The shocking downfall of Tyra Banks that has got everyone worried

There's no denying Tyra Banks' celebrity has faded. With every new year comes another failed project or devastating cancellation, and it's hard to watch a model who was once one of the most sought-after beauties in the world struggle to keep her star shining.

She quit the catwalk


Why would anyone leave an industry at the height of their fame and fortune? Banks may have asked herself that question more than once since retiring from modeling in 2005 at age 31. At the time, she explained she wanted to go out on top and "be like the athletes who seem stuck in time," but a decade after Banks ended a supermodel reign of nearly 20 years, it seems unlikely that her dreams of Michael Jordan-style lasting glory are destined to come true.

There has been chatter about a Victoria Secret reunion show featuring Banks, along with former Angels Gisele Bündchen and Heidi Klum. "I have been asked to do a reunion many years ago," Banks told Watch What Happens Live in 2014, "and I said no because I was trying to be taken seriously as a talk show host and as an executive producer and as a businesswoman." What would she say if asked again? "I don't know if I would. But whenever I see them, I feel like we have a connection, these Angels, because we're like the O.G. original Angels. Like, that was invented on us." Banks added, "And, the president of Victoria's Secret promised me a lifetime supply of Victoria's Secret products, even after I decided to leave the company. But once I left, he only let me have it for a year. So I have a bone to pick."
Her talk show was canceled


After five seasons, Tyra was canceled in May 2010. The talk show featured a mix of female empowerment messages, sometimes messy monologues, and antics by the former model, all of which took a turn for the worse in later seasons. Banks and her team sought out drama-filled guests to boost sagging ratings, but the show's new personality made it look less like The Oprah Winfrey Show and more like The Jerry Springer Show. Needless to say, the change in direction did not help Banks.




TypeF.com floundered
 


In March 2011, Banks put her name on the line by launching TypeF.com. The style site aimed to provide a one-of-a-kind experience for users by offering personalized beauty and fashion tips. Although the glitzy launch brought in lots of initial traffic, page views and site visits suffered a steep decline over time. As spelled out in a 2013 Adweek story, the site essentially died after content seemed to dry up. Banks' face disappeared from the site, and headlines pointed to two-year-old content. At the time of this writing, Banks' former site redirected to an EHow.com fashion and beauty page, and associated social media accounts had not been updated in years.

America's Next Top Model was axed
 


Perhaps the fourth sign that Banks' supermodel influence had waned was the demise of the formerly beloved hit show America's Next Top Model. After a dizzying 22 cycles, the catwalk competition was axed in December 2015. At one point the show was a ratings powerhouse, with millions of people tuning in each week and millions more commenting on social media. In its last few years on the CW network, ratings were in decline—and, frankly, so was the talent the show attracted. The ever-changing cast of judges, some rumored to have beefs with Banks, didn't help either.

FABlife got the boot

After less than one season, Banks' new foray into daytime television ended in a fiery ratings disaster. In January 2016, ABC pulled the plug on Banks' talk show FABlife—after Banks, who'd led a four-person hosting panel that included fellow model Chrissy Teigen, quit two months after its nationwide premiere. At the time, Banks called the decision to leave "difficult," but insiders said she left because she was duped into believing she'd receive creative control of the show. The cast did not appear to stay in sync after Banks' exit, and the show soon folded. Unforgiving headlines also pitted Banks against Teigen, which added fuel to the theory that sometimes-catty models can't get along.