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By Lydia Patrick
Life & Trends Reporter
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Netflix has announced a tell-all documentary that goes behind the scenes of arguably one of the most explosive reality TV series ever to air: America’s Next Top Model.
The show first premiered in 2003, 23 years ago, and captivated global audiences, drawing more than 100 million viewers at its peak.
Tyra Banks, the show’s creator and a former supermodel, became known for her hardline methods, pushing contestants through each stage of the competition in often extreme ways.
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The three-part series, airing February 16 on Netflix, will feature interviews with key ANTM figures and former contestants as they unpack the good, the bad, and the ugly. Many now say they are horrified by the show’s promotion of skinny culture and the damaging self-image standards it reinforced.
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Created by Banks and developed by Ken Mok and Kenya Barris, America’s Next Top Model ran for 24 seasons—or “cycles”—from 2003 to 2016, following aspiring models from across the US as they lived together, competed in challenges, and faced weekly eliminations for the chance to win a magazine spread and major modeling contracts.
While the series broke ground by spotlighting contestants from underrepresented communities, it also became notorious for increasingly extreme photo shoots, compulsory cosmetic transformations, and judges’ harsh critiques of contestants’ bodies and appearances.
In the new docuseries, Banks, Mok, former judges, and past contestants reflect on the show’s complicated legacy as audiences continue to reassess its cultural impact.
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The queen of controversy, Banks has already sparked a viral reaction following comments made in the trailer. Newsweek reached out to a representative for Tyra Banks for comment via email.
"I haven't really said much, but now it's time," she said.
In another snippet, she added: "I wanted to fight against the fashion industry. I knew I went too far."
She continued "It was very, very intense but you guys were demanding it, and so we kept pushing more and more and more."
Some fans have taken umbrage at Banks’s remarks.
"I’m sorry, did Tyra just blame US THE PEOPLE for everything she did?????" asked Jess Grossman in response to the trailer on Threads.
"We were 10 years old Tyra omg," said Christina Huber, also known as @thebravobabe, from Chicago.
"So Tyra Banks is really about to get on Netflix and gaslight America into saying that ANTM was our fault?! Tyra please I was 9," wrote Shannel (@its_nonnahs).
Others offered a more nuanced take.
"Tyra Banks isn’t wrong. We are part of the problem. No matter how much we knew that show belittled women and pushed a horrible agenda, WE SAT THERE AND WATCHED IT FAITHFULLY. We kept the lights on by tuning in each time. We lived for the drama and shading no matter how terrible it was," said another fan, Isa (@prettiipinkroses).
Another user reposted Isa’s comment with a blunt caption: "Girl I was 12."
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