The 'Project Runway' star addresses criticisms regarding her comments that favored 'America's Got Talent' amid racism allegations made by former judge Union.

• Feb 8, 2020

AceShowbiz - Heidi Klum has admitted "a lot of people got mad at me" after she weighed in on the controversy surrounding Gabrielle Union's exit from "America's Got Talent".

The "Bad Boys II" actress was fired from the show's panel of judges in November 2019 after just one season, amid reports suggesting her departure was linked to concerns she had raised about a number of controversial incidents which took place behind the scenes, creating a "toxic" work atmosphere.

Speaking during the Television Critics Association's winter press tour, Klum said of her time on the series, "I can't speak for (Gabrielle). I didn't experience the same thing. To me, everyone treats you with the utmost respect. I've never seen anything that was weird or hurtful."

However, some fans felt the star, who was a judge on the show for six seasons, was negating Gabrielle's experience in her comments, and she told the New York Post's gossip column Page Six she could "only speak to what I saw."

"A lot of people got mad at me. I was called, for example, 'a white woman,' " she said. "I think it is important for everyone to speak their truth. I think that when there is a story, it should be told. I had a different story."

"I can only speak to what I saw - it has nothing to do with what colour I am," she added. "I am a human so I just looked at what I saw."

Union's accusations were followed up by a "productive" meeting between the actress and network NBC, with an investigation by entertainers' union SAG-AFTRA currently ongoing.

Klum served as a judge on the main show from 2013 to 2018, and returned for "America's Got Talent: The Champions", which is airing now.