Tyra Banks will return to Project Runway as a recurring judge for the series' 22nd season [1].
Banks is a central figure in the fashion and reality television landscape. Her return to the judging panel signals a strategic move for the series as it continues to leverage high-profile personalities to maintain viewership on streaming platforms.
Hulu said the appointment in an official trailer released on June 18, 2024 [1], [2]. The new season is slated to premiere in July 2024 [3]. Banks, known for her tenure as a supermodel and the former host of America’s Next Top Model, will provide her expertise as a recurring guest throughout the competition [1], [4].
The announcement comes during a complex period for the media personality. Reports indicate that her return to the fashion competition occurs while she is involved in an ongoing lawsuit regarding a documentary series about America’s Next Top Model [5].
Project Runway has historically rotated a variety of guest judges to challenge the designers' perspectives. By bringing back Banks, the production integrates a judge with deep experience in both the commercial modeling industry and the mechanics of reality TV production. The series continues to stream on Hulu, where it focuses on the intersection of high fashion, and commercial viability [2], [3].
Banks' presence is expected to influence the critique of the designers' work, particularly regarding how garments translate to the runway and the camera. The trailer emphasizes the high stakes of the 22nd season [1].
“Tyra Banks will return to Project Runway as a recurring judge for the series' 22nd season”
The return of Tyra Banks to Project Runway suggests a desire by Hulu to recapture the 'super-producer' era of reality television, where celebrity judges drive social media engagement. However, the overlap with her legal disputes over the America’s Next Top Model documentary may create a narrative tension between her professional resurgence on the show and her public legal battles.
