'America's Next Top Model' final season news & update: Host and creator Tyra Banks to end show after 12 years
The CW confirmed that "America's Next Top Model" is coming to an end with Cycle 22 ending late this year in December.
The news was announced on Wednesday and Tyra Banks, 41, posted on Instagram to address it.
"Thinking #ANTM #cycle22 should be our last cycle. Yeah, I truly believe it's time," the supermodel wrote on her account. "Our diehard fans know we've expanded the definition of beauty, presented what Flawsome is, tooched and booched and boom boom boomed, shown the world how to show their neck, rocked couture/catalogue/commercial poses, have found our (and your) light, strutted countless runways, gone on tons of go-sees, added guys to the girls mix, and have traveled around the globe and back again. Yeah, it's time. It really is."
CW President Mark Pedowitz confirmed the news that the competitive reality series has not been renewed for a 23rd season.
"'America's Next Top Model' was a successful franchise for two networks, first at UPN and then the CW, and it became not just a ratings hit, but a global pop culture phenomenon. I want to thank Tyra and [producer] Ken [Mok] for all their years of success in establishing a show that was not just popular in the U.S., but all across the world," Pedowitz said, via the report by Los Angeles Times.
The series finale will be on Dec. 4, 2015 and there are plans to have a special sometime in 2016.
"America's Next Top Model" has been running for 12 years and began its first season premiere in 2003 on UPN and was hosted by Banks who is also the executive producer of the show. According to USA Today, it was the first series to be aired on the new CW Network on Sept. 20, 2006.
The most notable models to come out of the competition, as Vulture listed down, include 3rd place winner of Cycle 11, Analeigh Tipton, who turned into actress and starred in films including "Crazy Stupid Love," "Lucy," and "Warm Bodies." Another one is YaYa DaCosta, 2nd placer in Cycle 3 who is best known for her role as Whitney Houston in a 2015 biopic about the singer. Another is Eva Marcille, Cycle 3 winner who modeled for DKNY and Apple Bottoms and have played small roles in in television shows and movies. Other successful models who have come out of the series are Lisa D'Amato, Adrianne Curry, Fatima Siad, Dani Evans and CariDee English.