Olivia Attwood Criticises Tyra Banks Over America's Next Top Model Controversies
Olivia Attwood has launched a scathing critique against Tyra Banks, accusing the supermodel and television host of failing to take proper accountability for the numerous controversies surrounding the long-running reality competition series America's Next Top Model. The Love Island star, aged 34, made her comments while discussing the new Netflix documentary Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model, which examines the significant backlash the show has faced over its two-decade history.
Reality Star Calls for Honesty
Olivia Attwood, who currently hosts the competitive cookery programme The Heat on ITV, did not mince her words when asked by Attitude magazine who deserved a 'good roasting'. She immediately named Tyra Banks, stating: 'Tyra Banks. I think she could take a bit of accountability in [America's Next Top Model]. I think she thinks we're all stupid.'
Attwood elaborated, explaining she had watched extended clips on TikTok and wished Banks would simply acknowledge that while the show aimed to create dramatic television, some elements were not appropriate. 'I think you can say at that time, in that culture, "I wanted to make a dramatic, amazing TV show. And in hindsight, it wasn't right".' She compared this to the evolution of her own show, Love Island, noting how societal and cultural changes have led to different production standards today.
Documentary Reveals Disturbing Allegations
The Netflix documentary, which features interviews with Tyra Banks, producer Ken Mok, former judges, and several contestants, delves into serious allegations about the show's production practices. Former contestants describe a troubling environment that included:
- Shocking insults from judges behind the scenes, as revealed by first-series contestant Giselle Samson.
- Racist comments about skin tone, disclosed by series two star Ebony Haith.
- A controversial episode where contestant Shandi Sullivan was filmed sleeping with a man in Europe while in a relationship, with producers allegedly filming the incident instead of intervening.
- An ethnicity-swapping photoshoot that involved white models wearing 'blackface' makeup.
- Multiple accounts of fat-shaming and instances where female contestants were 'grabbed and touched' without consent by male models on set.
When old clips resurfaced online in 2020, a new generation of viewers reignited debates about the show's treatment of participants, criticising judges for body-shaming, harsh commentary, and challenges that appeared designed for shock value rather than genuine modelling critique.
Tyra Banks' Response to Criticism
Tyra Banks has addressed some of this criticism in recent years. At the 2025 ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards, she admitted that America's Next Top Model did not always get things right, stating: 'Hell no. I said some dumb s---,' while also defending her original intent to promote diversity on television. She acknowledged the show's resurgence during the pandemic brought both joy and anger, and conceded she 'knew [she] went too far' at times, pushing boundaries in an attempt to deliver what audiences wanted.
However, Olivia Attwood expressed disappointment that Banks has not been more forthright, suggesting she hides behind 'smoke and mirrors' instead of offering a clearer apology. The Daily Mail has contacted Tyra Banks' representative for comment on Attwood's latest remarks.
The controversy highlights ongoing discussions about ethics in reality television production, the duty of care towards contestants, and how shows from previous eras are re-evaluated through a modern lens. As documentaries like Reality Check bring these issues to light, public figures like Olivia Attwood are adding their voices to calls for greater transparency and accountability from those who created and profited from such contentious programming.
