Tyra Banks gets that a lot of the rough treatment on America’s Next Top Model wouldn’t be acceptable in 2025.
In the last five years, social media has been revisiting key moments and challenges from the old reality competition show, where modeling hopefuls competed for the coveted title of ANTM champion. But contestants faced some brutal hurdles, including dramatic makeovers and harsh criticism from the judging panel.
When asked about her memories of ANTM for Essence’s newest cover story, Banks was straightforward about how reality TV’s landscape has evolved since the show’s prime.
“Sometimes history can be a little bit revised, and people don’t understand that there’s a timeline when it comes to change,” Banks explained.
Banks, 51, also revealed that the modeling industry had some issues with the diversity on ANTM. “I would hear, ‘Oh, you got these girls from the ‘hood on your show.’ Like, all of that. You have no idea.”
But when discussing her treatment of ANTM contestants, Banks confessed there are “so many things that we would change.” “But at the time, you’re operating with the information that you have, on a show that is hugely popular. So we’re all experiencing this together,” she added.
The mother of one also shared that she would’ve handled other parts of her career “differently.” “Lots of things. But the crazy thing is, I had a talk show for five years. There were things on Top Model that we did, and I’m like, ‘I shouldn’t have done that,'” she continued.
“Y’all let me know that was whack. I would mention it on the talk show, and apologize. Or I wrote a book, and in it, I talked about it: ‘Oh, I said this on Top Model,’ and ‘I shouldn’t have done this, even though it would have hurt their career.'”
Banks addressed criticism of ANTM when old clips resurfaced in 2020. “Been seeing the posts about the insensitivity of some past ANTM moments and I agree with you,” she told her followers, according to CNN. “Looking back, those were some really off choices. Appreciate your honest feedback and am sending so much love and virtual hugs.”
