SameSame.com.au ~ Inside Out Australia

The Next Breed Of Dapto Dogs

Local News, By Christian Taylor, 22nd April, 2009

The fifth series of Australia’s Next Top Model hasn’t even hit our screens yet and already the bullying between contestants has hit fever pitch.

According to Ninemsn, one of the contestants burst in on another girl while she was naked in the shower, turned the water off and said, “If you wake me up again I’ll pull the hair out of your fucking skull.” One contestant says that she’s had her bed filled with cigarette butts, another was reduced to tears when she was told she had a ‘graveyard complexion’.

One has to wonder how much damage is done to these girls in the process of producing the show. Last series hit the tabloid headlines because of bullying, led primarily by Demelza Reveley, who eventually won.

One of the show’s judges Charlotte Dawson took every opportunity to make an example out of her, and send a clear message that bullying and bitchy comments were not on. It’s a shame that fellow judge and designer Alex Perry hasn’t heeded such comments. On a TV commercial for the new series he can be heard comparing one of the contestants to a ‘wild pig’.

This year, MTV VJ Ruby Rose will be appearing on the show as a guest judge. Over the last year or so Rose has had to rise above all types of media scrutiny – let’s hope she has some good advice to pass on to the contestants.

Australia’s Next Top Model premieres on Fox 8, April 28, 7.30pm.