The first 22 seasons of America's Next Top Model were filled with so many ups and downs that we could never really take anything for granted. One thing that we could always count on, however, was the constantly quotable commentary from host Tyra Banks. She left behind the role of host after the show moved from The CW to VH1, choosing to focus on non-TV business ventures. Recently, however, she announced that she'd resume her hosting duties for Season 24, and she explained her reasoning for returning, saying this:
My fans on social media -- and not just my fans, but the fans of the show -- were very vocal to a point where I was like, 'Maybe it was a mistake for me to have walked away.' So from a pleasing the fans and then looking at the business side, I think I have to be there for it to continue, so I was like, 'Okay, I'm coming back.'
As it turns out, Tyra Banks' big return to America's Next Top Model is all about pleasing fans of the series. According to TV Guide, Banks made the decision to give viewers what they wanted was at least partly to keep ANTM from being cancelled for good. The series was saved from fading into nothingness when VH1 renewed it following The CW's cancellation; there's no guarantee that it would get another life elsewhere if it got the axe from VH1.
Tyra Banks was replaced by Rita Ora as host for Season 23, and fans apparently did not respond to Ora as well as the folks behind the scenes had hoped. Banks was still on board America's Next Top Model as an executive producer, so we can be sure that she kept a close eye on how many people were watching with Ora as host. What she saw was evidently discouraging enough that she decided to return to her role in front of the camera only a year after she first left it.
Interestingly, she'll be pretty busy in front of the camera in the not-too-distant future. In addition to returning as host of America's Next Top Model, she recently signed on to take Nick Cannon's place as host of America's Got Talent on NBC. We'll have to wait and see if she'll be able to continue focusing on her non-TV business ventures now that she's venturing back onto the small screen.
If you're now in the mood for some classic Tyra Banks seasons of America's Next Top Model, the first 17 are available streaming for Hulu subscribers. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV news, and don't forget to check out our midseason TV premiere guide and our summer TV premiere schedule to discover all your viewing options now and in the coming weeks. Be sure to drop by our rundowns for cable/streaming and broadcast TV renewals and cancellations, and take a gander at our picks for upcoming summer shows that actually look great!
