Nearly eight years since its 24-cycle run concluded, America's Next Top Model returned to the zeitgeist in a massive way with the release of Netflix's documentary earlier this year.
The three-part docuseries, Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model, reunited three of the show's former panelists, Nigel Barker, Jay Manuel, and Miss J. Alexander, as well as the show's face, host and creator, Tyra Banks herself, to reflect on the show's highs and lows over its run.
The Netflix release was widely watched and became a talking point for weeks, receiving both praise for its inclusion of several former contestants, and criticism for seemingly not making its participants take much accountability for the show's more controversial actions.
© Getty ImagesAt City Harvest Presents The 2026 Gala: Shaken, Not Stirred in New York City on April 21, 2026, Nigel and his wife Cristen Barker spoke exclusively with HELLO! about the reactions to the documentary and their close relationships with several former ANTM contestants.
However, while he noted how close he still was with "the Jays," he confirmed that he still has not been in touch with Tyra herself since the documentary came out. "I can't speak for them, but I haven't [heard from her]," he told us.
While the photographer, 53, noted that none of the reactions to the documentary surprised him per se, he was surprised to see how overwhelming of a response it received, eventually becoming the most watched streaming series on Netflix.
© Getty Images"I mean there was a lot of reaction, right? So everyone reacted in every which way, you name it, we got interviewed by every single newspaper, every single magazine," he continued.
"I think the most surprising perhaps was the fact that so many people cared about it still, the sort of heightened relevance of a show that we recorded 20+ years ago. I think just that general idea that that many people viewed it and downloaded it, we were the number one show everywhere within a day."
Nigel added: "We had 15 million people watching on day one on Netflix, you know, so that was, I think, the biggest surprise."
© Getty ImagesOf the girls he and Cristen have stayed closest with post-show, he lists Caridee English, Naima Mora, Toccara Jones, April Wilkner, Mercedes Scelba-Shorte, and Shandi Sullivan (who was a pivotal subject in the Netflix docuseries), mainly citing the cycles 2-8 girls as being easiest to keep in touch with.
"They know our children too, they've watched them grow up," Cristen sweetly added. Nigel and Cristen, a fellow model and CoverGirl representative, have been married since 1999 and share two kids.
© Getty ImagesNigel also says that the biggest way he's seen the modeling industry change since the show's peak is in the packaging itself. "It's now very digital, so models have to come with a built-in social media following, and you get booked because of your social media following, not just because of your portfolio," he explained to us.
