For fans of America’s Got Talent, we've compiled a list of every host and judge fired from the show. We know that Regis Philbin, Piers Morgan, Jerry Springer and Heidi Klum allegedly left on amicable terms. But for the other talented names associated with the show, their departures were shrouded in controversy.
Nick Cannon. Cannon joined the cast of America's Got Talent in 2009. He succeeded Regis Philbin and Jerry Springer. Cannon's six seasons on AGT came to an abrupt end when NBC executives threatened to terminate him over jokes about the network that appeared in his Showtime comedy special, Stand Up, Don't Shoot. Cannon released a statement on social media that he didn't appreciate the network's attempt to silence his creativity. He quit the show soon thereafter.
Howard Stern. The shock-jock learned that executive producer Simon Cowell asked NBC execs to fire him during the Sony hacking scandal. Stern later told listeners on his Sirius Radio show: "Then he called me up and said, ‘Oh Howard, you know that none of the Sony hack is true. None of that.'” Howard continued his diatribe about Cowell: "Dude like what am I, an imbecile? And I’m just like, ‘Yeah Simon, I’m sure that’s true.’ I didn’t even give a f—. Like really you think I’m so stupid that I wouldn’t think the Sony hack was true…The guy is just a sleaze bag." Since then, Stern has been a vocal critic of America's Got Talent, as well as his former boss.
Sharon Osbourne. The Talk's opinionated co-host cut her teeth on the judge's panel of America's Got Talent during her six-year stint on the program. Osbourne eventually left AGT, citing her issues with NBC. About her departure, she said: "Everybody’s experience on a show is different, and I was at that show for six years. I didn’t get let go. I left. And that’s the truth. I left because NBC, not because of the show. I had my own problems with the network," explained Osbourne on The Talk. "I don’t know about any of her concerns about the show," she said, referring to Gabrielle Union's controversial exit from the judges panel in late 2019.
Mel B. The Spice Girl was brought on to replace Osbourne following her departure. She stayed on as a judge from season 8 all the way until season 13. The official word on Mel B. is that she had already negotiated a break from the show to go on tour with the Spice Girls. However, it's been widely speculated that her exit from the show had something to do with the glass of water she threw in Simon Cowell's face after he made an inappropriate joke about her wedding night to Stephen Belefonte while she was in the process of divorcing him.
Tyra Banks. The former America's Next Top Model mentor and judge picked up the torch after Nick Cannon's untimely departure. At first, Banks' wild and in-your-face hosting style seemed a perfect fit for the fun and often unconventional AGT stage. However, Banks found herself in hot water during her first season as host, when a family appearing on the show filed a lawsuit against her and the program. They alleged that Banks "physically manipulated & verbally abused" their child while they performed. The former supermodel lasted on the program for one more season, then left to "pursue other projects." A source told Us Weekly, "Tyra’s leaving on her own volition and because she wants to produce and act more."
Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough: The season 14 judges were fired in late 2019. However, it was the firestorm of controversy that followed which will live in AGT infamy. Union accused the show of fostering a toxic work environment, while Hough denied that there was ever any dissension. In the end, NBC executives agreed to meet with Union to air her grievances and learn more about the America's Got Talent set. They even consented to an investigation of her complaints, which wrapped up in early 2020.
David Hasselhoff. The former Baywatch star and German singing sensation walked away from AGT in 2010 to pursue his own reality series, The Hasselhoffs. The move wasn't a good one; A&E pulled the show off the air after only two episodes. It has been widely speculated that Hasselhoff's alleged alcoholism may have posed a problem for him at America's Got Talent.
Brandy Norwood. This '90s pop princess left America's Got Talent after just one season. Norwood was the driver in a car accident that resulted in a fatality. Officially, she left the show to deal with court proceedings, but sources close to the star hinted that she was asked to leave due to the negative press she was getting.
Source: People, Cheatsheet