Project Runway returned in July with its 21st season, and it’s first on Freeform, with Heidi Klum reprising her role as head judge for the first time since leaving the show in 2017. However, her long-time co-host, Tim Gunn, who also left in 2017, did not return with her.

While the new season welcomed stylist Law Roach as a new judge, the rest of the line-up is full of familiar faces. But despite bringing back Klum, plus mainstay judge Nina García, long-time mentor Christian Siriano, and former contestants such as Jesus Estrada and Caycee Black, Gunn was allegedly not invited to the reunion, which has left many Project Runway viewers with a sour taste in their mouths.

“Guys, I literally miss Tim so much it hurts,” wrote one fan on the Project Runway Reddit forum on Wednesday (August 20). “It feels like grieving watching this show without him. It sucks how everything went down and I feel like it isn‘t even smart or worth it to punish him for making a few critical comments when he is so beloved and wanted to come back.”

The user continued, “I hate knowing he wanted to return and Heidi wanted him there but he was not asked back. I need Tim on my TV and I’m watching old seasons to cope but it’s making me more sad.”

Gunn previously told People that Klum had texted him months earlier about a Project Runway revival and whether he would be interested in returning to host alongside her.

“And I said, ‘Would I do it? Of course, there’s not a moment of hesitation in me,’” Gunn told the outlet before revealing that he never ended up receiving a contract, which came as a shock to Klum.

“I called my agent and he knew things were going on, but he contacted the executive producers of this new show, and they said, ‘We don’t want him,’” Gunn recalled. “And [my agent] said, ‘Well, he’s done 19 seasons of Runway, 16 with Heidi. The two of them won an Emmy together as hosts, and now you’re going to separate them?’ And they said yes.”

The Reddit commenter went on to say, “[Gunn] genuinely cares so much about being a mentor and helping the designers create their best work. You just can’t replicate his special combination of toughness and tenderness. Just needed to vent and I might start a petition.”

Others agreed, with one fan writing, “I don’t accept it, won’t watch the new eps. They were horrible to him and he made the show for me. You can’t fire the Gunn and expect the show to live.”

“You can’t serve a steak and fine wine to people who just want a Happy Meal,” added another.

“The show is just blah without him. It’s just an hour of, “how can I get the most time on camera?” by the contestants. I can’t see any of them having a future as a real professional fashion designer,” another said.

Another wrote, “I miss Tim and the old editing team(s). I barely made it through episode 1 and came here to see if they changed back to focusing on the clothes in later episodes. If I wanted a reality TV drama-focused show I’d just go to 90 Day Fiance.”

“I miss him awfully too,” said one commenter.

In his interview with People, Gunn did admit the producers eventually got back in touch with his agent and offered him a one-off cameo in the new season. It’s safe to say the veteran TV host didn’t take too kindly to the offer.

“What do I do? Wave from a bus as the designers are going into Mood [Fabrics]? Heidi comes to see me at the retirement home and we play croquet? So no thank you. And as Heidi would say, you’re either in or you’re out. And I’m out. So I wasn’t asked to join.”

Gunn revealed that he felt “initially devastated, then kind of humiliated” but later made peace with the decision. “I thought, how lucky am I to have had the experiences that I’ve had over the last 20 years?”

He added, “This is phenomenal. I stopped the boo-hooing. I thought, it’s really throwing hubris in the face of an angry God to mourn not being on this new show. So I’ve come to terms with it. Am I disappointed? Sure.”

What do you think of the new season of Project Runway? Do you miss Gunn? Let us know your thoughts below.