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Tyra Banks continues to get dragged... didn't see that coming... or did we?
An iconic reality TV moment is back in the spotlight, and this time, one former contestant is not holding back.
Tiffany Richardson, an alum of America’s Next Top Model, has publicly called out Tyra Banks over their infamous on camera confrontation from Cycle 4.
In a recent Instagram post, Richardson revisited the heated 2005 exchange, accusing Banks of bullying her both on and off camera during filming. “You know how you treated me the whole time off and on camera… YOU WAS A BULLY!!!” she wrote, also alleging that the scene was edited to make it appear as though Banks cared more than she actually did.
The moment in question aired during Richardson’s elimination and featured Banks delivering what would become one of reality television’s most quoted lines, “we were all rooting for you.” The clip has since lived on as one of the most recognizable scenes in the franchise’s history.
Richardson’s comments arrive as the series is being reexamined in Reality Check Inside America’s Next Top Model, a three-part docuseries now streaming on Netflix.
The project features interviews with Banks, former judges, and past contestants reflecting on controversial moments from the show.
In the docuseries, Banks addresses the incident directly, admitting, “I went too far. You know, I lost it.” She also explains that the intensity of the moment was influenced by external pressures and criticism surrounding the show at the time.
Former creative director Jay Manuel describes the incident as the most difficult moment he experienced on set, revealing that additional remarks were made but never aired.
Richardson also used her post to share an update on her current life, saying she now works in a group home in Miami supporting individuals with mental disabilities, adding that she is “helping more people than all or many of the top models.”
Alongside the Netflix docuseries, Banks has confirmed that America’s Next Top Model will return for Cycle 25, marking the show’s first new season since 2018.