A few months ago, America's Next Top Model was cancelled. It was a shame, but these things happen. The show had run for an unprecedented 22 seasons, boasted 14 judges, crowned 22 winners including one British girl, two men, one girl below 5ft 7", one plus sized model and one girl who won it twice.
It was a staple in your teenage life. Noted fashion photographer Nigel Barker was your sexual awakening. Janice Dickinson was your spirit animal. J. Alexander was who taught you to project confidence and Tyra was your emotional guru.
Now, it's coming back. And instead of the old gang (laters Andre Leon Talley! Sayonara Kelly Cutrone!), Rita Ora's at the helm. She's accompanied by Ashley Graham, Drew Elliot from Paper magazine and stylist Law Roach*.
*LAW IS CELINE DION'S STYLIST SO THAT IS GREAT NEWS.
Rita Ora is very nice and cool and fun and great at speaking her mind but Rita Ora isn't Tyra Banks. No-one is Tyra Banks.
Tyra, on ANTM simultaneously filled the role of big sister, guru, model coach, tough love giver, class clown, matriarch, dream breaker, dream fulfiller and celebrity with their own side projects that they're keen to plug. Tyra was everything.
Remember that one season where Tyra wore only jumpsuits? How about that season when she advised every contestant to 'make the most of what your mama gave you' approximately once an episode, all season. What about that time she embarked on a music career and the models had to dance in her music video? Or how about the several times she decided to become a photographer and took black and white portraits of the girls whilst wearing Gap-esque clothes and minimal make-up to signify her 'artist' status. And how about that smize-ing? Because say what you damn well please, what Tyra could do with her face if you plonked a camera in front of it was outstanding. That woman can _MO_del.
Tyra managed to take girls living in a 5000 square foot loft apartment in New York City to places like Phuket, Santorini and Queenstown in New Zealand and convince the contestants that they were in the fashion capitals of the world. Tyra managed to take grown ass women and convince them that they needed bleached eyebrows to be a top model. Ditto for the ability to model underwater and with a giant predatory zoo animal in their arms. Tyra managed, single-handedly, to make Cover Girl the only make-up brand I can ever recall despite the fact that it isn't sold in the UK.
Can Rita Ora do all that? Maybe. But it's a tall order. Fingers crossed for you Rita but you've got big shoes to fill.
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Follow Jess on Twitter @Jess_Commons
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.