In the previous episode of Australia’s Next Top Models, the girls underwent surprisingly subtle makeovers, were forced to wrangle large reptiles in the scream-inducing challenge, before April and Brook were both eliminated in a shock dual shafting. High drama is expected to be the order of tonight’s episode after a controversial incident between two of the girls was leaked earlier in the week. Tune in for an ep that should draw a lot of discussion, tears and, hopefully, a few fabulous photos. The live blog kicks off now….
7:35pm: The destination photo shoot for this week is in Broken Hill, a town in the far west of New South Wales that is steeped in rich history (i.e. Mad Max was filmed there). The girls have all been adorned in tie-on Akubras, denim shorts and checked shirts because subtlety is the enemy of this show. Yee har!
7:44pm: After a weird line dancing competition that I missed because I was too busy trying to ram Gummi Bears in my face, Cha Cha Daws and Didier Cohen gather the gals in the Outback with a local artist for their challenge: dividing into groups and creating team paintings. It’s so high school! “I like to think of myself as an artistic person,” says hot lesbian Taylah.
7:49pm: The two teams are tasked with making a large-scale finger painting. Suddenly it’s time for #THEDRAMA! Ashley starts flinging paint at the other girls in a playful but annoying kind of way, and some paint gets on Taylah‘s shirt being worn by Dajana. Ugh. This is worse than me and my sisters.
7:51: “I’m going to fucking strangle you!” Taylah yells aggressively, but kind of lol-aggressively? Then Taylah goes for Ashley, grabs her around the neck and they collect in the bushes. This is almost exactly what it looks like at New York Fashion Week when the PETA protesters arrive at a Badgley Mischka show. Not chic.
7:55pm: Cha Cha and Didier arrive and diffuse the situation between the girls after the incident is explained. Taylah acts defensive when Didier plainly tells her she’ll never work in the industry again if she acts batshit/strangly on a job. Taylah is remorseful and teary but “is really professional in photo shoots” so thinks she’ll be okay at panel? There’s no time to hug it out, so this’ll get up brought up at panel with J-Hawks and Sunglass Head.
8:06pm: The girls are dressed in mechanic’s uniforms for their outback photo shoot [at least that’s what I’ve managed to grasp from quickly looking up. Guys, I’m struggling to stay on top of this live blog tonight]. They’re all paired off and Dajana almost has a lesbian moment with her partner in the shoot, Shannon, when they’re oiled up and draped on a Hill’s Hoist together. Ashley did a good job and the photographer – name? I don’t even know lol ¯_(?)_/¯ – is super into her performance.
8:13pm: At panel (where Sunglass Head is sadly absent, replaced by ring-in fash photographer Jez Smith), Abbie is praised by the judges for looking like a gleaming outback Amazon who is definitely not wearing a mechanics coverall. They love Dajana who outshines Shannon in their pair shot, while Ashley is praised by the judges for pulling off “tough but still sexy”, while her partner Melissa who is high of fashion and forehead gets the weakest adjudication she has so far. “When you try to look tough you end up looking constipated,” she’s told by Charlotte ‘Home Truths’ Dawson.
8:19pm: Taylah is finally called up for judging by J-Hawk. “It’s clearly evident that you chose to intimidate and harm one of your fellow competitors,” she says. “We have no choice but to disqualify you from the competition. Please say your goodbyes to the girls.” *pin drops*
8:24pm: Whoa. A lot of the girls are in tears and Taylah says goodbye to them. “I didn’t want this to happen,” Ashley whispers as they hug. Luckily she’s miked up so we all can hear it and literally die under a tsunami of mixed emotions.
8:27pm: Jade and Madeline (who I haven’t mentioned at all so far this episode?) are announced as the best performers for the week. The other gals go through until Melissa and Duckie are left as the final two. Fortunately for them and for fashan J-Hawk announces they will BOTH be going through. Yay! Phew. The end.
