Germany's Next Topmodel

Show format

Each yearly search of Germany's Next Topmodel has 10 to 17 episodes and starts with 12–25 contestants. Each episode, one contestant is eliminated, though a double/triple elimination or no elimination was given by consensus of the judging panel.

Makeovers are administered to contestants early in the competition (usually after the first or second elimination in the finals).

Differences between ANTM and GNTM

While the American version's usually started with thirty-something semi-finalists who are cut down to a batch of between ten and sixteen contestants, Germany's Next Topmodel season premieres begin with highlights from the auditions of 100 candidates (cycles 1 and 2) and 120 candidates (cycle 3) respectively.

The panel challenge in front of the judges on America's Next Top Model is almost always replaced by a runway walk in front of the judges on the German show.

In the elimination process on America's Next Top Model, host Tyra Banks hands out a photograph to each of the contestants who are safe, in order of merit. The bottom two of each episode are called to stand before Banks and are judged individually.

The call-out order does play a major role in determining who this week's best contestant was – quite in contrast to Germany's Next Topmodel where the call-out order does not say anything about the quality of the contestants' performance, except in the final. Moreover, they are called out one by one while the others are waiting in the backstage lobby. The US contestants are all present. GNTM also starts the finale with 3 or 4 contestants left, it usually takes 2h. In ANTM, the finale starts with 2 or 3 contestants left and takes 1h.

The final five or six contestants travel to an international destination on the American show while Germany's version is noncommittal about the number of journeys abroad; cycle 1 went abroad two times, cycle 2 did so four times and cycle 3 went to six different countries.

On America's Next Top Model, the final two or three contestants compete in a runway, and the winner is chosen in the judging room. On Germany's Next Topmodel, the final three or four contestants compete in a runway and a photo shoot in front of live audience in Cologne, Germany before the winner is revealed. The final show is live on TV. Cycle 4 final show was the first to air live from a concert hall instead of a TV studio.

Due to the pregnancy of Heidi Klum, the start of the fifth season was postponed and kicked-off in March. Instead a spin-off called Die Model WG was shown featuring several former contestants from the show and hosted by judge Peyman Amin.

Judges

Only Heidi Klum herself has been part of the judging panel on every cycle. All the other permanent judges have always been male. Thomas Hayo remained a permanent judge the longest (six consecutive cycles), followed by Peyman Amin (four consecutive cycles). After leaving the show, Amin eventually hosted the show's spin-off, Die Model WG, and signed cycle 5's winner Alisar Ailabouni despite never meeting her on the show. And although Boris Entrup only was a regular judge on cycle two, he still is part of the show (as of 2017) as the make up advisor for the girls.

Criticism

Since Cycle 5, the show's ratings decreased. In an attempt to increase the ratings, the format is increasingly focusing on conflicts between contestants.

In 2009, German model Julia Stegner said that Germany's Next Topmodel had "little to do with the reality of modelling."

In 2011, cycle 5 winner Alisar Ailabouni withdrew from her contract with ONEeins Management (which is managed by Heidi Klum's father Günther), which she received as part of her prize page for winning the competition. This was first time a winner of the show sued her way out of a prize contract. Ailabouni was not invited to cycle 6's live finale, while several ProSieben-related magazines referred to cycle 4 winner Sara Nuru as "last year's winner", given she was working as a backstage host. Since then, a number of other contestants have withdrawn from their contracts with ONEeins, including Viktoria Lantratova and Miriam Höller (both cycle 5), Jana Beller (cycle 6 winner), Luise Will (cycle 8) and Aminata Sanogo (cycle 9).

In 2012, former judge Rolf Scheider criticized the program, saying, "The show has never produced a new Nadja Auermann or Claudia Schiffer", and that girls who "lack modelling talent" are selected purely for ratings. Regardless of this, he appeared on the fifth cycle of Austria's Next Topmodel as a judge.

In 2013, Klum was criticized by German comedian Cordula Stratmann, who branded Klum "the face and soul of a cold-hearted, disgusting production" and "the trainer in malice and condescension."

In May 2013, during the live finale of cycle 8, Klum was attacked by two topless Femen activists, Zana Ramadani and Hellen Langhorst, who flashed her.

In April 2014, Miriam Höller, from cycle 5 said in an interview that contestants are poorly treated on the show; for example, they are not given enough food or their mobile phones are taken away. She also said that Klum was "extremely cold", and criticized the cooperation with Günther Klum. She also mentioned that a client who had worked with her before the show wanted to book her but ONEeins said Höller was busy, even though she wasn't busy at that time. The client was offered to book Sara Nuru instead of Höller.

In April 2014, German model Eva Padberg said that the show was just entertainment and not the reality of model business. She also expressed her hopes for participating girls to know this.

In May 2015, psychiatrist Manfred Lütz said according to a study "GNTM" promoted anorexia. Also, in that time, "Germany's Next Topmodel" was checked by the German Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media (Kommission für Jugendmedienschutz). Since the first cycle, the show is subject of repeated checks by the Commission.

In September 2015, former judge Wolfgang Joop criticized the show as well, stating he didn't want to be part of that anymore since "The viewers expect things that the fashion expert does not. Namely, contestants collapsing, getting homesick, crying and falling on their heels. These are stories that do not interest us in the fashion world."