Banks Boots Porizkova From Top Model Panel

Porizkova, who shot to fame in the 1980s, revealed her 44th birthday on 9 April (09) was ruined when she received the bad news in a telephone call.

Making the announcement during an appearance on U.S. TV's Late Late Show on Tuesday night (12May09), she told host Craig Ferguson, "Listen, do you know why I am in Los Angeles? Because I am looking for a job - because I was fired by America's Next Top Model on my birthday."

Producers claim the Czech-born star was booted from the modelling contest's judging panel to cut costs - but Porizkova believes that was only part of the issue.

She adds, "The reason I was told I was fired was because, it seemed, that America's Next Top Model has gotten too fat, and they needed to cut some fat, and the fat was me.

"I figured it was either that, or my gigantic huge ego. Which I wasn't aware of, until I was told by the producers that I have an ego problem."

Porizkova joined America's Next Top Model for its 10th season in 2008 as a replacement for British fashion icon Twiggy. The current 12th cycle, which completed filming earlier this year (09), is her last.