Germany's Next Topmodel (cycle 1)

Germany's Next Topmodel, Cycle 1
Country of origin Germany
Release
Original network ProSieben
Original release January 25, 2006 (2006-01-25) – March 29, 2006 (2006-03-29)

Germany's Next Topmodel Cycle 1 is the first season of Germany's Next Topmodel (often abbreviated to GNTM) that aired on German television network ProSieben. The show started airing on January 25, 2006 with twelve girls in the competition. 18-year-old Lena Gercke came off as this season's winner. She became an successful model after the show and the host of Austria's Next Top Model. IMG Models manages the winner and also managed first runner-up and second runner-up for one year.

The first season copied many photo shoot ideas from America's Next Top Model, especially from the first season. It has also gone with almost three episodes with a double-elimination for the models. The show was hosted by top model Heidi Klum. The international destinations for this cycle were New York City, Los Angeles and Paris.

Episode summaries

Episode 1: Der Sprung ins kalte Wasser

Original airdate: January 25, 2006

Out of over 11,000 applicants, 32 girls aged 16 to 22 had come to see if they had what it takes to be Germany's Next Topmodel. For their first challenge, the young women had to prove themselves by presenting their favourite outfit out of everything they had packed in their own suitcase. Drama ensued when 19-year-old Andrea discovered that she did not know the combination to her suitcase and had to make a frantic call to her mother. In the end she had to borrow an outfit from another competitor. Many of the girls fudged their measurements on their application forms. The judges narrowed down the competition to twenty girls.

In the next challenge, the 20 prospective models were taken by bus to a mine in the Walsum region of Duisburg. They had to put on a fashionshow in front of an audience of miners. The girls were shocked by the setting (and the outfits) but eventually would do what it took to succeed. Bruce Darnell, their catwalk coach, cried with joy at their success. Eight more girls were eliminated, leaving twelve to continue in the competition. Heidi then announced that they would be going to New York.

Episode 2: New York

Original airdate: February 1, 2006

Luise Mikulla created a lot of drama because of her fear of flying. Once in New York the girls had their first runway training with Bruce on a skyscraper. The girls met up with Heidi at the Victoria's Secret show and got to try out the most famous catwalk in the world.

The first photo shoot took place at night on a rooftop in the freezing cold. Russell James shot the models in Victoria's Secret's lingerie with a view of the New York Skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge. For their first challenge, the girls were given $100 each to find a second-hand outfit for themselves to wear to the Victoria's Secret Show. Jennifer Wanderer was chosen as the winner by Gisele Bündchen. Wanderer and her friend Mikulla got to watch the big show.

Andrea Lichtenberg was eliminated because of lack of expression in her photos. Anne Mühlmeier also failed to impress the judges.

Episode 3: Trau dich

Original airdate: February 8, 2006

The contestants returned to Germany and were installed in a new accommodation. Unfortunately, there were only eight beds for the ten girls and the girls had to make compromises. Celine Roschek was unhappy about the conditions which resulted in her complaining to Heidi. In the end she decided to leave the show.

The judges discovered that Micaela Schäfer had lied to them about her modelling history. It turned out that she had done nude photos in the past. Heidi decided to give her a second chance.

During the make-over session the stylist tried to give each of the girls a new look. Lena Gercke got a dramatic new short cut, but Janina Ordmann refused to let her hair cut the way the stylist proposed. As a big surprise Heidi's husband Seal came to the salon and met the girls who were absolutely amazed and thought that Heidi and Seal were very cute together.

Back at the loft the girls had runway training with Bruce. They had to complete their walk with a book on top of their head which was not supposed to fall down. Jennifer who had always been criticized for her lack of emotion and excitement seemed again very lost and sad. She always gave the impression of being unimpressed and not really interested in becoming a model. Bruce talked her into being a little more outgoing and to smile more. Jennifer was still reserved and held herself back too much. Bruce then talked to her and asked her to look into the mirror and scream really, really loud. Jennifer tried and eventually she screamed at the top of her lungs and it brings her such relief that she cries and hugs Bruce and says that this really meant a lot to her and gave her more confidence.

The theme of the photo shoot was iconic styles of the 1930s and 1940s. Joachim Baldauf shot the girls with spiders and snakes which caused a lot of shock and excitement. Charlotte Offeney refused to touch the snake but agreed to have a spider put on her shoulder.

Micaela Schäfer just barely stayed in the competition but Rahel Krüger was sent home. Although she showed a lot of potential, her look wasn't what the judges are looking for.

Episode 4: Zwischen den Welten

Original airdate: February 15, 2006

It was now down to Jennifer Wanderer, Lena Meier, Luise Mikulla, Lena Gercke, Yvonne Schröder, Janina Ordmann, Charlotte Offeney and Micaela Schäfer. Their next challenge is to model at a subway station in Düsseldorf, where the girls have to do a runway walk on a waiting platform for the passengers waiting on their train. The girls are asked to put on a sexy outfit without knowing where they are going. They are a little bit shocked but also excited when they find out what they have to do. Heidi watches them over the security cameras at the platform. She talks to them over the megaphone at the station. It is very funny and the walk looks really cool. Afterwards all the girls are excited and say they loved this challenge. Luise got lucky because she choose a bright yellow summer dress and simply looked gorgeous with her long blond hair. Her and Charlotte completed the task best and as a grand price they were invited to the "Night of the Proms" in Rotterdam by Heidi Klum's husband Seal, whom they also got to meet backstage and who was very kind to the girls. The other contestants spent the evening in the loft with food and gossip with Heidi Klum.

The next day professional press training waited for the candidates. However, the girls did not know it was a fake interview. They were filmed while talking to a reporter who told them that the interview would be featured in a magazine. The girls did badly at the interview, they answered really private questions and even asked back what exactly the reporter was asking about their love life and sex life. Heidi later revealed to the girls that it was only a fake interview and showed the girls their biggest mistakes on tape and explained to them the rules to giving a good interview without revealing too much. They were all relieved that it was only training.

Later photographer Antoine Verglas made a so-called "Beauty Shot" of the contestants which showed them unflattering and unretouched in a strapless black dress with only moisturizer on their face. The contestants had to do different facial expressions such as great joy, laughter, anger or sadness. Later the images were altered with photoshop to cover up bad skin and other flaws. During elimination the girls were shown their photo with and without being altered and they were shocked to see how much actually had to be done to the photo in order to look good. Heidi told that it was important to take good care of their skin and to look their best always, because having to touch up photos after a shoot takes time and costs money and the less they have to change the better. Again. the girls had to go on the catwalk, this time wearing ugly yellow jump suits and shoes that did not fit.

Schäfer did not convince the judges and was eliminated for her lack of personality and her inability to convince in different modelling styles.

Episode 5: Und Bitte!

Original airdate: February 22, 2006

The contestants complete acting training with an acting coach. Luise shows great talent and completes the task very well. The girls are having an interesting morning. Even though a model does not always have to be an actress at the same time, the task showed who had difficulty to take on a different role easily. And according to the judges this is exactly what a topmodel needs to be able to do. In the theatre: The girls act out a love/fight scene with renowned German actor Erol Sander. The challenge is to accuse him of cheating on them after they found a ring of another woman in his pocket. He then has to convince them it isn't true and they have to make up. Charlotte actually tried to kiss the actor in the end, which caused embarrassment in the group.

The next morning one of most difficult photo shoots is coming up for the girls. There is a bulletproof glass basin filled with 12.000 liters of water which weighs 30 tons, in which the girls have to submerge completely wearing a beautiful evening gown and float gracefully under water in front of the camera. The effect of weightlessness in the water and the floating of their long evening dresses create a wonderful image. For the models it is a genuine challenge. They have to be able to stop breathing for as long a time as possible, control their body movement, hands and feet and make sure that they don't make strange faces under water. Right from the start Luise has problems over and over again. She always finds something which she cannot do or she feels sick or unwell. In the evening the girls have a fun time: Karaoke with Heidi in the LOFT.

Before she is called before the judges, Janina faces a difficult, personal decision: after she refused to cut her hair short (similar to Lena's style) during their make-over, she finally agrees to have her hair shortened the way the stylist recommended it. Once she sees the result however she is completely devastated and thinks she looks ugly. Once again right before the elimination the girls have to do a brief runway show for the judges. This time the challenge is to walk with raw eggs taped to their bare feet without breaking the eggs. This means the girls have to balance on their toes. Lena breaks her egg and slips on the runway. In the end however it is certain: Luise has to go - the judges don't think she is ready yet for the demanding life of a topmodel, she constantly has some kind of phobia (she fainted right before the flight to New York out of fear of flying) or illnesses and has been complaining way too much.

Episode 6: Sexy Moves

Original airdate: March 1, 2006

The girls have dance training with Choreographer Georgia from London. They learn a dance sequence from a musical. They will need that dance for their upcoming photo shoot which is going to be a very sexy and rock-star style shoot. Yvonne cannot really follow the routine and cries. Surprise at the LOFT: the parents visit the girls - lots of tears and laughter!

Later the girls have their first go-see at Escada where chief designer Brian Rennie invites them to a casting for the Escada look book. The casting is only a test which the girls however do not know and Heidi pushes them to be absolutely pitch perfect with their walk and their presentation. She watches the casting from a nearby trailer. The purpose is to determine which one of the six girls would be able and ready to be cast by a world famous fashion label and actually be considered for the job. The girls are asked to put on different Escada outfits and accessories and have to strike a pose as well as do a short runway walk for Brian Rennie. Lena G. simply looks amazing and very natural at the same time. Her and Janina are the best and may for one evening and one night go to Paris where they meet Peyman Amin from IMG models who takes them out clubbing.

While Lena and Janina are still travelling back to Germany from Paris the other girls are already on location for their photo shoot in a theater in Cologne. The girls get crazy hair, big make-up and some Musical Star/Rock Star style outfit. Their task is to use the moves they have learned from Georgia in order to deliver a really cool photo with a lot of movement and expression. Jennifer has a terrible stomach ache, but she does not let her bad health get in the way with her performance. She is very cool and convincing and the judges are amazed. Charlotte however is not doing so well with her shoot, she is too shy and cannot present herself in a sexy way. She clearly feels uncomfortable with the whole setting and the task. The judges criticise her badly. Lena G. and Janina are tired after only one hour of sleep, however they pull themselves together and after a short "warming up" they take good photos.

This week the elimination is especially hard on Bruce: Lena M. and Charlotte must go. Bruce is speechless and cries, because Lena M. was his favourite and he is heartbroken and cannot stop crying. After the dismissal Heidi joins the girls backstage and she tells them they are going to get a full body waxing for their next shoot - Body painting with Joanne Gair. The girls are excited.

Episode 7: Bodypainting

Original airdate: March 8, 2006

Swedish model Marcus Schenkenberg is arriving and makes the girls very nervous. He will assist the judges this week in evaluating the girls. They are taken to a nearby shopping mall. Yvonne has to announce a runway show to all the people at the mall using a megaphone. The other girls do not yet know what to expect. They are given wigs and big sunglasses and have a very tight schedule to do their runway. Four outfits for each of the four girls. They have one minute to change in a room and run back up the escalator to do their runway, otherwise the show is interrupted. Styling and accessories is completely up to the girls. Will they be able to complete such a hectic and stressful task? How do they react, if there are problems? This is exactly what the judges want to find out with this task. The girls are running around like crazy but the show goes well and later the girls take it easy during a game of Pool Billiard with Marcus.

The next morning body painting artist Joanne Gair arrives from New Zealand and wants to get to know the girls before the shoot in person. It becomes a difficult day for all of them. Joanne will paint and will photograph two girls per day. The body painting will be an animal print winding around the shoulders, legs, breasts and stomach with long hair extensions and a dark but warm background and lighting. For the body painting of one models she needs between six and seven hours. Lena has problems with the fact that she will be completely naked in front of the camera and asks for more time to consider this. She is aware of the importance of the photo shoot for the next decision, but at the same time she feels very uncomfortable being naked in front of other people and in a photo. She calls home and talks it through with her parents. Joanne shows the girls photos of her work from her book. She has done the famous cover of Vanity Fair with a pregnant Demi Moore and she did some amazing Body Painting shoots with Heidi for Sports Illustrated. The girls appreciate this and admire her work.

The body painting is in full course. Jennifer poses second and Joanne is very respectful and kind and creates an atmosphere so the girls forget they have nothing on except color on their body. Jennifer gets really cold and her feet and legs go numb. After the shoot she can barely stand up and walk, that's how bad her legs hurt. Bruce has to hold her so she can stand. Nobody noticed this during the shoot and Heidi is absolutely impressed and praises Jennifer for being so professional and not complaining at all. While Joanne is applying color to Yvonne's body, Lena arrives at the Studio. She took all night to make her decision and eventually agrees to do it. Heidi respects Lena for not taking her clothes off immediately, but thinking it through and making sure that she feels comfortable with the people on the set.

This week the judges find it extremely difficult to pick one girl to send home, because they all had a good week, but still they must decide, which of the four girls has the most and the least potential to become "Germany's Next Topmodel". After much consideration they decide not to eliminate any of the girls so all four are moving on to the next challenge.

Episode 8: Sunny California

Original airdate: March 15, 2006

Left to right: the last four participants at the CeBIT 2006: Yvonne Schröder, Janina Ordmann, Jennifer Wanderer and Lena Gercke

After taking a vacation at home for one week the girls meet at Munich airport without knowing their destination. At the check-in counter they receive the new "Heidi-Mail" and she announces that the girls are flying to Los Angeles! After a 12 hours flight the girls arrive at California and are taken to their hotel. On the next morning they are waiting for their next challenged - slightly jet-lagged. When Heidi arrives she tells them that they are going to visit the star coiffeur Giuseppe Franco. But the girls are not there in order to get spoiled.

They have to address complete strangers in the street and persuade them to do a make-over. The four girls are given 30 minutes to do this and prove to Heidi and Armin that they have a feeling for make-up and hair styling. The girls are panicking and pick anyone of the street instead of choosing for a few minutes to see how could easily be styled. The results very from very bad to acceptable and the winners are announced Lena and Jennifer.

Next runway training takes place at the Santa Monica Pier, one of the most famous beach promenades in the world. Bruce taught the girls all the basics. Now he prepares them for different styles, which are required on the international runways depending on the outfits they are presenting. The girls are wearing extremely high heels and walking is difficult. Lots of onlookers take photos and many Americans state for the camera that the girls are more beautiful than the American contestants on the show and they would all make them topmodels.

On the next day: the main photo shoot, which will considerably influence the decision of the judges. At 6.30 the preparations start at famous Malibu Beach. The girls are photographed in a Bikini jumping on a trampolining. Again precision and body-control are essential. Heidi joins the fun and jumps on the trampolin too. Funny and sexy pictures are the result!

The last task is a runway show in front of the judges: first up the sporty, natural look. Then sexy and elegant. With a lot of time pressure they must match their make-up to the outfit and express their style on the runway using one of the different walking techniques taught by Bruce.

Before the elimination the judges consider yet again everything they have seen from the girls so far including pictures and runway style. Minutes pass which will decide about the future of the girls. Eventually Janinas dream is ending. She worked very hard, but the jury is of the opinion that the other girls still have more potential. Janina takes it very hard and she talks badly about Jennifer who she feels does not even want to be a model and she would have deserved to stay on the show instead of her.

Episode 9: Paris wir kommen!

Original airdate: March 22, 2006

A double examination is approaching for the girls. They must convince the Casting Director AND prove Heidi thereby that they would be as top models able, to slip before the camera into a strange role. Jennifer makes itself thereby at the best one. Hard days in LA: Lena, Jennifer and Yvonne must fight against their tiredness. The show for the Jeans label YMI in club Basque Hollywood is an important test. In the small framework the girls are to get accustomed to it for a designer before public to run. Top model candidate inside must shine with the show in the club, otherwise they go down on really important gangways.

The test in the club was a full success. But on the next morning Heidi organized already again a date. It is on the way to Christian Audigier, the designer of the Street ware label Ed Hardy. The cool Look is particularly announced with Hollywood of star extremely. With the Ed Hardy shoot is responsible the girls for everything. Now they can show whether they watched out with Amin well. LA has to offer much. But the largest attraction for the girls was it not to think for a few hours of its achievements and have with Heidi fun. To the daily strolls it ended together over the Santa Monica jetty.

Still do not know Lena, Jennifer and Yvonne that morning will become a completely special day for it: at 7 o'clock of morning starts the photo shoot with the chief talking document urine of the German Cosmopolitan, Petra Gessulat and star photographer Pavel Havlicek.

While Heidi remains because of dates in LA, the girls travel to Paris. Here it expects its largest challenge. The small show in the club in LA, training with Bruce - everything served the preparation on a completely special moment! John Ribbe, an internationally successful designer invites the girls to the casting. There the girls will compete for the first time with professional Models. All girls have their strengths, in addition, their weaknesses. And only one of them can become Germany's Next Topmodel. This time however each still continued to come. This week there is no panel.

Episode 10: Das Finale

In the final, Jennifer is eliminated first due to her performance on the casting for Paris Fashion Week. This leaves Lena and Yvonne. In the end Lena is declared the winner. She eventually went on to become a successful model and the host of Austria's Next Topmodel.

Contestants

Lena Gercke, winner of Germany's Next Topmodel cycle 1

(ages stated are at time of contest)

Contestant Age Height Hometown Outcome
Anne Mühlmeier 17 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) Stuttgart Eliminated in Episode 2
Andrea Lichtenberg 19 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) Bergisch Gladbach
Céline Roscheck 22 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in) Vienna Quit in Episode 3
Rahel Krüger 20 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) Kiel Eliminated in Episode 3
Micaela Schaefer 22 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) Berlin Eliminated in Episode 4
Luise Mikulla 16 1.71 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in) Potsdam Eliminated in Episode 5
Lena Meier 20 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) Nürnberg Eliminated in Episode 6
Charlotte Offeney 18 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Hannover
Janina Ordmann 20 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) Korfu Eliminated in Episode 8
Jennifer Wanderer 17 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) Kulmbach Eliminated in Episode 10
Yvonne Schröder 17 1.74 m (5 ft 8 1⁄2 in) Frankfurt am Main Runner Up
Lena Gercke 17 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) Cloppenburg Winner

Summaries

Call-out order

Heidi's Call-out Order
Order Episodes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10
1 Lena M. Lena G. Jennifer Micaela Jennifer Lena G. Lena G. Lena G. Yvonne Lena G.
2 Janina Charlotte Luise Jennifer Charlotte Jennifer Janina Jennifer Lena G. Yvonne
3 Andrea Luise Janina Yvonne Yvonne Charlotte Jennifer Janina Jennifer
4 Lena G. Jennifer Lena M. Lena M. Lena M. Janina Yvonne Yvonne
5 Jennifer Yvonne Charlotte Lena G. Janina Yvonne
6 Rahel Celine Lena G. Luise Luise Lena M.
7 Charlotte Andrea Yvonne Charlotte Lena G.
8 Luise Lena M. Micaela Janina
9 Micaela Rahel Rahel
10 Celine Anne Celine
11 Anne Janine
12 Yvonne Micaela
     The contestant was eliminated
     The contestant quit the competition
     The contestant was part of a non-elimination bottom two
     The contestant won the competition

Photo shoot guide

Television ratings

Episode[1][2] from 3 years 14- to 49-year-old
Viewers
(in millions)		 Share
(in %)		 Viewers
(in millions)		 Share
(in %)
1 02,75 07,90 01,96 13,50
2 02,70 07,90
3 02,48 07,20
4 02,64 07,60 13,70
5 02,57 07,60 01,93 13,70
6 02,64 07,60 02,04 14,20
7 02,96 08,80 02,29 16,50
8 03,26 10,00 17,80
9 02,85 08,20 02,26 15,20
10 04,67 12,90 03,19 23,90

References

  1. ↑ "German television ratings". Quotenmeter.de. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  2. ↑ "German television ratings". DWDL.de. Retrieved 2009-03-28.

External links

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