New Zealand's Next Top Model is Christobelle

I sure hope TV3 decides to do a second cycle of New Zealand’s Next Top Model.  Despite the initial shock of the cringe-worthy New Zilund accents and ditzy comments, the show has been a fantastic Friday night’s entertainment. If anything, the models are just too nice – even Teryl-Leigh’s dislike of Hosanna isn’t really bitchiness in the NTM-world.

Firstly: can someone please give Colin Mathura-Jeffree his own TV show?  How refreshing to see confidence, positivity, a funky attitude, flamboyant style, world and huge personality from a Kiwi.

So we’re down to the final three: Christobelle, Laura and Hosanna.  For a long time, the gossip columnists have been reporting that the final two are Christobelle and Laura which has taken a bit of the suspense away.

Their favourite is Christobelle, hoping for her to follow in her glamorous mother’s footsteps in the limelight.  I wanted Ruby to win – she’s gorgeous, bubbly and such a natural.  With her out of the competition, I’m hoping Christobelle will take out the title.  I didn’t like her much at the start but she’s really grown on me.

Hosanna is the girl who thinks she can.  She’s been portrayed as the practice-makes-perfect Queen, the one no-one likes.  If she won, I really hope she doesn’t lose her genuine wonder, excitement, hard-working ethos and appreciation for where she’s been taken on this ride.  It’s nice to see.

As much as Laura has improved and looks amazing, I never liked what they did to her hair.  When it’s not styled properly, it looks plain awful. I still like her original long-haired style.  If the winner is based on how much they’ve improved, I think Laura would take the title out.  Looking at her before and after makeover, she’s a completely different person.

The girls are asked who should be the next to go home:
Hosanna picks Laura but Christobelle and Laura pick Hosanna.

First photoshoot:
Does anyone else notice Christobelle’s fang in her first photo?  She does look gorgeous but it bothered me.  Hosanna looks so different in her first photo – she looks older, more glamorous, more relaxed than we’ve seen her before.  She looks amazing but seems more a commercial catalogue model, rather than a runway model.  Laura looks stunning in the first shot but is criticised for not having enough of a tan.

Going home is Hosanna. She bursts into tears as Sara says she has a future as a commercial model.

Ok I’m loving this random lamington food fight from Colin before he gives them runway tips.

Runway challenge

All the other contestants are back to see the final two for a fashion show at The Wharf (remember that trendy location seen in Go Girls?)  Laura slips on the runway but recovers well.

The final decision

After a long recap, the judges decide on who will be the first New Zealand’s Next Top Model. 

Congratulations Christobelle!

About the author

Co-founder of Throng. Favourite TV shows recently: Homeland and The Newsroom.
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  • Saku

    I thought this season was really disappointing, a serious lack of talent. None of the girls really had any amount of fierceness to them at all sadly and almost zero personality! You’d think they would have watched the American show closely to see how it’s done and not come across as flat. Oh well, maybe next season if they even have one.

    I’d have preferred that Hosanna won, she did better overall despite not having the stand out pics in the final photoshoot. They didn’t even have a proper reason to kick her off so it’s no wonder she got upset. lol. Plus she wasn’t a bitch like the others.

    I don’t see Christobelle going very far, she just got incredibly lucky.

  • bobscoffee

    Is Christobelle the really one that comes across as really ditzy and dumb in the ads?

  • regan

    Personally, I thought the wrong person won.  Laura would have been my choice for winner while Hosanna was by far the best character on the series.

  • roto_anne

    I think Laura should have won. I just don’t get the Christobelle thing at all, shes so limited in what she can do because her face just doesn’t work as well as her body. She moves really well and her body works on camera and runway, but I can’t stand her face and it hardly ever looks great in shots. The guy from Next Management wasn’t interested in her, so her winning the prize to go to New York and meet with them is a bit of a waste, he was only interested in Laura. Has Christobelle dropped out of school or what? How can she pursue a career full-time if she has a couple more years of school to go. What a waste!! GO LAURA!!!

  • faaoii

    I’m glad she won.
    The others were annoying… especially Laura’s voice but she did seem nice, and Hosana sounded like a nut case.
    Though I would of loved Ruby to win, Christobelle was my second choice, they were the only two that COULD model :)

  • bippity-bop

    I am glad that Christobelle won, but I was surprised that she did and honestly thought it was going to be Hosanna, in all honesty, I think the lovely Ruby should have won.

  • fashionista supermodel drag queen

    The most marketable was definitely Laura in my opinion – not that the final 3 were stand-outs. The one I thought had the best chance was eliminated so just goes to show I don’t think the same as the judges – THANK GOD! Funny thing though many people were quick to knock it because there were not many Maori/Polynesian girls that got picked to go thru the first round but how many did you see turn up for the audition? They were definitely out-numbered by Kiwi Euro girls and I say good on the Kiwi Euro’s for turning up in the numbers. Maybe us Polynesians should have taken their example instead of doing nothing then complaining about it later.

  • Shady

    hi,
    Just want to say that I think that Sara and the guys should be all replaced as judges. They (especially Sara) are Tyra, Nigel and Miss J wannabee, and not even good ones.
    I know that the model industry is tough, but the criticism that ALL the girls were given was NOT constructive.It was out and out bullying.
    And, what is with Sara’s pose at the start of each elimination?? Please,stop. Its just horrid.

  • liz

    i so agree with you. they were so copying tyra and her gang i think they should jst be themselves it would the program find its own identity and stuff and not be like a kiwi version of america’s next top model i mean cant we do our own thing??

  • deadball

    I’m new here, and to be honest only joined to do this, but am actually feeling quite at home. But we’ve been doing Power Rankings for the remaining girls on the show since week3, and I’m pretty sure anyone here who’s been discussing the show would enjoy them. This is a link to the main page for them.