Tuesday night’s live finale of ‘Australia’s Next Top Model’ was not pretty as a picture … in fact, it was a downright nightmare.
The show’s host Sarah Murdoch, daughter-in-law of News Corp.’s Rupert Murdoch, announced the wrong girl’s name as the winner of the reality competition on live TV.
Kelsey Martinovich was initially crowned the winner of ‘Australia’s Next Top Model’ during the 90-minute live finale, but after about one minute of celebrating, the ‘Top Model’ learned … there was a mistake.
“I don’t know what to say right now … I’m feeling a bit sick about this,” a panicked Murdoch began.
Turns out, Amanda Ware was the actual winner, according to a very close final vote cast by viewers. A “miscommunication” backstage led to Murdoch saying the wrong girl’s name on stage.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Kelsey,” Murdoch explained. “This is a complete accident, it’s Amanda [who won].”
Ware, 18, was then declared the rightful winner, and slinks off with $20,000 in cash, an eight-page spread in Harper’s Bazaar, a modeling contract, a $25,000 Levi’s campaign, a car, and a trip to New York.
How do you make that kind of Oops!?
“It was fed to me wrong,” Murdoch claimed.
“This is what happens when you have live TV folks, this is insane, insane, insane.”
“At the time of the result announcement there was a miscommunication between the broadcast truck and the stage,” a spokesman told the Sydney Morning Herald. “Sarah handled what was a difficult situation with utmost professionalism and grace.”
Don’t feel too bad for the almost ‘Top Model’ though. The network announced they are awarding Martinovich a $25,000 consolation prize for the embarrassing gaffe.
But there was no catfight on the catwalk–Martinovich took the blow like a champ.
“I am thrilled for Amanda, we have grown so close during this amazing experience,” she said afterward. “I understand that live television has its risks and nothing is going to stop me from achieving my dream of becoming a successful model.”
