Project Runway Returns to Bravo as Weinstein Company Continues to Disintegrate

Project Runway will be heading back to Bravo after a decade at Lifetime, a switch that marks one of the first big moves from Lantern Entertainment after it acquired the assets of the rapidly sinking Weinstein Company.

“Project Runway is coming back where it all started, it’s coming home on Bravo,” Bravo’s Andy Cohen reported during NBCUniversal’s upfront presentation today, according to Deadline.

The show may be returning to its original home, but it has a rather blustery backstory when it comes to its network history. The reality show, currently entering its 17th season, moved to Lifetime in 2008 after five seasons at Bravo after a major deal was inked between the network and The Weinstein Company. The transaction was far from peaceful. As Deadline explains:

The relocation triggered bitter litigation. NBC Universal sued, charging that Bravo should have been allowed to try to match Lifetime’s offer for Project Runway. NBC Uni won an injunction that prevented Lifetime from putting the show on the channel. The matter was eventually settled, with TWC agreeing to pay NBC Uni a fee for the right to move the show to Lifetime.

A+E Television Networks, the parent company of Lifetime, canceled its contract for Project Runway after news of Harvey Weinstein’s abuse of women broke in October. According to Deadline, A+E notified The Weinstein Company that it was in breach of its contract in November before formally terminating the agreement in January.

Bravo, for its part, is happy to have the show back.

“We are beyond excited to reboot Project Runway at the network where it all began. Leaning into the creative process in an entertaining way has always been part of Bravo’s DNA, and ‘Project Runway’ perfectly captures that,” Frances Berwick, President Lifestyle Networks, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, said in a statement.

“This franchise will be an important cornerstone to complement Bravo’s original premium scripted and unscripted slate, and we expect it to drive the same level of fan-dom and passion as we experienced last time it was on Bravo.”