Tyra Banks issues apology for ‘insensitive’ behaviour on her show after outrage

Tyra Banks has addressed her behaviour on America’s Next Top Model after several clips resurfaced.

The catwalk queen, 46, who appeared as a judge and mentor on the model scouting show for 22 series, was called out online after footage circulated on social media that showed her acting ‘problematic’ in several scenes towards aspiring models.

Some of the moments that were aired on the show include supermodel Tyra forcing a model to pose in a coffin after her friend died days prior, lashing out at a contestant for not removing the natural gap in her tooth and for promoting a blackface photoshoot.

In response to Twitter being flooded with criticism of her actions and words, Tyra took to the micro-blogging site on Saturday to share an apology.

Tyra penned: “Been seeing the posts about the insensitivity of some past ANTM moments and I agree with you. Looking back, those were some really off choices. Appreciate your honest feedback and am sending so much love and virtual hugs.”

Some fans did not think the apology was genuine and continued to blast the photogenic star as they wrote: “this……. is simply not enough. You really crushed numerous girls’ spirits.”

Some told her to reach out to the individuals as they fumed: “apologize to your contestants” and “No, a sincere apology not love and hugs.”

Tyra’s response.

A portion of Tyra’s fans were happy with her admission and supported her words as they reflected that the show was filmed in ‘a different time’.

One typed: “You launched one of the most diverse television shows in history. Representation has always mattered to you, and we see that, too. We appreciate you.”

In one of the old videos, Tyra can be seen saying to aspiring star Danielle: “So Danielle, you went to the dentist but refused to have your gap closed. Do you really think you can have a Cover Girl contract with the gap in your mouth?”

Tyra then mocked her by holding her finger between her teeth and branded the feature “not marketable.”

Tyra was met with backlash after a number of clips re-circulated on Twitter last week – including her telling a model to change her tooth gap.

Danielle, not wanting to change her look, responded: “A little bit is ok but I don’t want to completely close it”.

Other ANTM fans looked back on a disturbing moment from the 2004 series when contestant Kahlen was forced to pose inside a coffin. Fans were infuriated that she was subject to the task as the same week she discovered one of her friends had died.

Another alarming moment that recently resurfaced was from 2009 where the wannabe models posed for a ‘Bi-racial’ photoshoot.

Tyra said at the time: “What we thought was a celebration turned out to be… very negative in some of the press and a lot of them were even saying that it was racism. A lot of them went so far as to accuse me and ‘Top Model’ of putting the girls in blackface…

“I want to be clear: I, in no way, put my models in blackface. I’m a black woman. I am proud. I love my people and the struggle that we have gone through continues and the last thing that I would ever do is be a part of something that degraded my race.”

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