TYRA Banks has finally broken her silence on the major fan backlash over her behavior on former reality show America’s Next Top Model.

The model turned businesswoman, 52, will appear in a new Netflix documentary about the show alongside former judges Nigel Barker, Jay Manuel, and Miss J Alexander, as well as former contestants.

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Tyra Banks, seen in a trailer for Netflix’s Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, is addressing controversy surrounding her 2003 model search reality showCredit: Netflix
 

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During the show’s run, Tyra found herself facing backlash for her treatment of contestants on several occassionsCredit: The CW / America’s Next Top Model
Entertainment Weekly obtained a first look at the trailer for the upcoming docuseries, Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, in which Tyra, addresses the controversy for the first time.

“I haven’t really said much. But, now it’s time,” she says in the clip.

ANTM premiered in 2003, and was at the center of several controversies during its long run on TV.

On the reality series, models’ skin was darkened to help them appear to be a different ethnicity, contestants were body shamed, and more.

Elsewhere in the trailer, Tyra says, “I knew I went too far.”

She claims that her hope for the show was much different than what played out on TV.

“I wanted to fight against the fashion industry,” she claims.

Tyra appears to shift the blame for a moment, saying, “It was intense but you guys were demanding it, so we kept pushing it.”

Tyra isn’t the only one speaking out about the things that went wrong on ANTM.

Producer Ken Mok is also set to appear in the docuseries.

“There was a moment I realized, ‘Oh my God, I think we’ve built a monster,’” he confesses.

The docuseries will address many of the infamous ANTM scandals, but fans are treated to a sneak peek at the response to one in particular.

Speaking on the decision to alter photos to make contestants appear of different ethnicities, Miss J said simply, “Baby girl, baby girl!”

Jay, for his part, elaborated, “I realized Tyra would do anything for the success of her show.”

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Tyra, Miss J, and Nigel Barker, seen alongside Twiggy in a still from America’s Next Top Model, are all slated to appear in Netflix’s Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top ModelCredit: Getty – Contributor
He appears again in the trailer to discuss his shocking dismissal from the show after the premiere of cycle 18, which aired in 2012.

Jay was axed along with Miss J, and Nigel.

He compared his firing to being “slapped across the face,” adding that he “felt betrayed.”

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Tyra previously addressed the ethnicity controversy after it resurfaced online.

“I want to be very clear: I, in no way, put my Top Models in blackface.

“I’m a Black woman. I am proud. I love my people and the struggle that we have gone through continues, and the last thing that I would ever do is be part of something that degraded my race,” she said in a previously released statement.

“I’m sorry to anybody that watched Top Model and was offended by the pictures because they didn’t understand the real story behind them or even if you did see the whole episode and you were still offended, I truly apologize because that is not my intention.

“My intention is to spread beauty and break down barriers.”

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In Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, Tyra admits she took things ‘too far’ on ANTMCredit: Netflix
Jennifer An, who appeared on Cycle 13 of ANTM, previously told EW that she “didn’t know were were going to have our bodies painted,” referencing a Hawaii-based photoshoot that took place in 2009.

She went on: “I kept saying, ‘You guys are putting me in blackface.’”

In February 2025, ANTM alum Adrianne Curry spoke exclusively to The U.S. Sun about Tyra, the show, and the scandals surrounding it.

Years after her appearance on the series in Cycle 1, the model revealed that while she hadn’t spoken to Try in years, she still very much had her back.

“We haven’t talked since season one of Top Model but I wish her well,” she said.

“I know everyone came to cancel her and s**t.”

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Years after ANTM’s end, Tyra, seen in a still from the reality show, has been slammed several times over challenges on the showCredit: UPN
She continued: “I felt bad when everyone thought it was funny during Covid, when all the Top Model contestants wanted to air their grievances, and they wanted me to jump on board because if anyone that could be mad at her, it would be me.”

“But I’m like, Dude, I’m so over that. It’s been like 900 years.

“You b***hes need to let this go, like you need to live your life and not hold grudges like this,” she demanded.

During the pandemic, Tyra came under fire for telling a gay contestant on Cycle 5 of the show how to make her sexuality more acceptable.

Clips from the shocking moment show Tyra taunting the contestant, saying, “I’m Black and proud … but I’m not, like, walking down the red carpet [saying], ‘I’m Black, I’m Black.’”

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America’s Next Top Model premiered on UPN in 2003Credit: CW
Another moment from the show that went viral around that time showed Tyra bashing Cycle 6 contestant Danielle Evans over the gap in her teeth.

Adrianne said that at that point, she felt she needed to jump to Tyra’s defense.

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“I actually defended Tyra Banks, because I’m like, you guys are mad at someone because of a TV show that you loved and supported, and now 20 years later, it didn’t age the way you wanted, and you want to hold it accountable to the impossible standards people set on each other,” she said at the time.

“No, f**k off, you know? It’s just a bunch of bored people wanted to shake their fists at things.”

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Tyra hosted ANTM with Miss J, Jay Manuel, and Nigel BarkerCredit: The CW
 

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ANTM underwent several casting shakeups during its tenure on TVCredit: Getty – Contributor
 

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ANTM aired its final season in 2018Credit: Netflix