America’s Next Top Model the reality television model competition hosted and executive produced by Tyra Banks and debuted 13 years ago on UPN and joined The CW in 2006 when the two networks merged. America’s Next Top Model taught America how to be fierce and gave us the term “smize” is coming to an END!… Yes! That’s right! ANTM will not return for another season after cycle 22 ends on Dec. 4.
The news broke Wednesday when Banks tweeted that the current season “should be our last cycle,” and posted a long statement to Instagram about how proud she is of the show’s global impact and encouraging fans to love their bodies. “May your photos (and selfies) be forever fierce,” she said. Banks made the news official in another tweet and The CW also confirmed the news to Fashionista.
TYRA MAIL! Thinking #ANTM22 should be our last cycle. I truly believe it’s time. May your pics be forever fierce. Keep on Smizing! 💛Tyra
— Tyra Banks (@tyrabanks) October 14, 2015
The reality show premiered in May 2003 on UPN as a competition among traditional female models, before welcoming shorter beauties, plus-size women, and in recent seasons, men. The news of “ANTM’s” cancellation comes amid the CW’s transition away from a tight focus on teen girls and young women to a slightly older demographic and superhero series like “The Flash” and “Arrow.” On Tuesday, CW announced that it was ending romance-focused procedural “Beauty and the Beast” after the show’s fourth season. “America’s Next Top Model was a successful franchise for two networks, first at UPN and then The CW, and it became not just a ratings hit, but a global pop culture phenomenon,” CW President Mark Pedowitz said in a statement. “I want to thank Tyra and Ken for all their years of success in establishing a show that was not just popular in the U.S., but all across the world.”
The Dec. 4 finale of cycle 22 will be the show’s last episode. The CW is in talks about broadcasting a retrospective special about America’s Next Top Model that will air sometime in late 2016.
Guess what. The series finale of #ANTM #cycle22 & final Top Model show ever will air on Friday, December 4th. My birthday. #ironic
— Tyra Banks (@tyrabanks) October 14, 2015
According to The Atlantic, the show airs in over 150 countries and has more than 40 international versions. Ratings declined around the time photographer Nigel Barker, photo shoot director Jay Manuel and runway coach J. Alexander all left before cycle 19. Few contestants from the show have established substantial careers, though model Chantelle Brown-Young and actress Analeigh Tipton are among the exceptions. “America’s Next Top Model” did, however, make household names out of the memorable cast of judges and coaches it featured alongside Banks including Barker, Manuel, Alexander, Twiggy, Janice Dickinson, Kelly Cutrone, André Leon Talley and Paulina Porizkova.
Don’t cry because it’s over, smize because it happened.
-fashionista.com
Tune into the final episode on Friday, Dec. 4 at 9 p.m. ET and read Banks’s full Instagram statement below.
Source: Fashionista.com and Variety.com
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