Germany's Next Topmodel, Cycle 6 is the sixth season of the show that was aired on the German television network ProSieben. The show started airing on 3 March 2011. In difference to the last two years, a preselection was done and open castings were not part of the show. The first episode started with 50 semifinalists, the fewest since Cycle 1. This was also the first season where an elimination outside the judging panel can happen at any point.
Once again the entire judging panel except for Heidi Klum was replaced. Q and Kristian Schuller both left the show after one Cycle. Thomas Hayo and fashion designer Thomas Rath joined in.
The show hit US-American news when the mansion in Los Angeles in which the final 15 competitors were supposed to live burnt down one day before filming, with firefighter Glenn Allen being killed. A new mansion was found immediately without a significant delay in production. The winner of the competition was 20-year-old Jana Beller from Recklinghausen.
The international destinations for this cycle were set in Schladming, London, Los Angeles, Nassau and Rio de Janeiro.
Episode summaries
Episode 1: Weltrekord geknackt
Original airdate: 3 March 2011
The 50 chosen semifinalists are invited to Schladming where they have to achieve a world record in highheels walking on a treadmill for 60 minutes. Being concerned about her feet, Joana withdraws after a few minutes much to the dissatisfaction of new judge Thomas Hayo. After the record is broken and a first live walk in front of the judges, 10 girls are cut. In their first challenge, the girls have to impress a mass audience on a sky-location Kesha concert in order to perform with her on stage. At the second judging, the girls have to walk on a runway above a swimming pool where 14 more contestants are eliminated, and the final cast is announced. After learning that she was diagnosed with lymph node cancer, Melek withdraws from the competition. Quit: Melek Civantürk
Episode 2: London Calling
Original airdate: 10 March 2011
The 25 remaining finalists are taken to London. Seven of the girls receive makeovers where half-Chinese Sihe gets a blond bob. Meanwhile, the rest of the girls gets the chance to present themselves at a casting for the fashion label "Felder and Felder", where Rebecca and Paulina impress the most but in the end Rebecca is booked. Two beauty shoots are contacted with pre-and-post makeover removal where Heidi notices Jil's skin problems. The weekly runway challenge is taking place in a church where the girls have to walk in sexy bride outfits which Sarah refuses as she fears a bad reaction from her Christian school. Chiara-Isabell gets eliminated for not being ready to perform well in the competition yet just like Lilia, whose elimination is not shown in the episode. In the end, the 23 remaining girls continue in the competition.
Booked for job: Rebecca Mir
Eliminated: Chiara Breder & Lilia Doubrovina
Episode 3: Das Horror-Shooting
Original airdate: 17 March 2011
Still in London, the girls are taken to a tunnel where they meet this week's photographer Rankin, famous for his strict and rude behaviour towards the girls in former cycles. Several girls struggle at the photo shoot and Marie-Luise, Concetta, and Paulina are named as the bottom three with Concetta being immediately eliminated from the competition. On the next challenge the girls have to perform acts on a Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace. In the evening, Paulina and Tahnee are randomly drawn to attend an aftershow party of the BAFTA awards. We then see how Rebecca performed on London Fashion Week where the designers that booked her the episode before were impressed by her. On the weekly elimination, the girls are asked to walk in pairs of two with a mask and instructions by runway coach Jorge. Although struggling on the runway once again, Lisa and Sarah are sent to the next round. The group of Florence, Christien, and Ivon who were paired together on the photo shoot find themselves in the bottom three together. The Top 20 is determined with Ivon being eliminated and an announcement is made that the next destination is Los Angeles.