Film & TV / NewsThe America's Next Top Model & RuPaul crossover will be epicIt's a match made in heavenShareLink copied ✔️December 9, 2017Film & TVNewsTextCharlie Brinkhurst-Cuff Tyra Banks is back, honey. After leaving America's Next Top Model (ANTM) in the hands of Rita Ora for a season, the superstar model is returning with mega plans to work with RuPaul's Drag Race. A crossover between the shows makes perfect sense: they are both competition-focused, feature incredibly ‘extra’ extroverts who love to perform, and are helmed by legends of the entertainment industry: Banks and RuPaul respectively. Season 24 of ANTM airs January 9 in the US, and will feature a crossover episode where RuPaul fan-favourites Valentina, Katya and Manila are paired with contestants. “They’re so friggin’ gorgeous and can pose their asses off,” said Banks in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “That’s a difficult model to be in a shot with .… Not all of my models prevailed. Valentina killed it. I’m sitting there editing film and I’m like, can I get a shot of my girls looking at least half as good as Valentina?” First airing in 2003, ANTM was thought to be ending in 2015 after Banks made an announcement that she wanted to bring the series to a close. “Thinking #ANTM22 should be our last cycle,” Banks wrote. “I truly believe it’s time. May your pics be forever fierce. Keep on smizing!” However, instead it looks like she has big plans to up the popularity of the show, which had been suffering from falling ratings. She announced her personal return to the show in March 2017. There will be no age limits on the age of contestants for the first time (meaning a woman in her 40s and a grandparent are competing), a new ANTM throwback episode and the show is striving towards diversity in general: plus-size model Ashley Graham returns as a guest judge. I missed my ANTM baby so Mama's back! #ANTM#ANTM24— Tyra Banks (@tyrabanks) March 16, 2017 Drag Race, which first aired in 2009 and is on its 12th season, is seen as having drawn inspiration from both ANTM and Project Runway. An old episode of ANTM even featured one of Drag Race's future stars, Raja, who dressed up in drag as Banks to tell the girls that they would be going to Thailand. In a 2014 interview Banks called Drag Race a “spoof on Top Model” after being asked why she had never appeared as a guest judge on the show. “RuPaul you need to come ask me, people confuse us all the time, we have to show that we're not the same person!” she joked. It looks like she did the asking instead. Watch the video below. Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.READ MOREWhy fans are turning against Timothée ChalametOscars 2026: The biggest snubs from this year’s nominationsCasting is finally getting its flowers at the 2026 OscarsThe story behind Resurrection, Bi Gan’s dreamy cinematic epic Sound of Falling is the most experimental teen drama of all timeEveryone needs to calm down about Timothée ChalametNorthern roles should go to northern actorsAmanda Seyfried: ‘Community is everything. Socialism is a beautiful idea’‘It’s been turned into something ugly’: Why fans are boycotting Scream 7You need to see Sirāt, an apocalyptic sci-fi about illegal desert ravesDazed x MUBI Cinema Club’s next screening is Sound Of FallingRose Byrne on A$AP Rocky, Hackney and the ugly side of motherhoodEscape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy