Wrong Winner Announced On Australia’s Next Top Model
September 28th, 2010
Tyra Banks would not be pleased! A major blunder occured during the live finale of Australia’s Next Top Model on Tuesday evening (AU time) that has seen contestant Kelsey Martinovich given the crown - only to have it taken off her one minute later, due to a vote counting error. We’ve posted the clip after the jump.
Host Sarah Murdoch wrongly awarded finalist Martinovich the title of Australia’s Next Top Model, before the former supermodel-turned-TV-host said, “Oh my God, I don’t know what to say right now… I’m feeling a bit sick about this… No…”
She then apologized profusely and announced that an error had been made in her earlier announcement, and that the winner of Australia’s Next Top Model was in fact the Gold Coast- based contestant Amanda Ware. With height on her side, a beautiful face and a gorgeous slim figure, Ware has been a favourite to win since the top three was announced last week.
Murdoch – the wife of media heir Lachlan Murdoch, son of Rupert – handled the situation with grace, and looked genuinely upset when she announced that the wrong name had accidentally been fed through her headset.
There was a lot riding on the outcome of the live broadcast, as fashion magazine Harpers Bazaar had promised to feature the winning contestant on the cover of their November issue – and the magazine went to print just hours after the broadcast.
The Twitterverse has blown up since the error aired, with industry magazine B&T suggesting that the gaffe was a purposeful move to boost ratings.
One thing’s for certain, watching all of these models makes us want to go on a healthy eating plan!!
Kelsey Martinovich.
Amanda Ware.
September 28th, 2010 at 5:19 am
They should give Kelsey $20 000 too cause of the error!! poor girl, not nice
September 28th, 2010 at 5:19 am
i would pay attention to either girl in any mag, not high fashion at all especially in internatiional standard.
September 28th, 2010 at 5:20 am
Kelsey is still the winner in my eyes.
September 28th, 2010 at 5:20 am
omg omg omg so who is on the mag ??? did they print it with kelsey!!!! or with amanda!!!!!
September 28th, 2010 at 5:21 am
I wouldn't be suprised if it was intentional…what a heartbreaking thing to do to Kelsey, to tell her she's won all those prizes and contracts and then rip it out from under her..despicable!…funny I went to re-watch it from the recording and it had mysteriously cut off right at the moment before it happened…hmmmmm
September 28th, 2010 at 5:21 am
This should not of happened.
September 28th, 2010 at 5:22 am
Not professional at all. They've lost a viewer.
September 28th, 2010 at 5:23 am
The most disgusting thing I have ever seen! I actually thought it was a joke! Maybe they will think about the voting process next time!!
September 28th, 2010 at 5:23 am
Wow I am just amazed at the grace in which Kelsey handled this, a true lady and an inspiration, I hope that many of the younger generation can take a leaf out of her book. Even in defeat she showed what a wonderful person she must be.
September 28th, 2010 at 5:23 am
Should have handed the winner on a card to Sarah not via live feed
September 28th, 2010 at 5:23 am
I think it was genuine error. Sarah Murdoch looked ready to burst into tears. She seems like a nice woman and I can't imagine her doing that to poor Kelsey (who should have won instead of the cardboard cutout that won!)
September 28th, 2010 at 5:24 am
i think that this was absolute crap and i feel soo bad for poor kelsey but she handled it with such grace and really ladylike and i think she deserves a million apologies from the show. The show really needs to look at what went wrong so this doesnt happen again. In all honesty i think the winner had already been decided before any votes had been counted anyways. Go all the way Kelsey U ROCK
September 28th, 2010 at 5:25 am
my heart literally broke for kelcey :( she should get some sort of reward!! but at least sarah actually sounded sincere when she apologised.
September 28th, 2010 at 5:25 am
i feel so sorry for sarah murdoch !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 28th, 2010 at 5:25 am
same thing happened to me!!!
September 28th, 2010 at 5:28 am
join my facebook group on it hahahah :) i thought i was failable enough http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-awkward-feeling…
September 28th, 2010 at 5:29 am
kelsey so deserved to win i feel so bad 4 her i know that she looked fine and sounded fine with it but i bet on the inside she was completely devestated! i wasted such a good scream and dozen claps on kelsey when it was really 4 amanda? so not cool! australia's next top model has lost a viewer 4eva! GO KELSEY!!!!!!
September 28th, 2010 at 5:29 am
The producers and Sarah should be ashamed, whether it was a genuine mistake or rigged for publicity. I will never watch the series again !!
September 28th, 2010 at 5:30 am
This is outrageous if it was a stunt and what an anti climax for poor Amanda!. I hope it wasn't but I believe Kelsey should be given a huge consolation prize for the embarrassment caused. I loved this series but I won't watch it again if it is going to be up to the public to vote it just doesn't work. It was an absolute disaster! I feel very sorry for Sarah because she was great during the whole series. Leave it up to the judges next time!
September 28th, 2010 at 5:32 am
such dickheads, im not watching this show anymore
September 28th, 2010 at 5:34 am
That was the biggest cock up I have ever seen ! That was rediculous that poor kid ! It was such a good show right up to tonight…… I actually thought it was a joke. The fact that they pushed and pushed for Amanda to get the vote in the first place, giving the best gowns to wear always in the centre, Plastic face Alex Perry's opinion pushed down our throat to sway the viewers votes towards Amanda anyway ! Then to stuff it up, They need to spend same amount of money on Kelsey and promate her career to just to make up for the most embarassing moment in TV history ! We will be seeing this on Bloopers all over the world for the next few years ! !!
September 28th, 2010 at 5:34 am
Yeah it wasn't good for Amanda either – it was horrible to win that way… it dulled her win….spoiled it somehow…
Kelsey does deserve something she was so gracious about it…the way they were counting backwards, its almost as if Sarah was supposed to do that horrible psychological suspense thing and she misunderstood..being too tricky perhaps!
I'm not convinced it was such a close vote – I think that was said to smooth over the error…. saying that I feel very sorry for Sarah……to be the public face of such a backroom stuff-up.
September 28th, 2010 at 5:35 am
What a disgrace to make such a basic mistake in announcing the winner! My sympathies go to Kelsey. But I suppose it added some interest to an otherwise boring and painful to show to watch – I want those 2 hours of my life back!
September 28th, 2010 at 5:36 am
yeah, she is amazing! good on her for everything!
she already has all the campaigns and Kelsey will definitely keep on going!
September 28th, 2010 at 5:41 am
What a shame such a fabulous series ended with such a big blunder! Can't wait to watch the next series…
September 28th, 2010 at 5:58 am
On the live TV broadcast (scenes can now be seen on utube – if not repeated elsewhere), the huge magazine cover that appears behind the three (Amanda, Kelsey & Sarah) was always the shot of Amanda.
September 28th, 2010 at 6:13 am
I’d hate to be the poor person who fed Sarah the wrong name!! What a balls up.
September 28th, 2010 at 6:14 am
maybe not the full $20 000, but they should do SOMETHING, i mean, she was announced the winner on live television. she could sue. i hope she doesn't, but she could. she's definitely entitled to SOMETHING after all they put her through! can you imagine what she's going through right now, and you know she'll be interviewed and have to come out all gracious, as though it's all water off a ducks back as they say, but i can imagine that inside shes hurting badly.
September 28th, 2010 at 6:16 am
i wouldn't be surprised if they've lost a few viewers, a few employees, a host, a possibly a TV network. it will be difficult for a show to pull back after such a disgraceful gaff.
September 28th, 2010 at 6:21 am
they are awarding her $25,000 and a trip to New York :-)
i live in aus…was watching the final….loved loved lovedd kelsey….and i died.
September 28th, 2010 at 6:22 am
thats exactly what i said!!!!!!!!!!!!! you're my twin!!!!!! :-D
September 28th, 2010 at 6:23 am
i hope kesley. amandas cover was disgusting i could look at it. but kelseys…. WOW. i LOVE it, and so did the mag editor .. "it would be a shame not to run this cover" (talking about kelseys). :-)
September 28th, 2010 at 6:24 am
2 viewers. im with you
September 28th, 2010 at 6:36 am
its for publicity it was fakee ……and wat do u mean they lost a viewer da season is over any way lmao ….
September 28th, 2010 at 7:33 am
Huh? Why would Kelsey get it? Amanda was the winner. She'll get the cover. It's in the contract. And I don't think they DID print it, they ARE printing it. It takes a while.
Incidentally, I think Kelsey should have won and I prefer her cover.
September 28th, 2010 at 7:35 am
^ What she said!
Kelsey was so pretty and yet a little unique, sort of indie. I didn't really get the buzz around Amanda.
September 28th, 2010 at 7:36 am
I thought it was a joke initially too – I thought she was going to say something like "wait… the producers are telling me… we've decided to give BOTH of you a prize" or something.
September 28th, 2010 at 7:37 am
Yes, exactly.
September 28th, 2010 at 8:05 am
Why did Harper's announce Amanda the winner on their website at 4.51pm if voting didn't close until 9.15pm??? Rigged much?
September 29th, 2010 at 11:15 pm
no way i went for amanda from the start..she has the whole package as everyone says and all the judges loved her and so did claudia! i also love kelsey im gald she came second and i alo think she should get something for the errer
September 29th, 2010 at 11:16 pm
hahaha it wasnt fake but its funy how they saying they not watching when its over