The fourth season of ''

Germany's Next Topmodel ''Germany's Next Topmodel'' (often abbreviated as ''GNTM'') is a German reality television series based on the concept introduced by Tyra Banks with ''America's Next Top Model''. The competition is hosted by Heidi Klum, who also serves as the ...

'' aired on the German television network

ProSieben ProSieben (, ''sieben'' is German for "seven"; often stylized as Pro7) is a German free-to-air television network owned by ProSiebenSat.1 Media. It was launched on 1 January 1989. It is Germany's second-largest privately owned television company ...

from 12 February 2009 to 21 May 2009. In contrast to previous seasons, the show saw a significant change as the audition process was completely open this time, such that every model-wannabe got a chance to audition in front of the jury led by

Heidi Klum Heidi Klum (; born 1 June 1973) is a German and American model, television personality, producer, and businesswoman. She appeared on the cover of the ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'' in 1998 and was the first German model to become a Vict ...

. The numbers of applications were 1,104 in

Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in the state after Cologne and the List of cities in Germany with more than 100,000 inhabitants, seventh-largest city ...

, 1,376 in

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

and 18,786 who applied before via mail. The winner of this season 19-year-old

Sara Nuru Sara Nuru (born 19 August 1989) is a German fashion model and entrepreneur. She was the winner of the Germany's Next Topmodel, Cycle 4, fourth cycle of ''Germany's Next Top Model''. Since 2016, Nuru has been running nuruCoffee, a fair trade coff ...

from

. Her prizes include: * A contract with Günther Klum's OneEins GmbH Management worth €200,000. * A cover and spread in the German edition of ''

Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Internationalism * World citizen, one who eschews traditional geopolitical divisions derived from national citizenship * Cosmopolitanism, the idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community * Cosmopolitan ...

''. * An advertising campaign for '' C&A'' and '' Maybelline New York''. * A ''

Suzuki Swift Sport The is a supermini car (B-segment) produced by Suzuki. The vehicle is classified as a B-segment marque in the European single market, a segment referred to as a supermini in the British Isles. Prior to this, the "Swift" nameplate had been applie ...

'' The following prizes have been removed: *A contract with ''

IMG Models IMG, originally known as the International Management Group, is a global sports, fashion, events and media company headquartered in New York City. The company manages athletes and fashion celebrities; owns, operates and commercially represents ...

'' in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. *A ''

Volkswagen Tiguan The Volkswagen Tiguan () is a sport utility vehicle produced by German manufacturer Volkswagen since 2007, sitting between the smaller T-Roc and the larger Touareg in the company's crossover SUV range. The first generation was based on the ...

'' The international destinations for this season were set in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

Contestants

''(ages stated are at start of contest)''

Episode summaries

Summaries

Results table

: The contestant was in danger of elimination : The contestant was eliminated : The contestant won the competition

Photo shoot guide

* Episode 1 photo shoot: Düsseldorf * Episode 2 photo shoot: Munich shooting * Episode 3 photo shoot: Frostbitten beauty * Episode 4 photo shoot: Burning car in the desert in pairs * Episode 5 photo shoot: Hanging from a hot air balloon * Episode 6 photo shoot: Brides in B&W * Episode 7 photo shoot: Bikinis in the rain * Episode 8 photo shoot: Underwater * Episode 9 photo shoot: Pole dancing * Episode 10 commercial: Wonder Bra * Episode 11 photo shoot: Famous divas * Episode 12 photo shoot: Rock stars * Episode 13 photo shoot: American beauty * Episode 14 photo shoot: ''

'' covers * Episode 15 photo shoot: ''

Elle Elle may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Elle (magazine), ''Elle'' (magazine), a fashion publication ** Elle Style Awards * Elle (India), ''Elle'' (India), the Indian edition * Elle (film), ''Elle'' (film), a 2016 French film * ''Elle: ...

'' Singapore covers * Episode 16 photo shoot: Bull riding

Controversies

Sophia Thomalla Sophia Thomalla (born 6 October 1989) is a German actress, model, and television presenter. Early life Thomalla was born in East Berlin, East Germany on 6 October 1989, the daughter of actors Simone Thomalla and André Vetters. She grew up i ...

, daughter of German actress

Simone Thomalla Simone Thomalla (born 11 April 1965) is a German actress. Career As a child, Thomalla wanted to be a musician, but instead attended the Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch acting-school in Berlin. She began her career in 1982 in Ea ...

, was eliminated in the first round for having a friendship with judge Peyman Amin. In August 2022, finalist Marie Nasemann revealed that she suffers from the spinal condition

Scoliosis Scoliosis (: scolioses) is a condition in which a person's Vertebral column, spine has an irregular curve in the coronal plane. The curve is usually S- or C-shaped over three dimensions. In some, the degree of curve is stable, while in others ...

. Back in 2009, during the fourth season, her

was discussed at a casting for

Samsung Samsung Group (; stylised as SΛMSUNG) is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational manufacturing Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in the Samsung Town office complex in Seoul. The group consists of numerous a ...

. The editors of Germany's Next Topmodel tried to make her cry because of her illness and she also reveals: "I found out years later that Samsung would have liked to book me, but from the production side it wasn't allowed". In September 2022, the winner

joined the criticism of the show as she said: "I was not aware of how blatantly young women were treated there. It was as if I had blinders on, a lot is me I wasn't aware of it even as a participant. I'm still horrified by how young women are treated." She added: "With the knowledge I have today, I would not take part in Germany's Next Topmodel again." In January 2023, the relentless criticism continued when Tessa Bergmeier criticized the Show and Heidi Klum live in front of an audience of millions during her participation in the 16th season of I'm a Celebrity - Get Me Out of Here. In a conversation with model

Papis Loveday Papis Loveday (born 3 January 1977) is a Senegalese model and fashion entrepreneur. He gained fame through a United Colors of Benetton worldwide campaign in 2003. In 2011 he founded the brand Papis Loveday, which includes a fragrance line, champa ...

, she said: "They screwed me! I found it unfair. I had no idea what kind of light they wanted to put me in. They portrayed me as a bitch. ..They made me a monster, I wasn't." Bergmeier describes Klum as "super-mega psycho. The devil is in her. ..She laughs at little girls ..A person who can torment others without any feeling of guilt. I couldn't continue modelling in Hamburg, no client wanted me anymore." Papis Loveday, who also worked on GNTM, added about Klum: "She only thinks of herself. Nobody can shine more than she does." In February 2023

Der Spiegel (, , stylized in all caps) is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. With a weekly circulation of about 724,000 copies in 2022, it is one of the largest such publications in Europe. It was founded in 1947 by John Seymour Chaloner ...

gives a glimpse into the notorious gag contracts that candidates have to sign in order to be able to take part in the Heidi Klum show. According to the Hamburg lawyer Jörg Nabert, these are "illegal gag contracts". The contract binds the women to an agency for two years. A regulation that, according to Nabert, is not customary in the industry. The participants also agree that the recordings "present them in a way that they don't like themselves". According to

, the contracts say: "The contributors are aware of any burdens that may result for them". If necessary, “substantive suggestions” would be made and enforced by the show management. Germany's Next Topmodel can thus stylize people like Tessa Bergmeier as "bitches" without them being able to defend themselves effectively afterwards. Heidi Klum's casting show goes further than similar formats with this practice.

References

External links

* {{Germany's Next Topmodel Germany's Next Topmodel 2009 German television seasons Television shows filmed in Los Angeles Television shows shot in the Las Vegas Valley Television shows filmed in Miami Television shows filmed in New York City Television shows filmed in Hawaii Television shows filmed in England Television shows filmed in Singapore