Heidi Klum forced to leave America’s Got Talent after ‘falling ill’ right before going on stage… and Howie Mandel rolls up to set in hazmat suit amid coronavirus fears
- The former Project Runway host looked fine as she arrived, but she was too ill to take the stage
- Her fellow judges told the audience she had food poisoning, though sources said she was merely feeling ill
- There’s no reason to assume she’s suffering from COVID-19, and it’s more likely she had a commonplace illness
Heidi Klum fell ill during Saturday’s taping of America’s Got Talent and had to leave before arriving on stage, according to TMZ.
The 46-year-old supermodel appeared to be in fine health as she made her way to the Pasadena Civic auditorium earlier in the day, but she wasn’t able to be part of the broadcast.
Her fellow judges, including Simon Cowell, Sofía Vergara and Howie Mandel, reportedly told audience she suffered from food poisoning, though other sources disputed that characterization.
Under the weather: Heidi Klum had to leave an America’s Got Talent taping before even coming on stage after she fell ill, according to TMZ
The judges apologized to the audience by saying that the German-born model had come down with a case of food poisoning, and Sofía took the opportunity to joke that she sent Heidi food the night before
Sources behind the scenes contradicted the food poisoning diagnosis and said she had merely been feeling too ill to participate.
Though COVID-19, the disease caused by the Coronavirus, has been in headlines across the globe, there’s no reason to assume she’s suffering from it, and it’s more likely she has a different illness.
Bad takeout: The other three judges came on stage apologized to the audience by saying that the German-born model had come down with a case of food poisoning
Easy joke: But sources disputed that it was food poisoning and said she was just feeling ill, though Sofía took the opportunity to joke that she sent Heidi food the night before
Having a laugh: Heidi’s co-star Howie Mandel made light of coronavirus fears when he arrived at the theater wearing an old-school gas mask with tubing that wasn’t connected to anything
Notably, AGT is still filming in front of a packed theater audience, whereas other TV shows have recently opted to film without audiences until the coronavirus is more contained.
It was announced Monday that Jeopardy would tape without an audience as a precaution for host Alex Trebek, who’s currently battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer and is immunocompressed due to his treatments and chemotherapy.
Wheel Of Fortune will be taking the same course, and both programs have average audience ages over 60. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested that individuals over 60 are at a greater risk of getting seriously ill from the coronavirus.
Wendy Williams and Dr. Phil will also be foregoing audiences for the time being.
Packed set: AGT is still using an audience, unlike Jeopardy and Wheel Of Fortune. The move was for the safety of host Alex Trebek, who’s battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer and undegoing chemotherapy treatments
Heidi’s co-star Howie Mandel made light of coronavirus fears when he arrived at the theater wearing an old-school gas mask with tubing that wasn’t connected to anything.
He also had on a makeshift white hazmat suit and thick yellow gloves that reached up to his elbows.
The Deal Or No Deal star also brought along a black baseball cap for good measure, though he just held it.
Mandel has been open throughout his career about his struggles with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) as well as mysophobia, a fear of germs.
On Saturday, he continued poking fun at himself, as well as the recent coronavirus-sparked run on toilet paper, by showing up to the studio carrying a roll.
‘Stores out of water and masks. Just a helmet and toilet paper. #safety,’ he joked on Instagram later.
Topical comedy: On Saturday, he continued poking fun at his germaphobe reputation, as well as the recent coronavirus-sparked run on toilet paper, by showing up to the studio carrying a roll
