Here’s Why Tyra Banks Is Leaving ‘America’s Got Talent’

Tyra Banks may be leaving America’s Got Talent behind, but the supermodel has plenty to keep her busy heading into 2019.

After reports surfaced Tuesday that Banks would not return for Season 14 of the NBC talent competition, a source told Us Weekly a little more about her reasoning for the exit.

“Tyra’s leaving on her own volition and because she wants to produce and act more,” the source explained. “She likes to produce and create.”

Banks acted as host of the longtime competition reality show for two seasons, coming on board during Season 12 as a replacement for Nick Cannon, who resigned in 2017 following a controversial comedy routine.

The America’s Next Top Model judge has been hinting that her time on America’s Got Talent might be coming to a close for a while now, after returning to ANTM, starring in Life Size 2 and working to raise 2-year-old son York as a single mom.

This echoes the report by Page Six, which broke the news that Banks would not return for a new season Tuesday.

“Life Size 2 went way beyond expectations. It was Freeform’s biggest premiere of the year. Executives were over the moon with the cult classic sequel,” a source told the outlet. “Tyra’s been inundated with producing and acting requests. She wants to produce and create TV. She will not be returning to AGT in the new year.”

In an interview with Access Hollywood in November, Banks seemed unsure about whether she would be returning to the NBC show for its next season.

“I don’t know,” she said in response to a question about her return to Season 14 of the show. “I think I had a really nice run with AGT. I had a lot, a lot of fun. I’m really focusing on Life Size, I’m really focusing on a lot of … I’m gonna be producing TV and I have a massive project starting next year. I’m not so sure.”

She added, If I don’t come back, I had a lot of fun. A lot.”

The 45-year-old also teased a “massive project” to the outlet that appeared to be taking up a lot of her time.

“It is so massive it’s really making me really look at everything I’m doing and saying, ‘What can I kill off? What can I not do? What can I truly focus on?’” she said. “It’s coming in the fall of next year … it’s something that has never been done before.”

Photo credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images