Already have an account?
Get back to the

Tyra Banks Sued By Former America’s Next Top Model Contestant Angelea Preston Over Escort Disqualification

Tyra Banks and Angelea Preston
Tyra Banks and former American's Next Top Model contestant Angelea Preston

Tyra Banks is in for a whole lot more than a walk-off. The supermodel, 41, is being taken to court by Angelea Preston, a former contestant on Banks' reality competition America's Next Top Model, who was kicked out of the competition when The CW learned of her past as an escort. 

Preston, 28, is suing Banks for $3 million, according to the Associated Press. The mother to son Eric, 2, reportedly filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, Dec. 10. 

Related: PHOTOS: Stars at Court

Featured in the All-Stars Cycle 17 of ANTM, Preston was a strong competitor and was originally featured in the final episode of the season alongside Allison Harvard and Lisa D'Amato. The CW announced at the time in 2011 that Preston was disqualified, leading D'Amato to take home the win. 

Related: PHOTOS: Meet the America's Next Top Model All-Stars

"It turns out, our production team and the network learned information from Angelea that disqualifies her from the competition," judge Nigel Barker said. "It means we're now going to do our final judging with the remaining two girls, and in the interest of fairness, the producers and the network thought it best to evaluate Allison and Lisa on their own."

PHOTOS: Celebrity Feuds: The Biggest Ever

The "information" that kicked Preston out of the competition was The CW's understanding that the aspiring model had previously worked as an escort. 

The AP reports Preston is now contesting the disqualification, claiming that she was unfairly denied the prize money and accompanying opportunities. Banks has yet to comment on Preston's legal action. 

In this article

Got a Tip form close button
Got a tip for US?
We're All Ears for Celebrity Buzz!