Jay Manuel Opens Up About Reported Feud With ‘ANTM’ Host Tyra Banks

In the new explosive tell-all docuseries, “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model,” several personalities from the early 2000s reality show discussed some of the series’ most controversial moments and its place in pop culture history.

The Netflix documentary also explored Tyra Banks’ alleged fallout with Jay Manuel—something that occurred after the former creative director revealed he wanted to step away from competition series during an earlier season.

While the first episode of “Reality Check” gives viewers a bit of background on how “America’s Next Top Model” came to be, the second and third episodes delve into some of the show’s biggest scandals, including Manuel’s relationship with Banks.

Manuel explained in one of the docuseries’ confessional interviews that although he initially loved filming the show, he was ready to spread his wings and pursue other opportunities after a few years as the reality show’s creative director.

Leaving, however, wasn’t as easy as Manuel thought it’d be. “I just felt like if I said no to Tyra I would be letting her down,” Manuel said in one of the episodes.

When Manuel finally worked up the courage to speak with Banks about his future on the show, he said he had sent her an email, and she replied with three words that would permanently change their dynamic.

“I am disappointed,” the reported email said.

Manuel shared that after he announced his plans to leave the series, executives called and begged him to stay on for another season so they would have more time to find his replacement.

Manuel added that whoever he was speaking to essentially threatened to have him blacklisted had he chosen not to return. “There was a warning that strikes the fear of God in you,” he said. “You know, people talk about being blacklisted. Those words were not used, but I had suspected that that’s what it would turn into.”

Manuel’s relationship with Banks is just a small portion of the docuseries, according to an earlier report from The Blast. In addition to Manuel, other judges, J. Alexander and Nigel Barker, along with creator Ken Mok, and former contestants Whitney Thompson, Giselle Samson, Shannon Stewart, Shandi Sullivan, Dani Evans, and Keenyah Hill, are also involved.

The episodes take viewers on a trip down memory lane, looking back on some of “America’s Next Top Model’s” most controversial moments, including the race-swapping challenge, how producers edited certain women to look, and the network’s decision to air Sullivan’s heartbreaking break-up with her boyfriend, and what led to that.

At one point in the series, Banks admits that at a certain point, things on the set of “ANTM” got out of hand.

“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,” the former Victoria’s Secret model shared.

Regarding the season 4 race-swapping shoot (which has garnered much backlash from social media users today), Manuel admitted that he knew it wasn’t right. “My parents are from South Africa, they grew up during Apartheid. I’m very aware of that history and I just said, like, race swapping? Wow,” he said on camera.

Manuel even claimed that he asked to be excused from the shoot but was denied. “I recognized that my role was starting to have limitations and that shoot was happening regardless,” he added. “If you really look for it, you can see it on my face. Especially the setup for the day where I tell the girls what we’re doing. I could tell. I was just like, double swallowing, but I just had to do my job.”

“Reality Check” isn’t the only behind-the-scenes documentary about “America’s Next Top Model” to hit the air this year. According to E! News, another series titled “Dirty Rotten Scandals” will focus on the many controversies that reportedly occurred on the set of “Dr. Phil,” “The Price is Right,” and, of course, “ANTM.”

“This groundbreaking documentary demonstrates how the promise of televised help may have become a platform for profit and exploitation,” the press release stated. “First-hand interviews with the contestants cast light on behind-the-scenes secrets and the steep prices they paid for a shot at being ‘on top.’”

Netflix’s “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model” will be available to stream on February 16, 2026.