The fourth season of Germany's Next Topmodel (GNTM) aired on the German television network ProSieben from 12 February 2009 to 21 May 2009. In contrast to previous seasons, the show saw a significant change as the audition process was completely open this time, such that every model-wannabe got a chance to audition in front of the jury led by Heidi Klum.
The numbers of applications were 1,104 in Düsseldorf, 1,376 in Munich and 18,786 who applied before via mail.[1]
Also the winner of the first cycle of Austria's Next Topmodel, Larissa Marolt was automatically secured a place among the top 20 finalists who will be chosen out of the semifinalists from the different audition cities and the written applications. The winner is 19-year-old Sara Nuru from Munich.
Out of ca. 1100 girls, the judge picked out 45 girls, and reduced them after and after down to the 15 semi-finalists of Düsseldorf. As a world's first, at this casting all the girls that auditioned got a chance to walk in front of the judges.
2
"Münchener Schickeria"
19February2009(2009-02-19)
Again, out of ca. 1300 girls this time, the judge picked girls out and reduced their number down to the next 15 contestants. This casting was in Munich.
A manufacturer of lady shavers cast Sara for a TV Commercial shoot, all the girls did the cover shoot for the winner's Cosmopolitan Germany title and in parallel, all contestants were asked to create a unique photo shoot setting, a challenge Mandy won.
Challenge winner: Mandy Bork
Cast for job: Sara Nuru
Eliminated: Maria Beckmann
Guest Judge: Petra Gesulat
Featured Director: Ben Hartenstein
15
"Du Schwarze, du Blonde, du Braune"
19May2009(2009-05-19)
Bottom two: Mandy Bork & Jessica Motzkus
Eliminated: Jessica Motzkus
Guest Judge: Petra Gesulat
Booked for job: Mandy Bork, Marie Nasemann & Sara Nuru
Sophia Thomalla, daughter of German actress Simone Thomalla, was eliminated in the first round for having a friendship with judge Peyman Amin.[4]
In August 2022 Marie Nasemann revealed that she suffers from the spinal condition Scoliosis. Back in 2009, during the fourth season, her Scoliosis was discussed at a casting for Samsung. The editors of Germany's Next Topmodel tried to make her cry because of her illness and she also reveals: "I found out years later that Samsung would have liked to book me, but from the production side it wasn't allowed".[5]
In September 2022, the winner of the 4th season, Sara Nuru, joined the criticism of the show as she said: "I was not aware of how blatantly young women were treated there. It was as if I had blinders on, a lot is me I wasn't aware of it even as a participant. I'm still horrified by how young women are treated."[6] She added: "With the knowledge I have today, I would not take part in Germany's Next Topmodel again."[7]
In January 2023, the relentless criticism continued when former contestant Tessa Bergmeier (Season 4) criticized the Show and Heidi Klum live in front of an audience of millions during her participation in the 16th season of I'm a Celebrity - Get Me Out of Here. In a conversation with model Papis Loveday, she said: "They screwed me! I found it unfair. I had no idea what kind of light they wanted to put me in. They portrayed me as a bitch. [...] They made me a monster, I wasn't." Bergmeier describes Klum as "super-mega psycho. The devil is in her. [...] She laughs at little girls [...] A person who can torment others without any feeling of guilt. I couldn't continue modelling in Hamburg, no client wanted me anymore." Papis Loveday, who also worked on GNTM, added about Klum: "She only thinks of herself. Nobody can shine more than she does."[8][9]
In February 2023 Der Spiegel gives a glimpse into the notorious gag contracts that candidates have to sign in order to be able to take part in the Heidi Klum show. According to the Hamburg lawyer Jörg Nabert, these are "illegal gag contracts". The contract binds the women to an agency for two years. A regulation that, according to Nabert, is not customary in the industry. The participants also agree that the recordings "present them in a way that they don't like themselves". According to Der Spiegel, the contracts say: "The contributors are aware of any burdens that may result for them". If necessary, “substantive suggestions” would be made and enforced by the show management. Germany's Next Topmodel can thus stylize people like Tessa Bergmeier (Season 4) as "bitches" without them being able to defend themselves effectively afterwards. Heidi Klum's casting show goes further than similar formats with this practice.[10][11]
In February 2023, the Berliner Zeitung published an article about the show with the headline: "Why isn't Germany’s Next Topmodel actually canceled?"[12]
In February 2023 at the beginning of the 18th season, Heidi Klum gave a 10-minute speech in which she denied all allegations against her and the show and blamed the candidates themselves. This was once again heavily criticized by both the viewers and the media in Germany. The Berliner Morgenpost wrote: "Everything is wrong, says Klum. She emphasized that 'everything is real' on her show. There is no text or storyline for the models. That's why it's not her fault if a young model feels misrepresented after the broadcast. 'We can only portray a person as they are,' philosophizes Klum. Whether this is true remains questionable. On the one hand, because a story can be cobbled together afterwards that doesn't have to have anything to do with reality. On the other hand, because in the show very young girls in absolutely exceptional and stressful situations meet experienced editors who know exactly what the viewers later want to see on television."[13]Die Welt called Heidi Klum's statement "bizarre".[14]Frankfurter Allgemeine called it a "Catwalk of Shame".[15]Web.de headlined: "Why Heidi Klum's statement is dishonest".[16]Annabelle (magazine) (Switzerland) headlined: "Heidi Klum, this justification went wrong".[17] In an article, Puls24 (Austria) asked whether Heidi Klum practiced perpetrator-victim reversal and Gaslighting.[18]Frankfurter Allgemeine headlined: "This woman only has dollar signs in her eyes" and also assumed that Heidi Klum was doing a perpetrator-victim reversal.[19]BILD asked: "How evil is Heidi Klum really?".[20]
In March 2023 former judge Peyman Armin apologized to Lijana Kaggwa for what she had to experience on Germany's Next Topmodel. He also apologized for being part of Germany's Next Topmodel and promised to never take part in the show again. All of this was broadcast in the format "13 questions" on ZDF.[21][22]
In March 2023 BILD published the following message: "If the contestants get along too well, they will receive instructions from the crew to argue and produce beef." The participating contestants are also too young and inexperienced and cannot assess the extent of the show.[23]
In April 2023, Heidi Klum said about everything that happens at Germany's Next Topmodel: "At the end of the day I'm the boss and I make the rules!"[24]
In June 2023, the German TV broadcaster ZDF released a 70-minute investigative documentary about the machinations of the makers of Germany's Next Topmodel called "Pressure, hatred, manipulation: how sick does Germany's Next Topmodel make you?". For this documentary, around 50 former contestants, judges and members of the show's crew were interviewed, some anonymously. The makers of the documentary admitted that they are familiar with difficult investigations, but they have never experienced it before that so many people were afraid to talk about what happened as these former participants and employees of Germany's Next Topmodel. A crew member of the show who wished to remain anonymous is quoted as saying: "If you film a young woman from morning to night, you'll get every sectional image you want. So you can cut and tell what you want. A lot of things are cut together wildly. The jobs depend on it. It's about ratings." In addition, former contestants report how the show's editors deliberately foment manipulation, lies and discord among the contestants behind the scenes. The contestants are shielded from the outside world so they lose their nerve and argue. So 20 candidates have to sleep together in one room without contact to the outside world. The statements by Heidi Klum, the broadcasting TV station Pro7 and the production company are presented as hypocrisy. Pro7 is said to have earned 87 million euros with the Season 18, and Heidi Klum 10 million euros. The contestants receive no money. Germany's Next Topmodel has driven some contestants into depression and suicidal thoughts.[25][26][27][28][29][30]
Related Research Articles
Germany's Next Topmodel is a German reality television series based on the concept introduced by Tyra Banks with America's Next Top Model. The competition is hosted by Heidi Klum, who also serves as the lead judge and executive producer of the show.
The first season of Germany's Next Topmodel aired on German television network ProSieben from 25 January 2006 to 29 March 2006, with twelve girls in the competition. 18-year-old Lena Gercke came off as this season's winner. She became a successful model after the show and the host of Austria's Next Topmodel. IMG Models manages the winner and also managed first runner-up and second runner-up for one year.
The second season of German reality TV show Germany's Next Topmodel (GNTM) aired on German television network ProSieben from 1 March 2007 to 31 May 2007, with commercial presentation by Opel Tigra Twin Top and Staatl. Fachingen. The show helped promote the modelling careers of both finalist Hana Nitsche and winner Barbara Meier, with the former working as a lingerie model for Victoria's Secret and the latter working in high fashion. The international destinations for this season were set in St. Moritz, Cape Town, Bangkok and Los Angeles.
The third season of Germany's Next Topmodel (GNTM) aired on German television network ProSieben from 28 February 2008 to 5 June 2008, with 120 semi-finalists in the competition.
Austria's Next Topmodel, season 1 was the first season of the Austrian reality documentary based on Tyra Banks America's Next Top Model. The host of the show was Lena Gercke, the first winner of GNTM who is also the first winner of a Top Model franchise that later becomes a host of another Top Model show. The jury consisted of the head of Vienna-based agency Wiener Models Andrea Weidler and Dutch-born runway coach Alamande Belfor.
Sara Nuru is a German fashion model and entrepreneur. She was the winner of the fourth cycle of Germany's Next Top Model.
The fifth season of Germany's Next Topmodel (GNTM) aired on German television network ProSieben from 4 March 2010 to 10 June 2010. In difference to former seasons the show saw a significant change as the audition process was completely open this time whereas every model-wannabe got a chance to audition in front of the jury led by Heidi Klum. The winner was 19-year-old Alisar Ailabouni from Schalchen.
Alisar Ailabouni is a Syrian-born Austrian fashion model and the winner of Germany's Next Topmodel, Cycle 5.
The eighth season of Germany's Next Topmodel aired on ProSieben February to May 2013 under the catch phrase Closer than ever.
The ninth season of Germany's Next Topmodel aired on ProSieben from February to May 2014 under the catch phrase Show Yourself.
The tenth season of Germany's Next Topmodel aired on ProSieben from February to May 2015 under the catch phrase Celebrate Beauty.
Countess Michaela Saskia von Krockow, known professionally as Milla von Krockow, is a German fashion model. She placed seventh in the second season of the German competitive reality television series Germany's Next Topmodel.
The fourteenth season of Germany's Next Topmodel aired on ProSieben from February to May 2019 under the catch phrase More Glam, More Stars, More Heidi.
Simone "Simi" Kowalski is a German fashion model who became known as the winner of the fourteenth cycle of Germany's Next Topmodel in 2019. She is sometimes referred to as Simi.
The fifteenth season of Germany's Next Topmodel aired on ProSieben in February to May 2020 under the catch phrase Get ready for GRL Power.
The sixteenth season of Germany's Next Topmodel aired on ProSieben in February to May 2021 under the catch phrase We are GNTM.
The seventeenth season of Germany's Next Topmodel aired on ProSieben from February to May 2022.
The eighteenth season of Germany's Next Topmodel aired on ProSieben from February to June 2023.
The nineteenth season of Germany's Next Topmodel aired on ProSieben from February to June 2024 under the catch phrase GNTM for all.
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