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Supermodels Niki Taylor and Tyson Beckford Host "Make Me A Supermodel"


    Premiering Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 on Citytv
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    TORONTO, May 12 /CNW/ - Supermodels Niki Taylor and Tyson Beckford host
"Make Me A Supermodel" premiering Wednesday, May 21, 2008 on Citytv. Based on
the successful UK series, 24 beautiful men and women will compete for a chance
to launch their modeling career.Broadcast Schedule is as follows:
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    Citytv Toronto     Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 8:00pm ET
    Citytv Winnipeg    Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 8:00pm CT
    Citytv Calgary     Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 8:00pm MT
    Citytv Edmonton    Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 8:00pm MT
    Citytv Vancouver   Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 8:00pm PTDuring the 12-week run of the series, the 'hopefuls' will live together
in a New York City loft and explore friendships, romance and ambition, while
undergoing a series of creative challenges designed to test their professional
modeling potential. In the first episode, the "Casting Special", 35 applicants
from across the USA are brought to New York and compete in a series of
challenges that ultimately narrows the field from 35, to 24, and then down to
the final 14. This series will explore what it takes to turn the exceptionally
good-looking into the king or queen of the catwalk. The models hopefuls will
compete for $100,000.00, a feature spread in GQ Magazine and a contract with
New York Model Management.

    Hosts
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    Niki Taylor, one of the most successful international models of all time,
began her modeling career at the age of 14 and captured the heart of America
with her sun-inspired beauty. With over 400 magazine covers worldwide to her
credit, she was famously featured in "Vogue" magazine as a teenager, making
her the youngest model to ever appear on their cover. Currently working as a
business entrepreneur and designer, Taylor has broadened her professional
career while balancing her role as a mother. She recently opened Abbie &
Jesse's, her own clothing boutique, and formed "begin Enterprises" along with
the "begin Foundation" for the Advancement of Women in Business.

    Tyson Beckford is one of the most respected and well-known male
supermodels in the world. His modeling career exploded when he appeared in the
Fall 1994 Polo Sport campaign. He soon landed an exclusive multi-year contract
with Ralph Lauren and served as the spokesmodel for Polo Sport and Polo
Fragrances. Beckford has appeared on covers and in countless editorials for a
variety of magazines worldwide. Beckford's film credits include "Into the
Blue," "Zoolander," "Biker Boyz" and the upcoming films "Hotel California" and
"Kings of the Evening." He has starred in a number of music videos including
50 Cent's chart topping "21 Questions," and the Grammy Award-winning songs
"Toxic" by Britney Spears and "Unbreak My Heart" by Toni Braxton. When he is
not modeling or acting, Beckford is busy developing his motor sports
interests, which led him to host his own auto show.

    Judging Panel
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    Jennifer Starr is the premier print casting agent in America. Her work
and direction has influenced the fashion industry for over 15 years. She has
cast a variety of celebrity print campaigns with actors that include Scarlett
Johansson and Hilary Swank for Calvin Klein, Katherine Heigl for Samsung, and
Penelope Cruz and Jennifer Lopez for Pirelli. In addition, Starr has cast
runway shows for some of today's top designers including Ralph Lauren, Narciso
Rodriguez and Marc Jacobs, among others. She has launched the careers of some
of the world's most successful models including Travis Fimmel (Calvin Klein),
Filippa Hamilton (Ralph Lauren), Jamie Burke (Calvin Klein), and actor and
former model Tom Welling ("Smallville"), who she spotted in Nantucket while
casting a Tommy Hilfiger campaign and suggested that he try modeling. Starr
began her career working with award-winning photographer Bruce Weber and for
five years cast all of his campaigns. In 1997, at the request of noted
photographer Richard Avedon, she searched the globe for the most beautiful
faces and bodies in the world for the critically praised 1997 Pirelli "Women
of the World" calendar. Since then she has cast all subsequent eleven Pirelli
Calendars to great acclaim. She has collaborated with the most illustrious
fashion photographers in the industry, including Annie Leibovitz, Steven
Klein, Steven Meisel and Mario Testino on iconic advertising campaigns for
Dolce and Gabbana, Calvin Klein, Abercrombie & Fitch, Gucci and the Gap, to
name a select few.

    Cory Bautista, President of New York Model Management, has been working
in the fashion industry for almost two decades. He served as the Director of
Ford Models Miami and then transitioned to Ford New York, where he worked with
the agency's prestigious Image Division, representing major names in the
business such as Naomi Campbell, Ines Sastre, Kristen McMenamy and Christy
Turlington. In 1995, he worked with Company Management, where he handled
models Rhea Durham, Shanna Shank and Jaime Rishar. After Company, Bautista
moved on to Karin Models, both in their Paris and New York offices, where he
managed noted models Ines Rivero, Estelle Warren and Estelle Holliday. In
1998, he joined New York Models and currently represents some of modeling's
biggest names including Valeria Mazza, Elle Macpherson and Sarah O'Hare
Murdoch to name a few.

    The Participants of "Make Me a Supermodel" are:
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    Angelica
    Age: 18
    Hometown: Arlington Heights, Ill.

    Aryn
    Age: 20
    Hometown: Lowndesboro, Ala.

    Ashlie
    Age: 20
    Hometown: Lexington, Ky.

    Ben
    Age: 22
    Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.

    Brandon
    Age: 24
    Hometown: Dowagiac, Mich.

    Casey
    Age: 19
    Hometown: Atlanta, Ga.

    Dominic
    Age: 25
    Hometown: Orange County, Calif.

    Frankie
    Age: 20
    Hometown: Miami, Fla.

    Holly
    Age: 21
    Hometown: Coeburn, Va.

    Igor
    Age: 21
    Hometown: Chicago, Ill.

    Jacki
    Age: 21
    Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio

    Jay
    Age: 22
    Hometown: Roswell, Ga.

    Jathniel
    Age: 23
    Hometown: Tampa, Fla.

    Josiah
    Age: 23
    Hometown: Fort Smith, Ark.

    Karol
    Age: 20
    Hometown: Chicago, Ill.

    Kate
    Age: 18
    Hometown: New York, N.Y.

    Katy
    Age: 21
    Hometown: Auburn, Ala.

    Lee
    Age: 19
    Hometown: Orlando, Fla.

    Perry
    Age: 22
    Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.

    Ronnie
    Age: 24
    Hometown: Chicago, Ill.

    Sarah
    Age: 20
    Hometown: Miami, Fla.

    Shannon
    Age: 22
    Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

    Stephanie
    Age: 21
    Hometown: Plano, Texas

    Steph
    Age: 18
    Hometown: Clinton, Wis.

    Tune in to "Make Me a Supermodel" when it premieres Wednesday, May 21,
2008, on Citytv.

    "Make Me A Supermodel" is produced by Tiger Aspect Productions, a
division of IMG Media. Lisa Perrin, Andrew Zein and Jamie Munro are executive
producers.

    Citytv, with stations in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and
Winnipeg, broadcasts intensely-local, urban-oriented, culturally-diverse
television in its own unique, interactive style. With its strong local voice,
Citytv offers a distinct alternative to other conventional television
offerings. Its instantly recognizable 'look' and 'sound' are the product of
refreshingly different on-air personalities, unique program formats and high
television style. Citytv is a division of Rogers Media Inc., a division of
Rogers Communications Inc.

    Editors: Artwork is available at www.citytv.com/media
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