e.tv has announced the second season of
Tyra Banks's runway reality show
America's Next Top Model, which will premiere on the channel early in May.
The first season of the show was broadcast by the channel last year. The winner of the inaugural season was
Adrianne Curry.
In this new season of her show, Tyra welcomes 12 aspiring models to New York City by immediately getting them to charm some young, hot-blooded marines on a catwalk built on one of the world's largest naval ships, the USS Inteprid.
Later, one participant gets off to a rough start when she oversleeps the morning of the first photo shoot and is abandoned by the other ladies. Meanwhile, another wannabe model is forced off the set of a nude shoot.
In this episode the first participant is eliminated from the competition, and what follows are - naturally - tears and tantrums in abundance.
America's Next Top Model II was originally aired in the US three years ago, and in the first season there were only 10 contestants.
Along with two more contestants this time round, the photo shoots in this season tend to be more sexual in nature than they were in the first season, for example the nude shoot in the very first episode.
Vital Statistics
Total number of contestants: 12
Oldest contestants: Camille McDonald & Xiomara Frans, both aged 25
Youngest contestants: Catie Anderson & Heather Blumberg, both aged 18
Tallest contestants: Xiomara Frans & Yoanna House, both 5' 11" (180 cm)
Shortest contestant: Jenascia Chakos, 5' 7" (170 cm)
Tyra Banks was raised in Los Angeles and began her television career as an actress, with recurring roles in
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and
Felicity. She also starred in the Disney made-for-television movie, Life Size. Her big-screen experience includes leading roles in movies such as Higher Learning and
Coyote Ugly.
Tyra began her modeling career in Europe and evolved into a world-renowned supermodel, who has become a pioneer in the industry. She was the first African-American woman to grace the covers of GQ, Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue and the Victoria's Secret catalogue.
In 1997, she received the prestigious Michael Award for Supermodel of the Year. She later secured an exclusive contract with Victoria's Secret.
In addition, Banks has been contracted by Swatch and Cover Girl, and has appeared in ad campaigns for Nike, Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and Dolce & Gabbana. Tyra also authored Tyra's Beauty Inside & Out, published by Harper Collins (1998).
Tyra is creator and executive producer of America's Next Top Model and host her own talk show,
The Tyra Banks Show.
The second season of America's Next Top Model premieres on e.tv on Tuesday 8 May, at 21h00. It replaces
Cheaters.
THE CAST
