Top Model hits back at rigged voting claims

Sara Tetro, Colin Mathura-Jeffree and Chris Sisarich from New Zealand's Next Top Model. Photo / Supplied

Organisers for New Zealand's version of hit reality show America's Next Top Model have hit back at claims voting on the show is rigged.

Former judge Janice Dickinson accused America's Next Top Model of "rigging" the voting, claiming decisions on eliminations were made by the show's sponsor Covergirl.

"CoverGirl are the people that choose the model ... Not any of the judges, not what Tyra says," she said in an interview with FilmOn.

Dickinson went on to accuse other versions of the show around the world of doing the same thing.

But TV3, who have hosted three seasons of New Zealand's Next Top Model, says all elimination decisions here are left up to the show's judges.

"While Janice Dickinson is hugely entertaining, this is certainly not the case with New Zealand's Next Top Model," the network said in a statement.

"Our three judges, Sara Tetro, Colin Mathura-Jeffree and Chris Sisarich, are the only people who decide on who wins New Zealand's Next Top Model.

"We would be more than happy to invite Janice to be a guest judge and show her how we do it in NZ."

Dickinson, a former supermodel, was on the judging panel of America's Next Top Model for four seasons before she was replaced.

Winners of the program enjoy a contract with CoverGirl cosmetics and a modelling agency as well as a magazine spread.

The show is the brainchild of Tyra Banks, who Dickinson had a difficult relationship with while shooting.

Dickinson has reignited their feud by making controversial allegations about the on-going program.

"It's who CoverGirl thinks should win, each season. People don't know that. When I found out I split. The fact of the matter is now she's made like 90 million or she makes something like that she has a lot of money a year still hawking that franchise worldwide.

"In essence they're doing it in every country, it's Cover Girl that chooses the winner. Definitely on Tyra's show it's rigged. It's rigged.

"I was so depressed sitting there knowing that none of my picks ever got to stay."

Dickinson claims that is the reason she doesn't have a good relationship with Banks.

She found it hard that her fashion background didn't really matter when it came to the show.

"There's back history of experience and the way [Banks] treated me when I worked for her on the panel. There was a way I experienced being on that show, being conned, thinking I was actually helping judge a TV franchise, that actually my say had any input.

"But it really didn't you see,'' she said.

- AAP