Angelea Preston has followed through with her plan to sue Tyra Banks.
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Preston filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday suing The CW and Banks for allegedly stripping her of her America's Next Top Model All-Stars title and giving it to Lisa D'Amato instead after producers discovered she had briefly worked as an escort.
The show's seventeenth season had crowned D'Amato its winner in 2011 -- but only after Preston was originally named the winner and then disqualified without any explanation.
Preston is suing for at least $3 million in damages on eight accounts, Entertainment Weekly reported.
Preston is reportedly suing for breach of oral agreement, breach of written contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, failure to pay minimum wage, failure to pay overtime wages, unfair business practices, and failure to provide meal and rest breaks.
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According to EW, Preston alleges the working conditions for the contestants were poor and the show even withheld necessary medical treatment for over 10 minutes when she had suffered an anxiety attack for entertainment purposes.
In response to Preston's claims, The CW reportedly said in a statement: "As noted during the broadcast of the America's Next Top Model finale in 2011, information about Angelea was learned after production wrapped on that cycle that led to her disqualification from the competition. We are confident that her lawsuit has no merit."
Preston told producers about her prior job as an escort in confidence before taping began, and according to TMZ, her year-long position was legal and not considered prostitution. She didn't even come under fire for the career choice until after the Season 17 finale taped.
D'Amato ended up winning the prize package Preston would've received: A $100,000 contract with CoverGirl Cosmetics, a fashion spread in Vogue Italia, a cover and spread in Vogue Italia's beauty magazine Beauty in Vogue, a blog on Vogue.IT, a celebrity guest correspondent role with Extra, the chance to be featured in a national ad campaign for Express, and the opportunity to be the face of America's Next Top Model's fragrance "Dream Come True."
For viewers, America's Next Top Model All-Stars ended with the competition's three remaining finalists -- Preston, D'Amato and Allison Harvard -- competing in a final runway show challenge in Greece. The finale broadcast then transitioned to footage of a Los Angeles-based final judging panel in which Preston was suddenly absent and her disqualification for undisclosed reasons was announced.
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In December 2011, The CW had released a statement exclusively to Reality TV World, confirming America's Next Top Model had shot "new scenes" for the conclusion of its All-Stars edition.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski