Heidi Klum has been looking for “Germany's Next Top Model” since 2006.
The photo story shows what happened to the former winners and familiar faces of the show.
The successful casting show around Heidi Klum now has 15 seasons behind it.
Year after year, new, beautiful girls compete to fight their way through photo shoots, catwalks, drama castings or cat fights.
Some of the winners, but also some of the show's cult candidates, have come a long way, and you barely hear anything from others.
GNTM 2006: The first winner - Lena Gercke in the fast lane
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For Lena Gercke it all started in Marburg in Central Hesse.
She was discovered in 2004 during a regional casting and thus gained her first modeling experience.
In 2006 she finally took part in the pilot season of GNTM and went down as the first winner in the history of the show.
She has remained in the media to this day, she is probably still the best known and most present of all the winners of the show.
Lena Gercke today: Stayed true to television
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Unlike some of the later GNTM winners, Gercke's career only really began after the success.
Advertising for “Windows” and “Katjes”, moderation jobs for “Austria's Next Topmodel”, “Red!” And “The Voice of Germany” among others.
In addition, she sat on the jury of popular shows such as “Supertalent” and “Das Ding des Jahres” and dominated the headlines of Gossip magazines at the same time.
Relationships with Jay Khan, Sami Khedira, Kilian Müller-Wohlfahrt ultimately resulted in their partnership with producer Dustin Schöne, who has even been the father of their daughter since July 2020, which continues to this day.
GNTM 2006: Heidi Klum, the casting queen
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© Andrea Renault / imago-images
“Goodbye!” - With these words, Heidi Klum said goodbye in German to the retiring candidates of the American talent show “Project Runway”, of which she was the producer and presenter for fourteen years.
When the first season of GNTM was broadcast in Germany in 2006, Heidi Klum had been moderating the American talent show for two years - in the picture she can be seen moderating the Project Runway Final in 2006.
Casting shows are in Klum's blood, and her own career also started with casting - she took part in “Model 92” in Thomas Gottschalk's late night show.
16 seasons GNTM: Heidi Klum still without photos
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© Jens Krick / imago images / Future Image
Different casting show, different bouncing sentence: “Unfortunately I don't have a photo for you today” - this sentence is heard by both the audience and the candidates for 16 seasons of Germany's Next Top Model.
She has been married to Tom Kaulitz from the band Tokio Hotel since August 2019, since then GNTM has become a kind of family business.
Tom's brother Bill supported Heidi Klum as a juror in 2019.
GNTM 2007: Barbara Meier - from shopping center to catwalk
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© Andre Polling / imago-images
Barbara Meier was also discovered in her free time in a shopping center in Regensburg by a scout from the fashion industry and was recommended to take part in the casting of GNTM.
The native Amberger was finally able to prevail against thousands of other applicants and was chosen as the successor to Lena Gercke.
Barbara Meier today: a model with a brain
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© Christian Schroedter / imago-images
After the GNTM victory, Barbara Meier first went the usual modeling route.
Some advertising jobs, appearances on the world's great catwalks and covers of the usual magazines.
However, since 2010 she has tried her hand at acting in some television films and appearances in series.
In 2008 she was also an ambassador for the Year of Mathematics, advertised the German Museum in Munich and campaigned for a WWF project against plastic waste in the sea.
GNTM 2007: Barbara, Hana and Anni - The finale of hair colors
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© Dirk Holst / imago-images
In the end, the color red won.
It was the most colorful final in all GNTM seasons so far, at least if you look at the hair colors of the finalists.
In addition to the red-haired winner Barbara Meier, the brown-haired Hana Nitsche and the blonde Anne-Kathrin "Anni" Wendler were also in the last round.
Hana and Anni today: a colorful mix
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After participating in GNTM, Hana Nitsche modeled on numerous catwalks and for many magazines, and she also played in music videos by Marquess and Max Mutzke.
For the underwear label LASCANA she was photographed by jazz star Till Brönner in 2017 (the two can be seen at a joint event in the picture).
Since June 2020 she has been the patron of the “Health Center Jattaba” in Gambia.
Her colleague Anni Wendler won first place in 2010 - in the first season “The Model WG”.
But then she ended her modeling and acting career and has been working as a dental technician ever since.
GNTM 2008: Gina-Lisa Lohfink and Sarah Knappik - the actual winners
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Jennifer Hof, Janina Delia Schmidt and Christina Leibold - nobody can remember the first three places in the third season of GNTM today.
A very loud duo and the saying “Zack, die Bohne” may have stuck in the minds of some.
Sarah Knappik, eighth place and Gina-Lisa Lohfink, twelfth place, got the real attention of the audience: inside.
Gina-Lisa today: criminal law reformer and rapper
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Gina-Lisa is probably one of the most famous former GNTM participants today.
After the show, she made her way through the German trash TV landscape, sometimes tried her hand as a rapper and worked as an erotic model.
She also attracted a lot of attention with a criminal case in which she accused two men of rape and sexual assault.
Lohfink became a symbol for feminists, but lost the trial and was later sentenced for false suspicion to 80 daily rates of 250 euros each.
Sarah Knappik today: fashion against breast cancer
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Sarah Knappik followed a similar path at the beginning of her career.
She also took part in some trash formats such as the jungle camp, where she was given the nickname “Sarah Dingens”.
Meanwhile, however, she is also attracting attention with performances and projects for good causes.
So she took part in the fashion show against breast cancer in Berlin in September 2019 and released the song "Nur an dich", which she dedicated to a deceased friend.
GNTM 2009: Sara Nuru - winner from Munich
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The Munich resident is the first winner with a migration background.
Her parents, who immigrated to Germany from Ethiopia in 1986, gave birth to her in 1989 in Erding.
After completing her first modeling jobs as a teenager, she was persuaded by her boyfriend to apply for the GNTM casting - she not only made it into the show, but was also shown during the live broadcast in front of 15,000 viewers in the Lanxess- Arena crowned winner.
According to GNTM: sustainable entrepreneur
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In addition to the big modeling jobs that she was able to land thanks to the victory, Nuru sometimes worked as a presenter on red carpets and had her own magazine on
Sat.1's
“Breakfast TV”
.
In 2016 Nuru founded the company "nuruCoffee" and sells Ethiopian coffee for a good cause.
Since 2018 she has also been the ambassador for sustainable development of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
GNTM 2009: Marie Nasemann - third place from Munich
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Marie Nasemann from Munich's Isarvorstadt was already working in a modeling agency before she took part and at least achieved third place in Germanys Next Topmodel 2009, making it into the big live final.
Marie Nasemann today: Fairknallt and Rio Girls
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Following her GNTM participation, she worked as a model for a while and in 2011 formed the band "The RIO Girls" together with Bonnie Strange and Jackie Hide.
She also worked as a theater actress and deals with sustainable fashion in her blog “Fairknallt”.
She has been a mother since April 2020.
GNTM 2010: Alisar Ailabouni - first winner from Austria
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Alisar Ailabouni is not only the first winner from Austria, but also from Syria.
Born in Damascus, her parents moved to Austria, where she began training in Bad Ischl and later worked as a saleswoman.
Before taking part in Germany's Next Top Model, she had no modeling experience, but won anyway and thus graced the cover of Cosmopolitan.
According to GNTM: Fashion worldwide
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Ailabouni has remained loyal to modeling to this day.
She appeared in campaigns for "C&A", "Gillette" and other large companies.
After she canceled her contract with the agency "ONEeins", she signed with "Eskimo Models" and then ran on the most famous catwalks in the world.
GNTM 2010: Jorge Gonzalez - winner of the catwalk hearts
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Jorge Gonzalez achieved cult status through the show.
The Cuban's accent, which is often imitated, is his trademark, as a choreographer and trainer he replaced the legendary Bruce Darnell and made a name for himself.
Jorge Gonzalez today: The main thing is to have good legs
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After the springboard GNTM, he made it into several other TV formats, sometimes even as an actor in TV productions.
He has been on the jury of “Let's Dance” since 2013 and on Vox he got his first own show “Chica Walk Academy by Jorge González
”.
GNTM 2011: Jana Beller - winner with the end of the contract after two months
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© Horst Galuschka / imago-images
Like Ailabouni, Jana Beller was not born in Germany, but only came from Russia with her parents to North Rhine-Westphalia at the age of seven.
Two months after GNTM, she filed a lawsuit against the agency "ONEeins" from her winning contract.
“I really wanted to go abroad, the agency wanted me to stay in Germany.
By the way, it wasn't that difficult to get out of the contract.
I had the same lawyer as Alisar Ailabouni, the winner from the previous year, "she told the
star
in 2015
.
According to GNTM: bakery and mom
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© S. Gabsch / imago-images
Today, Beller - shown here as the third from the left at the Mon Cheri Barbara Tag 2015 - runs several bakery shops together with her partner, including one in Munich Central Station.
In 2020 she also became a mother.
GNTM 2011: Rebecca Mir - Second attempt, second place
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Second-placed Rebecca Mir is probably better known.
The runner-up had failed in the casting for the fifth season last year, but applied again.
In addition to school, she had previously participated in a model training course in the Netherlands.
Rebecca Mir today: At home at ProSieben
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© Roger Murmann / imago-images
In the meantime, Mir has established herself as a moderator on ProSieben.
In 2012 she also took part in “Let's Dance”, where she met her current partner, Massimo Sinato, who was her dance partner on the show.
She has moderated the ProSieben show
taff
since 2012,
has since taken part in various
TV Total events
and conducted the show
"Masters of Dance".
GNTM 2012: Luisa Hartema - shy winner
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© Horst Galuschka / imago-images
The rather reserved Luisa Hartema from East Friesland (right) prevailed against - according to ProSieben - over 15,700 competitors and won the seventh season of GNTM.
During the show, most of the orders were secured and ran at New York Fashion Week, among others.
Luisa Hartema today: Between New York City and Munich
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Today Luisa lives in Munich and New York City.
She let her agency contract with the company of Heidi's father Günther Klum expire.
She now works for “Munich Models” and “IMG Models”.
In her career she also modeled for “Escada” and “ASOS”.
GNTM 2012: Seal - Deleted Scenes
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Just as much attention as Heidi Klum's candidates has always been their private life.
Even if Klum tries to keep her family out of the public eye: The separation from the American singer Seal made headlines.
Some scenes of the ex-couple, which were recorded before the separation, were cut from the first episode of the seventh season at Klum's request, including a vocal performance by Seal.
Seal today: Still singing
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© Lorando Labbe / imago-images
Seal is still active as a singer today, but his last studio album “Standards” came out in 2017.
At the end of 2019 he also took part in the US version of "The Masked Singer" and came fourth in the leopard costume.
GNTM 2013: Lovelyn Enebechi - "Baby Beyoncé" wins
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From the 10th grade of a Hamburg high school, Lovelyn Enebechi went straight to Heidi's catwalk.
With success.
Without any previous experience, the 1.78 m tall beauty decided the final in Mannheim for herself.
Model mom Heidi Klum raved about the then 16-year-old: “She deserved it, she gave everything.
She has the most beautiful legs, moves like a goddess.
Our sweet baby Beyoncé. "
Lovelyn Enebechi today: model with high school diploma
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After the GNTM victory, 16-year-old Lovelyn first went back to school.
The Hamburg-based woman graduated from high school before returning to her modeling career.
The agency "ONEeins" did not open any doors for her, she said in an interview with the
Stuttgarter Nachrichten
in 2020
.
She also ended her contract and changed agency.
After some modeling jobs for Breuninger and Anne Görtz, among others, the Hamburg native began an apprenticeship.
GNTM 2013: Maike van Grieken - Second place
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Maike von Grieken was training to be a nurse when GNTM knocked on the door.
Like so many candidates before and after her, she was declared an outsider on the show and the victim of some nasty blasphemy attacks in the model villa.
The fact that she refused to wear the red dress of Heidi's designer friend Michael Kors at the AmFAR gala turned into a classic mini-scandal.
The many repetitions of the scene also got on the nerves of die-hard GNTM fans at some point.
Maike van Grieken today - Berlin Fashion Week and Camp David
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© O. Hausen / imago-images
The East Frisian kept a cool head, took second place in the finals and still works as a model today.
So far it has been shown at the Berlin fashion week, including at Kauffeld, Jahn and Camp David.
GNTM 2014: Stefanie Giesinger - Opel commercial and first place
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In return, Stefanie Giesinger was a real crowd-pleaser.
Only 17 years old, the student from Kaiserslautern confidently modeled herself to the top.
Instead of blasphemy attacks, she stood out with her radiant smile.
Stefanie Giesinger today: Vegan model
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Even after Germany's Next Top Model, the Kaiserslautern's career went uphill.
Stefanie Giesinger became particularly famous on social media.
But things are also going well as a model and actress.
Giesinger starred in a music video by Max Giesinger (not related or related by marriage) in 2016.
The model has been in a relationship with the British Youtuber Marcus Butler since 2016.
The two even founded a sustainable fashion label together.
GNTM 2014: Jolina Fust - Many jobs, but only runner-up
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Behind Stefanie Giesinger, the pretty Hamburg woman Jolina Fust took second place in 2014 - despite a lot of modeling jobs during the show.
Many had traded for the clear favorite.
According to GNTM: love between models
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© Peter Hartenfelserr / imago-images
But second place or not: the Hamburg woman is still a model.
She also met her loved one at a public event.
Dominik Bruntner is a former Mister Germany and has already been seen on TV: As a seductive candidate for "Temptation Island".
Top model Jolina, however, convinced him more.
The two regularly share snapshots of their love happiness on Instagram.
GNTM 2015: Vanessa Fuchs and Heidi Klum - the models from Bergisch Gladbach
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© POP-EYE / Press Picture Plus / imago-images
Her victory in 2015 caused a sensation in the media like no other.
But that was less due to Vanessa Fuchs herself. A bomb threat interrupted the final show at the time.
In the end, everything turned out well.
Nobody was injured and Vanessa Fuchs, then 18, became the show's 10th winner.
Vanessa Fuchs today: once fashion week, always fashion week
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Vanessa Fuchs is currently no longer related to GNTM.
“The reality looks different,” she explained to the Bunter in 2020.
ONEeins also closed many doors for her instead of opening them.
But she is regularly represented at Fashion Week even without the Klum family and their model agency.
Like here at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2019 in Berlin.
GNTM 2015: Pari from Berlin - first trans candidate
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Pari Reohei is a role model.
She was the show's very first transgender contestant in 2015.
It received consistent praise from fans and the jury.
All the more surprising was her early departure.
With her participation, however, Pari paved the way for more transgender candidates on the German show.
She followed her American role model Isis King, who competed in America's next top model in 2008.
Pari today: You also experience hostility
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Despite the early exit at Heidi, the career of the model, born in 1989, went high.
She works successfully as an international model and was a brand ambassador for Pantene in 2020.
Despite their success, they repeatedly caught up with discrimination and hatred.
In her book "mein bunter Schatten" she reports hostility and rejection because of her person as a transgender woman.
She hopes to lead the way as an example for young people in the LGBTQ + community.
GNTM 2016: Kim Hnizdo - first broke up with model friend Alexander "Honey" Keen, then came first
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As a top model candidate in 2017, Kim Hnizdo drew attention to herself with two things in particular: the tearful drama about her short blonde hairstyle and her "honey".
His real name is Alexander Keen and his reaction to the makeover at the time made himself unpopular across Germany.
In interviews he repeatedly proved his very strong self-confidence and his tendency to self-portrayal.
He was finally able to live it out at the RTL jungle camp or the celebrity dinner on Vox.
Kim split up with her "Honey" before the final.
Kim Hnizdo today: Still a model
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© Barbara Insinger / imago-images
For Kim, things are going really well without Honey.
She made the leap into the modeling business on her own.
She is on the road in Paris, Milan and Cape Town, among other places, and even sniffed a little acting air with a guest appearance on the series “Jerks”.
At some point she also parted with the model agency ONEeins.
GNTM 2016: Elena Carrière - second place goes to first place
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© Frederic / imago-images
This rumor was gold for the gossip press after the 2015 GNTM final: Are the newly separated Kim Hnizdo and the confessing bisexual Elena Carrière (left) a couple?
In a clip during the show, Elena confessed that she was physically attracted to the first place winner.
At the end of the final there was a congratulatory kiss.
However, a relationship between the two was never officially confirmed.
According to GNTM: Elena’s acting carrier
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© Barbara Insinger / imago-images
After GNTM, Elena continued to model, but also began an acting career, following in the footsteps of her famous father, Matthieu Carrière.
In February 2021 she pulled blank as part of the Vox Show "Showtime of my Life" to campaign for breast cancer prevention and to take a stand against the sexualization of the female body.
GNTM 2017: Celine Bethmann - has victory in her pocket
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© Elmar Kremser / SVEN SIMON / imago-images
The young beauty from Koblenz enchanted the jury and audience with her freckles in 2017.
For the finale, the then 18-year-old student walked the catwalk with long flowing hair.
Céline Bethmann today: Radiant model
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Like so many before her, Bethmann already parted ways with the ONEeins model agency in September and is now under contract with Elite Models.
The hair was cut into a bob and since then no catwalk has been safe from the woman from Koblenz.
She was seen several times at the Paris Fashion Week.
She has modeled for Bershka, Ralph Lauren and Bree, among others.
GNTM 2017: Serlina Hohmann - only has second place in the bag
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© Elmar Kremser / SVEN SIMON / imago-images
Serlina Hohmann took a similar path.
The blonde vice model was the season about professional and enthusiastic with beautiful shots.
Compared to other top model candidates, Serlina largely kept her private life out of the public eye.
Serlina Hohmann today - another radiant model
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After the runner-up in the Final Show in May, Serlina filed a lawsuit a few months later with Celine Bethmann against Günther Klum's two-year contract.
The agency's lawyers rejected the termination of the two.
In the meantime, however, it still worked out with the separation.
The successful model lives and works in Tel-Aviv.
GNTM 2018: Toni Dreher-Adenuga - The Nigerian princess
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As the granddaughter of a Nigerian regional royal couple, Dreher-Adenuga is the princess among the GNTM candidates.
She won the 13th season in 2018 and prevailed against her opponents in Düsseldorf.
She not only convinces with her unique face, but also with her loving, fair manner.
Toni Dreher-Adenuga today: Leading role in the music video by Nico Santos
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Toni Dreher-Adenuga is still under contract with Papa Klum.
She models and can be found regularly at official events.
The main role in a music video by Nico Santos is one of the highlights of her career.
In addition, the model regularly uses the public eye to advertise for social purposes.
GNTM 2018: Julianna Townsend - Never wobbly candidate
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© Ralf Mueller / imago-images
Behind Toni Dreher-Adenuga, Julianna Townsend (right) landed with consistently convincing performances.
The then 20-year-old didn't have to shake a single lap.
But even after the casting show, the Mainz woman proves what she can do.
Julianna Townsend today: R´n´B and soul singer
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© Nicole Kubelka / imago-images
In addition to an ongoing career as a model, Townsend now also earns her money with music.
Her new album is a mixture of pop, soul and RnB.
Which of the two careers will be the more successful remains exciting.
GNTM 2019: Simone Kowalski - Vogue Model
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© Christoph Hardt / imago-images
She was considered the sunshine of the season: Simone Kowalski, better known as Simmi, with her curly blonde hair, was also called "Simmi-Shine".
During her time at Heidi Klum, the student caught up with advertising campaigns for About You, John Frieda and, last but not least, an advertisement for German Vogue.
But shortly after the final, the young woman withdrew from the public.
Simone Kowalski today: Another legal dispute with ONEeins
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© Ralf Müller / imago-images
At the time, she explained to her fans how bad it was for her psyche.
Due to illness, the model finally ends the contract with ONEeins.
Because she was modeling for a well-known men's magazine before it was finished, the dismissal went to court.
In the end, Simmi was allowed to terminate the contract, but the salary for the previous shoot went to Günther Klum.
Before GNTM 2019: Tokio Hotel without Heidi Klum
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What Günther Klum thinks of these two young men is unknown.
Heidi did, however, like the brothers of the German band Tokio Hotel.
Long before their relationship with Tom Kaulitz filled the gossip press, the two twins started in 2005 with their hit "Durch den Monsun" and melted teenage hearts in a row.
With over seven million records sold, Tokio Hotel is one of the most successful boy bands in German-speaking countries.
Singer Bill Kaulitz published his biography in January 2021.
GNTM 2019: Tokio Hotel meets Klum
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© Christoph Hardt / imago-images
After little privacy and some stalking attacks, the twin brothers withdrew from the public eye in 2010 and eventually moved to Los Angeles.
In February 2018, Tom Kaulitz met top model mom Heidi Klum at the birthday party of mutual friend Michael Michalsky, for whom he already had a weakness as a teenager.
In 2007, the then 17-year-old was asked about his dream woman in an interview with “Bravo” and named Heidi Klum.
In 2019 the two married on a yacht.
The age difference between the two and Heidi's regular expressions of love on Instagram caused a stir.
GNTM 2020: Jacqueline "Jacky" Wruck
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© Frederic Kern / imago-images
In 2020, 22-year-old Jacky won the 15th Germany's Next Top Model crown.
For them, however, the Corona crisis went a lot differently than for their predecessors.
Despite pandemic restrictions, Jacky Wrack has already had her first modeling jobs.
The relationship to the top model family has so far remained harmonious.
GNTM 2021: Season start in February
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© Richard Huebner / ProSieben
The next round of candidates will not have an easy time of Germany's Next Top Model either.
Due to difficult travel conditions for the Covid 19 pandemic, most of the season will take place in Germany.
We have an overview of all information about the new season.