The sixteenth season of Germany's Next Topmodel [1] aired on ProSieben in February to May 2021 under the catch phrase We are GNTM.
The winner of this season was 23-year-old Alex-Mariah Peter from Cologne, who is notably the first trans woman to win Germany's Next Topmodel.
Alex, Alysha, Amina, Ashley, Chanel, Elisa, Larissa, Linda, Luca, Romy and Soulin were the best in their pair and won immunity for the next elimination.
At elimination, Heidi had prepared a "2 in 1" challenge: First, the girls had to walk in a fashion show in Christian Cowan's gowns and at the end of the runway, they had five seconds to pose for photographer Mato Johannik.
After the shoot, Alysha, Ana, Ashley, Dascha, Elisa, Luca, Romy and Soulin got immunity for the following elimination and got to watch Heidi's decision from home.
The next day, the girls participated in a video shoot shot by David Helmut, creating an 80's themed TV spot while posing as gymnasts and selling a product.
Heidi chose Alex, Ana and Dascha as the ones having performed most flawlessly this week, while Ashley, Chanel and Mareike landed in the bottom three.
The next day, the girls were taught a sexy dance routine on high heels by choreographer Sonia Bartucelli.
The girls each had to act out the same scene with a different emotion (mad, sad, euphoric) with German comedian Otto Waalkes.
At elimination, the girls were transformed into Berlin night club dancers with fashion by designer Esther Perbrandt; they first danced to techno music and then delivered a cool walk.
Every girl got to move on except for Elisa, who received some criticism, but was ultimately saved due to her excellent performance on the dancefloor and runway.
On the next day, the girls had their next photo shoot; they posed as artistic butterflies in an abandoned ruin in front of brightly painted wooden walls, being photographed by Kristian Schuller.
Most girls performed well, although Heidi noted that Ashley, Larissa and Liliana had some issues with meeting Kristian's requirements.
At elimination, the girls walked a Haute Couture catwalk dressed in costumes inspired by real art pieces after being briefed by Miss Fame.
Surprisingly, guest Jochen Schweizer, who alongside season 15 winner Jacky Wruck briefed and supported the girls, booked Yasmin for a job.
At elimination, the girls walked in the cool and edgy About You fashion show with German female rapper Loredana.
After the show, guest judge and season 1 winner Lena Gercke booked Alex for her label LeGer.
Wolfgang Joop then invited all girls except Alex (who attended her job at Lena Gercke's label LeGer) to a casting where he booked Soulin.
At elimination, the girls float as angels on the catwalk and then performed with the dancers from the Magic Mike Live crew.
Next, the final two shot a music video live with Tokio Hotel and stand on stage with singer Zoe Wees.
Throughout the season, six contestants quit the competition, breaking the record for most voluntary exits in the history of Germany's Next Topmodel.
[8] 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.
Germany's Next Topmodel can thus stylize people like Tessa Bergmeier (Season 4) as "bitches" without them being able to defend themselves effectively afterwards.
[9][10] In February 2023, the Berliner Zeitung published an article about the show with the headline: "Why isn't Germany's Next Topmodel actually canceled?
Heidi is also partly responsible for the fact that, at least on TV, such behavior should not lead to extra airtime..." The article goes on to say: "With Germany's Next Topmodel absolutely wrong values are conveyed.
[17] Frankfurter Allgemeine headlined: "This woman only has dollar signs in her eyes" and also assumed that Heidi Klum was doing a perpetrator-victim reversal.
[20][21] 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."
[22] 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!
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.