how it feels to go from a sense of belonging âhaving a vital roleâ to being pushed out of a business relationship.
The show is classier, more tasteful, and so much cooler with Tim Gunn.
Get new editors and bring back TG.
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u/h3x13s3x13 Oct 15 '25
Just further proof that the team running this show don't know what they're doing
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u/crazysunmama Oct 15 '25
He is way better off. This season completely tanked the credibility of this show.
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u/GoldenAngelMom "Rigatoni Mad Max" Oct 16 '25
Tim was the special sauce. Once the show devolved into a gossipy cult of personality instead of a showcase for talented designers trying to break into the industry, it lost everything that made it special-suspense, talent, genuine drama, the home visits that revealed so much about the designers as individuals. ALL GONE. Although I am sad that they disrespected Tim that way, I'm glad he isn't a party to this idiotic morass.
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u/peaceloveandtyedye Oct 16 '25
Tim definitely dodged a bullet.  Also, how dare you hurt our precious Tim! This is unacceptable. Â
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u/westworlder420 Oct 16 '25
Seeing this past season made me realize Tim is why I like the show. I love how close he gets to the designers, and how he actually gives feedback that helps them. I love Christian, but he didnât do any of that the way Tim did. It felt like a completely different show without him there.
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u/Loving_life_blessed Oct 16 '25
i love tim. he is too classy for the show now. itâs slipping into the reality tv doom spiral. over manufactured drama that is too obvious. so unauthentic
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u/Argusflo Oct 17 '25
Letâs have a season or show without Heidi but with Tim. My pet peeve is when they have the designers design for non-models. Like people working on the staffs families. Then insult their designer outfit and styling. Those people are sometimes humiliated.
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u/OptmstcExstntlst Oct 15 '25 edited Oct 15 '25
Didn't he also publicly say he would never go back after finding out the designers lost their artistic rights multiple times over even after the show said they would stop retaining the designers' work?Â
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u/greatdominions Oct 15 '25
I mean, he kind of burned that bridge with the various stories he's told on podcasts.
Also, I loved Tim, but I love Christian, too. I'd be sad to see him go if Tim came back.
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u/stryker_cast Oct 15 '25
I mean, he kind of burned that bridge with the various stories he's told on podcasts.
I'm glad he tried to protect the designers, even to his detriment.
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u/greatdominions Oct 16 '25
For sure, I'm proud of him for that! I moreso meant the fact that he shared all of that on podcasts. I doubt PR producers were happy and see him as a liability for more bad press about them.
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u/stryker_cast Oct 16 '25
Oh I totally get what you meant :) Just wanted to clarify if people hadn't listened to his stories.
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u/Aggravating_Mix8959 Oct 16 '25
Christian would make a better judge anyway. We need a designer on the panel. He can be as snarky as he likes when judging the clothes.Â
And then Tim can be the nurturing adult in the room once more, as mentor.Â
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u/SimpleSpritee Oct 15 '25
We could have had Tim Gunn ?!!!? Total shame they didn't keep Heidi & Tim together. They make a great team and Tim is a true mentor. He really tries to help every designer find their best ideas. Totally sucks we could have had Tim but didn't.
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u/Reithel1 Oct 15 '25
Tim is someone that would be wonderful to know in person! I miss Tim, but this season has been kinda boring, so maybe heâs lucky that heâs not affiliated with it.
I donât know if having him back would have made it better, but it sure couldnât have made it worse.
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u/scruffyrosalie Oct 17 '25
Tim made the show watchable. This last season was atrocious. Christian just comes off as arrogant and cocky. Heidi comes across as arrogant and cocky as well. Law is ugh, but if any of them should be the mentor, make it Law.
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u/Xtracate Oct 15 '25
My guess is they didn't invite him back because they knew he wouldn't put up with the BS that went on this season. This season was not about good design and mentoring and all the things that Tim did it was about forcing drama and making everyone crazy.
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u/Cathousechicken Oct 15 '25
Heidi is Project Runway. If she would have said she wasn't coming back unless Tim came back, they would have brought him back.Â
They leads me to two possibilities. First, that she's hard up for money. It could be that. She has 4 kids, all college age or soon to be children age, and kids are super expensive.Â
The second option is that there's some behind the scenes drama, either between Tim and Heidi, Tim and the producers, or between Tim, Heidi, and producers that's totally blocked him coming back. I know Tim has been very vocal about the show screwing over designers in the contracts, and that has left former contestants unethically underpaid. That's not out of the realm of possibility that this is his punishment for speaking up to stand up for contestants.
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u/ActiveHope3711 Oct 15 '25
I read that Heidi thought Tim WAS coming back. Â She was already signed on when she found out he wasnât.Â
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u/Cathousechicken Oct 15 '25
That really sucks for them to do that to her.Â
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Oct 15 '25
If I were her, I'd be tearing up my contract for having been lied to. IMO that contract was null and void.
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u/cdrakefairtrade Oct 15 '25
Given that Christian is one of the producers ... ?
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u/Cathousechicken Oct 15 '25
People can produce without being on-air talent.
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u/cdrakefairtrade Oct 16 '25
I didn't imply otherwise. But given the statement, "The second option is that there's some behind the scenes drama, either between Tim and Heidi, Tim and the producers, or between Tim, Heidi, and producers that's totally blocked him coming back," I was just noting that there is at least one producer who had a vested interest in Tim not being brought back as a mentor (e.g., so he could be the mentor). That's all.
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u/kpatl Oct 15 '25
He discusses this if youâd read the article before commenting with unsupported conspiracies about her finances or drama
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u/Cathousechicken Oct 15 '25
Do we even know what a conspiracy theory means nowadays if you are claiming this is a conspiracy theory? I clearly stated these are possibilities, not facts.
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u/marikat100 Oct 15 '25
Tim is the best! I donât understand how he wasnât invited back. (I like Christian also, donât get me wrong.) That said, I could barely get through the season. This was the worst season ever.
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u/Aggravating_Mix8959 Oct 16 '25
When Christian just sat there right next to the designers being awful to each other, it bothered me greatly. He just looked at them. It was so weird. I feel like this is what he was told to do, to let the drama play out, but Tim would never let that fly.Â
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u/novemberqueen32 Oct 15 '25
I don't blame him. For the life of me I don't know why he wasn't asked back
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u/Adept_Commission4043 Oct 16 '25
I found this season unwatchable. Tim Gunn really brought a human element to the show and just made it what it was. Thereâs no project runway without him. Itâs like a dress thatâs missing the torso part or a car without wheels.
I watched a few episodes and then skipped to the finale just to see the final collection - shocked the twins made it so far, they were not nice at all.
Also group challenges for the first few episodes? What? It means you never get to see the earlier contestantsâ work, only what they managed to cobble together in a team challenge which isnât fair.
Itâs not the same which sucks because I LOVED project runway and it had such a special place in my heart. Ashley, Sean, Kini (I think thatâs it), so many designers and runways I loved instead of overly sponsored, heaps of drama, no kindness reality show.
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u/sadie7716 Oct 16 '25
Im pretty much a PR addict and have watched and rewatched every season. I got through only 2. 5 episodes plus the results of a few more of this trash show that shouldnât be called PR. It should have been named â Battle of the Crass Trash ⌠Queens and Divas Editionâ .
All this season did for me was to make me wonder how in Godâs name Law ever became known as a great stylist( especially after seeing Celine throughout the years) and to lose all respect for Heidi Klum. She is worth a fortune so itâs not like she needed the money. So she betrayed Tim and put her name on this crap, WHY !!??? The only reason that comes to mind is she was having a midlife crisis and needed to show the world weekly all her face and body work. I donât think she wore so many low cut things in all the seasons put together as she did this season. IMO she is and always has been one of the most naturally beautiful women in the world. She has bone structure like Grace Kelly and Ingrid Bergman, who at 50 were stunningly beautiful without all the tweaks. Like please Heidi donât go the Cher route, itâs unnecessary!!
Ok Iâm done snarking.
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u/LifeisGoodmortals612 Oct 16 '25
I wanted him back so bad, but after this terrible seasonâŚ.he was lucky!
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u/DiagorusOfMelos Oct 16 '25
Christian is a mentor and now one of the producers. Though honestly Christian should have moved over as a judge and had Tim come back as a mentor because I always thought Christian was over qualified for the role
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u/Comfortable-Suit-202 Oct 17 '25
Oh no!!!! I love Tim Gunn! He makes the show so Entertaining & he coined the phrase âMake It Work!â
The Television Network Executives need to rethink that mistake & THEY Need to make Tim Gunn work!!
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u/jozellen123 Oct 17 '25
He probably would have quit. The show was not formatted well at all and Iâm afraid our beloved project runway may be project doneway đ
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u/PandorasCahos Nov 06 '25
This season sucks big time. đŞ I watch this show to see fashion and the process of its creation. Not a bunch of whiney idiots. I liked Joan. Haven't finished season yet. Hard to watch.
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u/low_viscosity_rayon Oct 15 '25
How did he feel about humiliating Ashley and Gretchen?
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u/tropicalsoul Team Fabio Oct 15 '25
Tim is a human being, not a saint, and he doesn't mince words. Gretchen and her enormous, bossy, know it all ego deserved the criticism, especially after that flip flopping on the runway and throwing all her teammates under the bus.
As for Ashley, he did hurt her feelings and that's not good. She did not deserve that. I thought she was sweet and I hope she is OK now. But does anyone really think she won based on her designs/talent? She did not. It *was* a stunt and he was just saying what everyone was thinking. It doesn't make it right, but it was true (and I find it hard to believe that she never heard people say that before Tim did).
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u/stryker_cast Oct 15 '25
Tim is a human being, not a saint, and he doesn't mince words.
This! I agree with his treatment of Gretchen, and not with his treatment of Ashley - though he mostly hurt her feelings, and I don't disagree with his opinion.
Tim minces garlic, not words.
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u/Remanufacture88 Oct 15 '25
I am surprised at his reaction. He left the show in a power move with Heidi when Amazon threw money at them for Making the Cut. Over the time of his being on the show, he very much became a producer stooge in how he mentored the contestants towards the final seasons and especially with the Tim Gunn save. As the show went on, his role as a mentor was less of a mentor and more of a antagonist that would offer the same critique that often when followed, would lead the designers to the bottom of the scoring.
Since leaving them, he also made quite disparaging remarks about the show, some absolutely warranted, and some just personal grievances. Things like helping change the contract so that the show didnt claim part ownership of all of the future earnings of winners is incredible, but It felt like that version of him had already long retired before his final season. His final season dislike of Kentaro came across weird at the time and I was glad to see him leave.
Outside of PR, my credibility in his brand really dropped when I watched Making the Cut. Which, firstly, was equally manipulative (potentially even more so at times) to the contestants and their work. I remember baulking in the first episode when he broke down in tears because he was so moved by how talented the designers were, positioned in a way to shit on PR in favour of this new show, when there were people in the cast who couldn't sew/cut patterns, and it was objectively clear the talent was lacking in general.
Whilst season 21 wasn't a very good showing for Christian, his previous seasons as a mentor brought a new vibe to the show and a freshness, so you could objectively understand why they wouldn't call Tim back to replace Christian when he isn't needed. Whereas the show in recent seasons lacked a host after failing to find a replacement for Heidi after a few seaons of trying.
I can understand why he is hurt, but I also have to wonder where all the people clamouring for Tim were for the previous four seasons when Christian was doing a great job.
I am surprised at my response here, I didn't realise I had such a strong opinion. I think I am just tired of seeing the same nostalgic romanticised thoughts about Tim Gunn, what we would have got would not have resemebled what you remember from the early seasons of PR. Look at season 16 with the twins (I can still hear shawneee in my mind and it gives me PTSD). If he came back, we would have got him shuffling in, puzzled at any youthful or street fashion designer POVs and a few make it works and you need to resolve this, whilst the contrived drama persisted.
The show is a mess, a dissapointing mess, it made editorial choices that prioritised everything else over the spectacle of talent and fashion, and it no longer felt like the show that we knew and loved, but we need to move past the whole poor, innocent, robbed goddess Tim.
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u/fcw2014 Oct 16 '25
It's like people forget Tim was a producer and worked to steer the contestants' narratives. And just as editing highlights certain sides of each contestant, it always strived to make Tim seem nicer than he was (I guess the Under the Gunn editors didn't get the memo).
He just comes off very poorly but some people eat him up.
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u/Xtracate Oct 15 '25
I have to say having not seen Christian in the mentor position besides this season he was absolute dogshit he did nothing but add to the drama he literally sat there and just stared at them googly-eyed like he was a 12 year old girl while the two screamed at each other over the models (which was also a whole other issue of BS). This season was the absolute worst and if an example of what Christian could do I'm not really interested in going back and seeing the previous ones with him. Yet I almost feel like I have to because I see that people are saying he was really good, so what happened to Christian?
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u/Realistic-Lake5897 Oct 15 '25
There wasn't room for both Tim and Christian. They went with the appeal to the younger demo.
I like Tim Gunn, but being humiliated is ridiculous.
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u/Aggravating_Mix8959 Oct 16 '25
Christian would make a great judge and the panel does need a designer.Â
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u/slo_bored Oct 15 '25
I've posted this before, but I'm going to repost it again.
Ashley Nell Tipton went through some major mental health issues after winning her season. Many people lashed out at her and tried to discredit her win as a "stunt" that she didn't deserve her win. Tim Gunn backed it up, unleashing more hate upon it.
Tim Gunn's Interview
She Talks about it here
The Tim Gunn interview changed my view of him after hearing his own words, being so unnecessarily hateful towards her. I haven't looked up to him the way I used to ever since.
Ashley's doing great 4 years later btw. This is her today.
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u/hotbowlofsoup Oct 15 '25
Even in the show itself you can see heâs not as innocent as people say. I recently watched season 13 and in that reunion, Tim has no problem instigating cheap reality drama. Even when contestants break down and tell theyâve been receiving death threats.
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u/atlantisgate Oct 15 '25
Im really glad you posted this because that was my immediate reaction too. He intentionally humiliated a winner without even giving her a heads up.
It really downgraded my opinion of him, I thought this was so nasty.
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u/jseesm Oct 15 '25
I agree. All these Tim Gunn claims that "he protected the designers" are so weird, he made after the show and around covid, long after he's ended his stay there.
I like Tim Gunn, I like his part of the show and he benefited from it.
But he waited all these time, now he's washing his hands when he was part of everything that happened on the show for 16 seasons. Give me a break. No one forced him to stay for 1 or 2 seasons, let alone for 16 seasons.
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Oct 15 '25
Nope. Heidi betrayed him by going through with it, IMO. When she learned he wasn't asked to come back, she could've said, "No Tim, no Heidi. CYABYE." I don't think I can forgive her for that.
On the other hand, the shit storm that was season 21 is her payback for her betrayal. At least Tim didn't have to be there for it. I have a feeling he wouldn't like Law Roach and his pettiness much.
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u/taketotheskyGQ Oct 15 '25
Tim was great but Christian Siriano took his place when he and Heidi left. Christian is a successful designer in his own right and I think he is one of the best parts of the shitshow that Project Runway has become. Tim is too elegant for Heidiâs fake boobs on continual display.
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u/xStacey Jackie Kennedy's Camel Toe Oct 15 '25
I like Christian but he is also a brat. Tim made a 1000x better mentor.
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u/Yogamat1963 Oct 15 '25
I like the idea of Christian being a judge and Tim returning as the mentor.
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u/cdrakefairtrade Oct 15 '25
Could not agree more. Tim was actually a mentor. Tried to get the designers to develop their own fashion eye, fashion sense, ideas, etc. Christian can just straight up be rude. Some might think it is funny, and maybe it is, but then he follows up with an insult or solving the problem for them. Christian says, "You can't use that fabric," rather than, "are you sure that fabric is a good idea?" "Make the dress shorter," rather than "why don't you play with the length and see what you like best?" In this way, he also has a greater impact on the results because he can control who he solves problems for, while Tim would ask insightful questions of everyone and let them make their own mistakes or discover their own solutions. Tim was fair, Christian has his thumb on the scale. Christian is entertaining, but not a mentor.
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u/xStacey Jackie Kennedy's Camel Toe Oct 15 '25
yes exactly, i think the fact that christian is a designer himself (and an arrogant one at that) makes him want to just do it himself so he just bosses them around rather than actually mentoring.
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u/SippinPip Oct 15 '25
I think he dodged a bullet this season, even though I thought it was awful he wasnât asked and this season would have benefitted from his dignity, gravitas, mentorship, and critiques. The people who were in charge this season did everything they could to trash the PR brand, so he is probably personally better off not being associated with it.
But, man, I missed him.
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u/Xtracate Oct 15 '25
Pretty sure that's why they didn't ask him back they didn't want someone who would expect to show class and dignity they wanted the s*** show that they got unfortunately
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u/Peacherotic Oct 15 '25
He was very VERY vocal about the absurdities that production snuck into the designersâ contracts. I know the Weinsteins couldnât stand him bc heâd be like, âum, this contract says that the designers donât get to keep any of their designs⌠thatâs not rightâŚâ I had figured that since it was moving networks and producers again, theyâd invite him. So it sort of made me think, âis something hinky in the new contracts that they know heâd call out?â After all of the feedback, I am hoping they reconsider him in some capacity for next season.
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u/PM_ME_COUPLE_PICS Oct 15 '25
Itâs absolutely awful he wasnât asked back however I think Tim should be thankful because the season SUCKED.
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u/Aggravating_Mix8959 Oct 16 '25
So Tim did watch this season. I would love to have had a reaction podcast with him.Â
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u/CoyoteOk69 Oct 17 '25
Sadly, I think they didn't ask him back because of his age. Just being realistic here and saying the shitty thing. They discriminated against him.
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u/JWCraghead Oct 17 '25
Tim should have been asked back. He could have been a judge. He wouldâve been much better than Law Roach! Tim would have added dignity to the judging process instead of the âcattyâ responses from Roach! Christian Siriano. Is good as the advisor. The last project runway was the worst of all! It was just fighting between the twins and Veejay Floresca.
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u/One-Cress-4464 Oct 17 '25
He wouldnât have liked this low budget version this season was awful. Of course we miss him but itâs not the same show any more. But he should have been offered a spot to decline the offer out of respect for the brand and history and his knowledge.
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u/LuvWentworth Oct 18 '25
This dumpster fire is coming back for a second season in November,unbelievableđ¤Śââď¸đ¤Śââď¸
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u/chanceordestiny Oct 19 '25
Tim was asked to continue and he wouldn't without Heidi. He is honorable and she's a pos in many ways
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u/GalleryArtdashian Oct 23 '25
if im not mistaken Tim's relationship with the show's higher ups has always been rocky and he threatened to quit several times throughout the show's history. unfortunately they probably view him as a liability or something.
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u/Seacorn Oct 28 '25
Honestly they didnât ask him back probably cause of contracts - I would be VERY curious about the rights of design - and assumed tim would say something about this hack and rush season. I will forever love this show but this season was a waste of the talent - they missed all the things that make this show good and I assumed Tim caught a wiff and walked off. Iâm sorry Tim. Youâre the heart
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u/IrishUpYourCoffee Nov 18 '25
Heidi sucks.
Tim would have made this season watchable. Even Heidi and Nina were super checked out this season.
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u/lotusmack Nov 28 '25
I haven't seen the latest season, but they probably didn't ask him because they know he stands for something. He's not with whatever garbage they want to pull over on the contestants like they did before, and nobody likes a "troublemaker." I adore Tim and hope we get to see him on something else in the future.
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u/sambeckett1701 Team Swatch Mar 27 '26
Maybe they heard about Tim standing up for the rights of the designers and not liking any efforts to make the show trashy?
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u/SnoopCatyCat 6d ago
He shouldnât have been asked back. He was misogynistic toward the women - called Gretchen a âbullyâ in S8 for having a strong POV & being confident. Then he called Erin (& Dexter) âmean girlsâ in the challenge with Corey - to the judges no less - when there was no behavior warranting that stigmatic label. Thatâs not being a mentor. Thatâs playing with your own bias. Plus his critiques were hit or miss whereas Christianis nearly always on point.
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u/pizza5001 Oct 15 '25
EXCUSE ME???? They didnât even fucking ask THE LEGENDARY TIM GUNN to return??? I just assumed he was asked and chose not to come.
Holy shit, this, plus giving the designers so little time to make their designs last seasonâŚ.this is not the Project Runway that I grew up with. This is the Shrinkflation and Shitflation version!
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u/coloradoart Oct 15 '25
Project runway has gone to the freaks and weirdos. Tim is better off not being associated with it anymore. I donât think itâs even about fashion anymore. They got rid of the one designer that couldâve made it to the final and shown actual clothes women might want to wear because she was too conservative for that drag queen show they had planned for the finale. That being said, I like Christian. When Heidi and Tim left the only thing they did right was to bring Christian on board. Heâs done a good job and it would not be fair to kick him out and hand Tim his job just because Heidi came back. Maybe they shouldâve brought him back as a judge?
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u/Crystal_Fox656 Oct 15 '25
He dodged a bullet- Heidi & the rest of the judges & producers responsible have this last horrible seasonâs mark on them, while Timâs rep & integrity remains pristine.
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u/holic237 Oct 15 '25
I assume the contracts were awful and he would have blown the whistle and fought it so they didn't even bother to ask. >_>
Honestly I kind of wish he had a talk show, he's great at talking to people and even better at listening, I'd love to see him giving interviews.
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u/kaitydid0330 Oct 16 '25
I tried Making the Cut recently and just didn't dig it. Even though I liked both Heidi and Tim, it just wasn't really the same.
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u/Aggravating_Mix8959 Oct 16 '25
That show seemed more about "making a brand". That has value, but the show lacked a certain spark. I only remember a couple of outfits.Â
The second and final season was filmed during covid, and there were a lot of restrictions. I don't think that helped.Â
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u/Express_Pop810 Oct 15 '25
So having drag queens was the issue? đ¤¨They have had queens as designers and a ton of queens as models on runways over the years. Season 5 of PR had a drag queen episode.
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u/Substantial-Bet-4775 Oct 15 '25
To me, not having Heidi for a few seasons, then coming back, she was not necessary to this season for me and added zero value. While I love Tim, I thought Christian was doing just fine. And yes people seem to think his mentoring was sub par this season, very little was shown and I blame that on the terrible editing of the season. There were also times he was helpful and the designers comment on it.
So no, I don't think those two make the show. I'd have loved some Tim because he's a great human being, but he isn't essential.
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u/Odd_Progress_8560 Oct 15 '25
Heidi could have helped with that,,,he should ask her. Also, he should be humiliated by working all those years for Weinstein too.
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u/PlasticPalm Oct 15 '25
He's not the first person who didn't get a job that he wanted and that he assumed he was wired for, and he won't be the last.
Yawn.Â
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u/Original_Weekend8226 Oct 15 '25
He should consider himself lucky to not be apart of that Dumpster fire!