Former ‘ANTM’ Contestant Calls Out Producers Over ‘Damaging’ Editing

A former “ANTM” contestant is calling out the show’s “damaging” editing after appearing in a new docuseries about the reality competition program’s downfall.

Keenyah Hill, who appeared in cycle 4 of Tyra Banks‘ popular modeling contest, spoke with Nick Viall on a recent episode of his “Viall Files” podcast and opened up about the show’s producers editing her to appear as though she had a problem with overeating.

Hill was one of the former contestants interviewed for the new Netflix docuseries, “Reality Check,” which pulled the curtain back on some of the behind-the-scenes workings of “America’s Next Top Model.”

Hill explained during her portion of the program that the show’s editing was not always accurate. She went on to say that the producers made her look as though she had a problem with overeating.

To nail the point home, Hill was shown during a season 4 episode seemingly eating several bagels. However, Hill said the producers reused clips of her eating the same bagel to create a story.

“I want people to understand. I was 5’11 and at the time I was about 130 lbs, which is really, really slim,” Hill said to Viall. “Like, [I was] very slim. … I was probably between a [size] two and four, which I’m not too far from now. They did kind of prep us but again it all comes back to the show and reality TV.”

Hill said during “Reality Check” that producers often typecast the models and had to find ways to make their predetermined narratives fit.

“In hindsight, it’s like they had to find something as a part of the narrative,” Hill said about the show’s handling of her storyline. “That’s when I knew, OK, this is intentional. It was a little bit damaging to see them editing me eating the same bagel, for example, showing me eating it as if I’ve eaten three bagels but it really was the same one.”

Hill told host Viall that she experienced a rough childhood, often being teased for not having a naturally curvy body like others around her. Consequently, Hill was bullied for “being really slim” and wearing “glasses [and] braces.”

Hill believed being cast on “America’s Next Top Model” would’ve been better for her. “By the time I went onto [the show], I was like, this is where I belong! This is perfect,” she said.

What happened on the show, however, was a “shock,” Hill said.

According to a previous report from The Blast, Hill was featured in the “Reality Check” docuseries alongside fellow contestants Whitney Thompson, Giselle Samson, Shannon Stewart, Shandi Sullivan, and Dani Evans.

Also in the program were former judges Jay Manuel, Jay Alexander, and Banks herself. During one segment, Banks acknowledged that certain parts of the show were controversial.

“I knew I went too far. It was very, very intense, but you guys were demanding it, so we kept pushing it, more and more and more,” Banks said.

The documentary, which was directed by Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan, explored the show’s place in pop culture history. It looked back on many of the reality show’s problematic moments, including the race-swap photoshoot and Banks’ infamous crashout with Tiffany Richardson.

Harrowing allegations were also leveled against the show’s producers. In one interview, an emotional Sullivan recalled being assaulted by a guest that production allegedly allowed into the model’s staying quarters.