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.
| Germany's Next Topmodel | |
|---|---|
| Season 4 | |
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| Judges |
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| No. of contestants | 17 |
| Winner | Sara Nuru |
| No. of episodes | 16 |
| Release | |
| Original network | ProSieben |
| Original release | 12 February – 21 May 2009 |
| Season chronology | |
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.
The international destinations for this cycle were set in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York City and Singapore.
Episodes
edit| No. | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Die Schönen und das Biest" | 12 February 2009 | |
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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" | 19 February 2009 | |
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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. | |||
| 3 | "Eisprinzessinnen und ein Kartoffelsack" | 26 February 2009 | |
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| 4 | "Konkurrenz aus Österreich" | 5 March 2009 | |
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| 5 | "Aufstand im Heidi-Land" | 12 March 2009 | |
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| 6 | "Viva Las Vegas" | 19 March 2009 | |
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| 7 | "Regen in Downtown L.A." | 26 March 2009 | |
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| 8 | "Der Sprung ins kalte Wasser" | 2 April 2009 | |
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Episode 9: Pole DancingOriginal airdate: 9 April 2009
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| 10 | "Das grosse Kopfschütteln" | 16 April 2009 | |
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| 11 | "Sexy Diven" | 23 April 2009 | |
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| 12 | "Aloha, Topmodels!" | 30 April 2009 | |
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| 13 | "Bed of Roses" | 7 May 2009 | |
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| 14 | "Cover Shoot" | 14 May 2009 | |
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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.
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| 15 | "Du Schwarze, du Blonde, du Braune" | 19 May 2009 | |
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| 16 | "Das grosse Finale" | 21 May 2009 | |
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Contestants
edit(ages stated are at start of contest)[2]
| Contestant | Age | Height | Hometown | Finish | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olivia Bermann | 20 | 1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | Berlin | Episode 4 | 17–15 |
| Johanna Popp | 21 | 1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | Nuremberg | ||
| Daphne Braun | 17 | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | Melle | ||
| Tessa Bergmeier | 19 | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | Überlingen | Episode 5 | 14 |
| Dana Franke | 20 | 1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | Berlin | Episode 6 | 13 |
| Tamara Busch | 16 | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | Giessen | Episode 7 | 12–11 |
| Aline Bauer | 19 | 1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | Marbach am Neckar | ||
| Stefanie Theissing | 21 | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | Münster | Episode 9 | 10 |
| Katrina Scharinger | 19 | 1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | Nuremberg | Episode 10 | 9 |
| Larissa Marolt[3] | 16 | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | Sankt Kanzian am Klopeiner See, Austria | Episode 11 | 8 |
| Ira Meindl | 21 | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | Cologne | Episode 12 | 7 |
| Sarina Nowak | 17 | 1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | Uelzen | Episode 13 | 6 |
| Maria Beckmann | 19 | 1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | Würzburg | Episode 14 | 5–4 |
| Jessica Motzkus | 20 | 1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | Wolfsburg | ||
| Marie Nasemann | 19 | 1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | Gauting | Episode 16 | 3 |
| Mandy Bork | 17 | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | Witten | 2 | |
| Sara Nuru | 19 | 1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | Munich | 1 |
Summaries
editResults table
edit| Place | Model | Episodes | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 16 | ||||||
| 1 | Sara | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | LOW | Winner | |||
| 2 | Mandy | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | LOW | SAFE | OUT | |||
| 3 | Marie | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||
| 4–5 | Jessica | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | LOW | LOW | OUT | |||||
| Maria | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||
| 6 | Sarina | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | LOW | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||
| 7 | Ira | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||||
| 8 | Larissa | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||
| 9 | Katrina | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||||||
| 10 | Stefanie | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | LOW | LOW | OUT | ||||||||||
| 11–12 | Tamara | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||||||
| Aline | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||||||||||
| 13 | Dana | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||||||||||
| 14 | Tessa | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||||||||
| 15–17 | Olivia | OUT | |||||||||||||||
| Johanna | OUT | ||||||||||||||||
| Daphne | OUT | ||||||||||||||||
- The contestant was in danger of elimination
- The contestant was eliminated
- The contestant won the competition
Photo shoot guide
edit- Episode 1 photo shoot: Düsseldorf
- Episode 2 photo shoot: Munich shooting
- Episode 3 photo shoot: Frostbitten beauty
- Episode 4 photo shoot: Burning car in the desert in pairs
- Episode 5 photo shoot: Hanging from a hot air balloon
- Episode 6 photo shoot: Brides in B&W
- Episode 7 photo shoot: Bikinis in the rain
- Episode 8 photo shoot: Underwater
- Episode 9 photo shoot: Pole dancing
- Episode 10 commercial: Wonder Bra
- Episode 11 photo shoot: Famous divas
- Episode 12 photo shoot: Rock stars
- Episode 13 photo shoot: American beauty
- Episode 14 photo shoot: Cosmopolitan covers
- Episode 15 photo shoot: Elle Singapore covers
- Episode 16 photo shoot: Bull riding
Controversy
editSophia 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]
References
edit- ^ "Stars". 28 September 2015.
- ^ "Alle Models von Germany's next Topmodel Staffel 4 in der Übersicht: Bilder, Steckbriefe, Videos". 3 March 2009. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Larissa - Steckbrief - Germany's next Topmodel Staffel 4". 9 March 2009. Archived from the original on 9 March 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "GNTM - Sophia Thomalla: Glücklich über Rauswurf bei GNTM". 13 February 2009.
- ^ "Marie Nasemann: GNTM-Seitenhieb: "Haben probiert, mich zum Heulen zu bringen"". 3 August 2022.
- ^ "Umgang mit GNTM-Girls: Ex-Gewinnerin Sara Nuru ist entsetzt". 23 September 2022.
- ^ "Sara Nuru: "Ich würde an GNTM nicht noch einmal teilnehmen"".
- ^ "Die Kritik an GNTM erreicht eine neue Dimension und Heidi Klum kann die Vorwürfe nicht länger ignorieren".
- ^ "Dschungelcamp-Klatsche für Heidi Klum: Tessa Bergmeier und Papis Loveday rechnen mit GNTM ab". 20 January 2023.
- ^ Backes, Laura; Gantenbrink, Nora; Hof, Elisa von; Padtberg, Carola; Rainer, Anton; Rützel, Anja (10 February 2023). "(S+) »Germany's Next Topmodel« mit Heidi Klum: Was ist dran an den Vorwürfen ehemaliger Kandidatinnen?". Der Spiegel.
- ^ ""Rechtswidrige Knebelverträge": So läuft es bei Heidi Klum und Germany's Next Topmodel wirklich hinter den Kulissen ab".
- ^ ""Germany's Next Topmodel": Warum wird diese Show eigentlich nicht abgesetzt?". 12 February 2023.
- ^ "Neue Staffel GNTM: Heidi äußert sich zu Kritik an ihrer Show". 17 February 2023.
- ^ "GNTM 2023 - Heidi Klums skurrile Ansprache ans Publikum - WELT". 2 March 2023.
- ^ Benken, Marie von den. "GNTM 2023: Heidi Klums Catwalk of Shame hat wieder eröffnet!". Faz.net.
- ^ "Warum Heidi Klums Statement nicht ganz ehrlich ist". 17 February 2023.
- ^ "GNTM 2023: Heidi Klum, diese Rechtfertigung ging daneben". 17 February 2023.
- ^ "Vorwürfe gegen GNTM: Heidi Klum ist sich keiner Schuld bewusst".
- ^ Kaiser, Alfons. "Heidi Klum demütigt bei GNTM junge Mädchen und sieht sich als Opfer". Faz.net.
- ^ "Abrechnung bei GNTM: Wie böse ist Heidi wirklich?".
- ^ "GNTM | Nach Kritik: Überraschende Entschuldigung von Jury-Mitglied". 17 March 2023.
- ^ "GNTM, Miss Germany & Co.: Schluss mit Schönheitswettbewerben? I 13 Fragen I unbubble". YouTube.
- ^ "Tracy schmeißt bei GNTM hin: So hart geht es in der Show wirklich zu".
- ^ ""Germany's Next Topmodel": "Am Ende des Tages bin ich der Boss und ich bestimme die Regeln!" - WELT". 15 April 2023.
- ^ ""Druck, Hass, Manipulation" bei GNTM: Models packen über Klum-Show aus". 28 June 2023.
- ^ "Schwere Vorwürfe gegen GNTM? Neue Doku deckt über Heidi Klums Show auf!". 3 July 2023.
- ^ ""STRG _F» berichtet über "Druck, Hass, Manipulation" bei «GNTM"". 28 June 2023.
- ^ ""STRG_F": GNTM-Models packen über die Zustände hinter den Kulissen aus". 28 June 2023.
- ^ "Germany's Next Topmodel". 3 August 2023.
- ^ "Druck, Hass, Manipulation: Wie kaputt macht Germany's Next Topmodel? - STRG_F EPIC".