Ages stated are as of the beginning of the contest[3] The new season starts with the arrival of the 31 finalists of Germany's Next Topmodel 2022 in Athens, Greece.
Guest judge Kylie Minogue joins Heidi, in selecting who moves on in the hopes of becoming Germany's Next Top Model.
In the decision walk, model Jasmine Sanders takes her seat next to Heidi Klum as a guest juror.
Heidi makes her models ready for their first casting marathon before they head back to Athens to convince as many clients as possible in order to book their first jobs.
After receiving makeovers the models have to present their new looks in a fashion show in front of the judges Heidi and GNTM 4 contestant Sarina Nowak with their walk being a photo shoot at the same time.
While the sedcard shoot has a surprise waiting for those models that impress the most, they transform into dark vintage dolls for the live walk.
Covered in golden body paint the models have to prove they can shine with their poses too when they have to embody different times in a giant clock at the photo shoot.
Guest judge Maye Musk then helps Heidi in deciding who impressed enough this week in order to advance into the next round.
During the shoot, the models have to present their self-imagined scene using a telephone receiver and react authentically to Brigitte's improv parts.
It's duel week for the remaining models: At the casting it's all about their personalities and they have to each portray their own super power with an outfit and accessory.
In the live season finale of Germany's Next Topmodel cycle 17, Heidi performed the title song with the Top 21 models.
[5] Stern (magazine) headlined "Stupid instead of diversity - how Heidi Klum doesn't want to change anything"[6] and T-Online said: "The ego show of the GNTM deadbeat mom".
[7] The well-known German comedian Carolin Kebekus said "Germany's Next Topmodel made many great: eating disorders, self-loathing, cyberbullying" and "this year they went crazy for diversity because every woman has the right to be humiliated by Heidi Klum.
"[8] In August 2022 in the wake of allegations by former participants against Germany's Next Topmodel, the winner of the 14th season, Simone Kowalski, also spoke up as she said: "Top Model is very dangerous for today's and the previous generations!
Kowalski also teamed up with America's Next Top Model contestant Lisa D'Amato to talk about her traumatic experiences with Germany's Next Topmodel.
[10][11] 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.
[12][13] 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.
"[15] In February 2023, the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung wrote that Germany’s Next Topmodel is one of the worst trash TV programs on German television.
"[18] 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.
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.
[24] Frankfurter Allgemeine headlined: "This woman only has dollar signs in her eyes" and also assumed that Heidi Klum was doing a perpetrator-victim reversal.
[26] In March 2023 former judge Peyman Armin apologized to Lijana Kaggwa for what she had to experience on Germany's Next Topmodel.
[27][28] 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."
[29] 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.