It looks like America's Next Top Model is in for some shake-ups in the upcoming fall season. After 22 seasons on the CW, the show will be moving over to its new home on VH1 and it'll be bringing an all new host and judges panel. Tyra Banks will no longer host the show, but will remain on as an executive producer and will make a few surprise appearances throughout the season. The new host of America's Next Top Model will be Rita Ora, a British pop star and actress.
USA Today has the details, and they report that Rita Ora will take over hosting duties from Tyra Banks in Season 23 on VH1. For those of you who don't know who Ora is (like me), she's a pop star with a number one album and four number one singles in the UK. She was also nominated for a Best Original Song at the Oscars for "Grateful" from the movie Beyond the Lights. Not only that, but she's appeared in Fifty Shades of Grey, in addition to a role in both upcoming sequels. She's also got plenty of experience in television. She's served as a judge on ITV's The X-Factor and a coach on BBC's The Voice. Ora wears many hats, all of which are cool and stylish, so she shouldn't have any issue taking the hosting reigns from Banks.
Rita Ora won't be the only new face this season. She'll be joined by three new judges, consisting of Ashley Graham, Drew Elliott and Law Roach (who is not, unfortunately, a sheriff from the Old West). Ashley Graham is best known for being the first plus sized model to be on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. Drew Elliot is the chief creative officer of Paper Magazine and the man behind Kim Kardashian's behind for her "Break the Internet" cover photo. Finally, Law Roach is a stylist who has worked with several performers like Zendaya and Ariana Grande. Each one will be lending their unique experiences and point of view to the show.
With this new team comes a new approach to the age-old task of judging models. The show will now be looking for contestants who aren't just savvy on the runway, but also on the internet. Social media is the name of the game and contestants who can get those Instagram likes will find more success on the show than in previous years. The show is now looking for business-minded multitaskers.
America's Next Top Model will return in the fall with 14 new episodes in New York with all female contestants.
