Tyra Banks is under intense scrutiny after the release of the Netflix documentary, Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model — and the reaction hasn’t been subtle.
The three-part series features Tyra, fellow executive producer Ken Mok, along with several former judges and contestants from ANTM. The modelling competition ran for an impressive 24 cycles between 2003 and 2018, but over the years, it has repeatedly been labelled problematic and controversial.
Now that the show is firmly back in the headlines, former cast members have been given the opportunity to revisit everything from controversial photoshoots to relentless body-shaming — and viewers have strong opinions about what they’ve heard.
Tyra Banks on Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model documentary
In the documentary, Tyra is asked to confront several long-standing controversies, including pressuring Cycle 6 winner Dani Evans to close the gap in her teeth and the handling of Keenyah’s harassment on set during a photoshoot.
Although she accepted responsibility for certain decisions — such as the infamous ‘race-swapping shoot’ — many viewers still feel she stopped short of fully owning the show’s most troubling moments.
During the second episode, attention turned to Cycle 2 contestant Shandi Sullivan, whose storyline originally portrayed her as cheating on her boyfriend with an Italian model while drunk.
However, speaking now, Shandi said she “blacked out” for much of the night and woke up feeling that “something was wrong”.
Fighting back tears, she said producers should have stepped in rather than continuing to film.
Shandi revealed she “kept demanding” to leave the show in the aftermath. She said production refused to let her go and would not allow her to call her boyfriend, Eric — until she threatened to stop filming altogether.
She also claimed cameras followed her to the doctor, footage that never aired, and alleged they filmed her confronting the Italian model about STDs and whether protection had been used.
Hitting back at production, Shandi said: “Why can’t you ask them yourself? Why do you have to film this?”
When asked directly about the Shandi situation, Tyra appeared to distance herself from it. Despite serving as executive producer, she said that area fell under production and was not her “territory”.
Elsewhere in the episode, Tyra suggested that audiences had pushed for the show to become bigger and more outrageous, implying there was pressure to deliver escalating drama.
‘You have no idea what we have planned for Cycle 25’
In the same documentary, Tyra dropped a major hint that America’s Next Top Model may not be finished just yet, teasing a possible return for Cycle 25.
“You have no idea what we have planned for Cycle 25,” she said, implying that discussions are already underway.
While ANTM was undeniably a ratings hit during its peak, the idea of a revival hasn’t landed well with everyone, particularly given how many former contestants have described feeling scarred by their experiences.
‘She’s crazy’
“Tyra shamelessly promoting cycle 25 after we just watched 3 episodes of traumatised girls. She’s crazy,” one user wrote on X.
“Tyra Banks takes absolutely no accountability, states production isn’t anything to do with her but was an executive producer, then promotes Cycle 25. This woman is actually delusional. I hope this backlash gives her a wake-up call,” another person shared.
“Tyra Banks is the kind of person you cut ties with and never speak to again. Not ever. She is not a good person and everyone is better off without her around them. She is poison. [Bleep] Cycle 25, I hope it crashes and burns with her in it,” a third remarked.
“Yeah Tyra Banks still don’t give a damn and it shows she literally just made excuses the entire time. I knew it when she first came on the camera with that smug [bleep] smile talking about we asked for this. People who aren’t sorry really don’t apologise,” a fourth said.
Meanwhile, a fifth echoed: “It’s clear Tyra Banks is using this documentary as a way to plan her comeback but there’s no way she can redeem herself. Like no way lmao.”
Another declared: “That was brutal. The trauma. Also, I don’t think #TyraBanks is remorseful of what she has done.”
Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model documentary is streaming on Netflix now
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