The British are coming... to The CW.
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Essentially holiday season schedule filler (the network needs something to air in between this Wednesday's finale of America's Next Top Model's seventh edition and Beauty and the Geek 3's premiere on Wednesday, January 3) the two-hour specials will air at 8PM ET/PT on Wednesday, December 13 and Wednesday, December 20. Encore broadcasts will also air in Top Model's usual Sunday night encore slot on Sunday, December 17 and Sunday, December 24.
Dubbed Next Top Model: British Invasion and Next Top Model: British Invasion 2, each special will be a condensed two-hour recap of one of the first two seasons of Britian's Next Top Model, which, similar to Top Model's original American edition, rewards its winner with a contract with Model1, one of Europe's leading modeling agencies.
Unlike Top Model's Canadian adaptation -- which will now be hosted by Top Model's own Jay Manuel -- none of America's Next Top Model's cast are involved with Britian's Next Top Model. Hosted by former model Lisa Butcher, Britian's Next Top Model's first edition aired on the LIVINGtv network in Fall 2005. In addition to Butcher, model Marie Helvin and hair/make-up agency owner Jonathan Phang were also part of the competition's judging panel.
Butcher's performance was apparently as wooden as that of former Bravo Top Chef hostess Katie Lee Joel, causing model Lisa Snowdon to take over the hosting responsibilities of the show's Summer 2006 second edition. While Phang returned for "Cycle 2," Helvin was also replaced by model Paula Hamilton.
In addition to British and Canadian versions, local Top Model adaptations have also been produced in Australia, Germany, Russia, China, France, Hungary, Czech Republic, Holland, Philippines, Thailand, Norway, Turkey and Brazil.
