Former Contestant Claims ANTM Auditions Forced Models Into Cramped 'Centipede' Formation
Former 'America's Next Top Model' contestant Sarah Hartshorne revealed unsettling allegations about the show's casting process in a forthcoming episode of a Vice documentary.
Speaking in "Dark Side of Reality TV," Hartshorne described a scene that sounded more like a twisted social experiment than a model casting.
"They filed between 100 and 200 girls into this ballroom," she said in a preview of the upcoming episode. She detailed how contestants were ordered to form a human chain with their "nose to the back of the head" of the person in front of them.
"So, we all had to, like as a centipede, step forward, out of our shoes," Hartshorne explained.
The cycle 9 contestant, who was the season's only "plus-size" model, notes the particular awkwardness of the situation given her body type.
"I remember looking down and being like, I'm the only one that has tits that make that impossible," she added.
Hartshorne did not elaborate on whether this was a standard practice after the contestants were initially chosen.
She's now a New York-based comedian and writer, having finished eighth in her season.
Read more: Tyra Banks Threatened To Replace 'America's Next Top Model' Winner If She Revealed Victor
This revelation joins a growing list of controversial 'ANTM' stories, including an account from Angelea Preston, who claims she was stripped of her cycle 17 all-star win due to her history as a sex worker.
"I felt like my life and career was ruined," Preston told EW in a 2023 anniversary piece. "I'm going to be blacklisted, I'm never going to be a model now. This is something that was always going to follow me. because it wasn't made public yet, but they know, and they work for this big company and they hold these keys for success."
The show's alleged mistreatment of contestants continues to surface years after its conclusion, with former participants increasingly willing to share their experiences.
Neither 'ANTM' staff nor host Tyra Banks have offered commentary on the allegations.
Vice's 'Dark Side of Reality TV' episode centering on the popular model-centric series airs on Vice on Nov. 19 at 9 PM ET.
