Tyra Banks, the supermodel and creator of America’s Next Top Model (ANTM), is finally facing the controversy that has followed the show for years. In the trailer for Netflix’s three-part documentary Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, Banks admits that some moments on the show crossed the line.

“I knew I pushed it too far,” Banks says in the trailer. “It was intense, and we kept raising the stakes because that’s what viewers wanted.” She’s acknowledging what many former contestants have said for years: the show could be extreme, sometimes to the point of being emotionally demanding.

ANTM made its name through high-pressure challenges, confrontational judging, and dramatic eliminations. While that approach helped the show dominate reality TV for years, it also created tension behind the scenes. Former judges and contestants describe moments that were emotionally and physically taxing, and in some cases, even harmful. Jay Manuel, the creative director, said Banks “would do anything for the success of the show,” a reflection of the intense environment contestants faced.

Banks doesn’t try to excuse all the show’s controversial moments, but she also highlights its impact. Years before many mainstream fashion outlets embraced diversity, ANTM gave visibility to models who didn’t fit conventional industry standards, including plus-size models, models with visible scars, and trans models. Still, she acknowledges that not every choice landed well and that the pressure sometimes exceeded acceptable limits.

Tyra Banks – Instagram

The documentary also features former contestants, who share candid reflections. Some, like ANTM’s first winner Adrianne Curry, have publicly criticised the doc, saying it risks misrepresenting their experiences. Others speak to the emotional strain they felt during the competition, showing that what looked like drama on screen often had real consequences behind the cameras.

Tyra Banks – Instagram

This isn’t just a look back at the past. ANTM, which ran from 2003 to 2018 and spanned 24 seasons, influenced how reality TV portrays competition, beauty, and diversity. Its impact is still visible in fashion programming and social media today. Banks’ admission that she “went too far” is significant because it’s rare for her to openly reflect on the show’s more controversial moments. Whether it satisfies critics or former contestants will only be clear when the full documentary premieres on Netflix on February 16, 2026.

Valentino Garavani, the Italian designer whose name was synonymous with couture discipline and colour mastery, has died at the age of 93. He passed away in Rome on January 19, 2026, according to an official statement released by the Valentino Garavani & Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation.

Born Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani in Voghera in 1932, he began his career at a time when elegance was still governed by structured tailoring and formal codes. Trained in Milan and Paris, Valentino returned to Italy in the late 1950s to establish his fashion house in Rome, a city whose grandeur and history would remain central to his design approach.

Photo: Shutterstock

Photo: Shutterstock

By the 1960s, Valentino had had gained international clients, dressing aristocrats, actresses, and first ladies with a carefulness followed strict couture conventions. His work was featured sharp tailoring. Few designers have so successfully balanced excess with discipline, romance with order.

One of his defining signature is the color that became inseparable from his name a distinctive shade of red that was associated with formal evening wear and couture presentation rather than provocation. It was worn by Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, Sophia Loren, and later worn by contemporary actresses and public figures extending his cultural relevance across decades of cultural memory.

Photo: Shutterstock

His personal and professional partnership with Giancarlo Giammetti, who joined the house in 1960, shaped the business and public image of the house. Together, they built Valentino into one of Italy’s leading Italian couture houses navigating the transition from couture salon to global fashion house while maintaining its couture focus.

Valentino stepped away from active design in 2008, presenting his final collection with a final haute couture collection in Paris that reflected his long-standing emphasis to form and finish. While the house would go on under new creative leadership, his influence remained embedded in its shapes and couture techniques.

Tributes followed from across the fashion industry, film, and global culture, acknowledging not only his aesthetic contributions but his insistence on standards in an increasingly fast-paced industry. Within the fashion industry Valentino represented a belief in fashion as a discipline one shaped by patience, skill, and an understanding of beauty as something constructed, not improvised.

Photo: Centromedicoloira

He is survived by his partner Giancarlo Giammetti. Funeral arrangements will take place in Rome, with plans for a public viewing to be announced. With his passing, fashion loses one of its last true couturiers a designer whose work did not chase relevance, yet never lost it.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles secured the AFCON bronze medal with a 4–2 penalty shootout win over Egypt after a goalless draw at the Stade Mohammed V on Saturday. The victory was defined by goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, whose key saves in the shootout handed Nigeria the medal.

Photo Credit – Instagram

The match was tight from the start, with both teams defending effectively. Nigeria, still recovering from their semi-final loss to Morocco, struggled to break down Egypt’s compact formation. Egypt, led by Mohamed Salah, had occasional moments of threat but could not convert their chances. Nigeria thought they had scored twice, with Akor Adams heading in and substitute Ademola Lookman finishing in the second half, but both goals were ruled out after VAR and offside decisions. The game ended 0‑0 after 90 minutes.

Photo Credit – Instagram

The bronze medal match went straight to penalties. Salah stepped up first, only for Nwabali to save the shot. Moments later, Omar Marmoush also saw his attempt stopped by the Nigerian goalkeeper. These two saves gave Nigeria the advantage. Akor Adams, Moses Simon, Alex Iwobi, and Lookman calmly converted their penalties, securing a 4–2 victory.

Nwabali’s performance combined quick reflexes and calm under pressure, earning him the Man of the Match award. His saves not only prevented goals but also allowed his teammates to take their penalties with confidence.

Stanley Nwabali – Instagram

For Nigeria, this bronze medal marks their ninth in AFCON history, extending their record as one of Africa’s most successful teams. It also allowed the squad to finish the tournament positively after missing the final, showing resilience and determination.

After the match, Nwabali credited preparation and careful study of opponents as key to his performance. His contribution highlights how a goalkeeper can influence a tournament, not just in a single moment, but through consistent, decisive actions.