‘ANTM’: Janice Dickinson Claims Tyra Banks ‘Rigged’ the Winners
Tyra Banks created and hosted the reality TV competition America’s Next Top Model for over 20 seasons. As the host of the show, the model saw several judges come and go. However, Janice Dickinson proved to be one of the show’s most memorable characters.
When she left the series in the early aughts, Dickinson shared what she believes went on behind the scenes of ANTM.
’ANTM’ alum Janice Dickinson claimed Tyra Banks didn’t select the winner
In 2003, ANTM aired on UPN. On the show, Banks hired Dickinson, Kimora Lee Simmons, and Beau Quillian as panelists. Although Simmons and Quillian eventually left, Dickinson stayed with the series for several years.
Throughout her four seasons on ANTM, Dickinson became a fan favorite. However, Banks fired her from the competition show in 2005. Shortly after she received the ax, Dickinson escalated a feud between her and the Life-Size star. In 2011, the model even claimed that ANTM’s sponsor, Cover Girl, “rigged” the show in their favor.
“There’s a back history of the way [Tyra Banks] treated me when I worked for her on the panel,” Dickinson told Film On, per Digital Spy. “I experienced being on that show and being conned, thinking that I was actually helping judge a TV franchise, that actually my say had any input – but it really didn’t.
“Cover Girl are the people that choose the model – not any of the judges, not what Tyra says. It’s who Cover Girl thinks should win each season. People don’t know that. When I found out, I split. The fact of the matter is now she’s made $90 million, she makes a lot of money per year hawking that franchise worldwide.”
Janice Dickinson addressed the claims against Tyra Banks in 2021
Following her allegations against ANTM, Dickinson apologized to Banks. During an appearance on Oprah’s Where Are They Now? the self-proclaimed “first supermodel” admitted that she mistreated Banks. Additionally, she blamed her behavior toward Banks on her substance misuse.
After publicly apologizing for the claims, Dickinson rehashed the drama with her former boss in Aug. 2021. Not only did the model confirm that she thinks ANTM rigged the competition, but she also didn’t enjoy working with Banks.
“Sitting next to Tyra for hours and hours can be daunting,” Dickinson said to the Behind the Velvet Rope podcast. “Because she didn’t really like me, and we didn’t really get along…I did Vogue. She did Elle, and I used to constantly remind her of that.”
The ‘ANTM’ creator reportedly ‘didn’t like women’
On Behind the Velvet Rope, Dickinson also said Banks mistreated the ANTM crew. She claimed the Dancing with the Stars host gave the crew “McDonald’s whoppers” as Christmas gifts when she worked on the show. Additionally, she said Banks only spoke to her male co-workers on set.
“She did not like me,” she declared. “She didn’t like other women.”
ANTM aired its final season in 2019.
