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All of the America’s Next Top Model icons who dramatically quit the show, and why they left

'I don't wanna do it, I wanna go home'

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ByHelen Williams

19th February 2026, 09:39

Netflix’s new docuseries Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model is basically a glossy nostalgia trip… and a not-so-glam reckoning about how messy reality TV could get behind the scenes.

One of the most fascinating parts of ANTM history isn’t just who won, it’s who walked.

Because quitting a competition built on “smize through it” energy takes nerve.

Cassandra Jean from cycle five

Cassandra’s quit is the makeover-era mic drop.

After having her long hair chopped and bleached, Tyra wanted it even shorter, and Cassandra refused, then walked.

It’s one of the clearest examples of a contestant choosing autonomy over “the show must go on” pressure, and it still sparks debate because, yes, hair grows back… but control issues don’t.

Ebony Morgan from cycle nine

Ebony’s exit is peak ANTM drama. She was told she was safe, then basically said “thanks, but no thanks” and quit anyway.

She basically lost passion for the process and said that she was under a “lot of stress and pressure” and decided to go home.

Ebony also said she was homesick and missed her family majorly while on the show.

Kimberly Rydzewski from cycle 10

The real reason Kimberly left. Poor girl, Rest In Peace 🕊
byu/Lorenzo-is-not-dead inANTM

Kimberly left early in cycle 10 and later described struggling with mental health and personal grief around the time of filming.

It’s a reminder that “quitting” isn’t always a dramatic tantrum, sometimes it’s someone recognising they’re not okay and stepping away from a pressure-cooker environment.

Amber DePace from cycle 13

 

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Amber is one of ANTM’s biggest “wait, what?” exits: she’s listed as a quitter in cycle 13’s first episode, but the show never gave us a satisfying, clear explanation.

Her departure lives in that frustrating reality TV space where something happened, but the audience is left with vibes instead of facts.

Ondrei Edwards from cycle 16

Ondrei quit during judging in cycle 16, very early on.

People have speculated she was going through a really difficult personal loss, but the show never actually shared much on-screen.

Louise Watts from cycle 18

Cycle 18’s British Invasion gave us Louise vs the panel, and it ended with her leaving after an on-set argument involving judge Kelly Cutrone.

The aftermath also became part of the discourse, with Cutrone criticised for posting mocking content about Louise online.

Messy doesn’t even cover it!

Alisha White from cycle 18

Alisha White's BNTM cycle 6 portfolio – Runner Up
byu/PowerfulDivide inANTM

Alisha’s quit is cinematic: Tyra said she was safe, and Alisha still chose to leave.

It’s often remembered as her realising the experience wasn’t aligning with her mental state or sense of fairness, and it instantly became one of the most-referenced walkouts in the franchise.

Maria Tucker from cycle 19

Since you all asked for it: Maria Tucker C19 appreciation post.
byu/low_viscosity_rayon inANTM

Maria peaced out in the College Edition era, and the coverage at the time framed it as a voluntary removal from the competition.

Her quit hit differently because cycle 19 was already polarising, and she seemed totally uninterested in forcing herself to fit a format she didn’t vibe with.

Liz Woodbury from cycle 24

Cycle 24 was chaos, and Liz left before judging in episode four.

Her exit was reportedly tied to conflict in the house, the kind of spiralling drama that makes you understand why someone would choose peace over camera time.

Brendi K Seiner from cycle 24

Brendi quit during judging in episode nine, triggering a non-elimination moment.

By that point, cycle 24’s vibe was already tense, and her exit read like the final straw in a season where the emotional temperature was always set to “boiling.”

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