ANTM Alum Accuses Judge of Bias and Dismissive Behavior

In a recent interview, former America's Next Top Model contestant Sarah Williams has accused judge Nigel Barker of exhibiting bias and dismissive behavior towards her during Cycle 9 of the show, which aired in 2007.

Williams says she could tell from the first episode that Barker "did not like" her. While she hesitates to call his treatment "hostile," she alleges that she detected "microaggressions" from Barker, particularly when he provided feedback during the cycle's photo challenges. "He was very dismissive toward me. He'd never try to help. You're just giving me negative feedback," Williams recalls.

This tension allegedly came to a head during an episode 9 shoot involving a burning car in the desert, where Williams says Barker was distracted by his newly-acquired iPhone, paying little attention to her. Other contestants even discussed Barker's apparent disinterest in Williams, with one telling her "he's like your arch enemy."

According to Williams, Barker's cold attitude towards her continued even after the show ended. She remembers attending a red carpet event where Barker warmly greeted other ANTM alums but gave Williams a dismissive look. "My ass, because I'm a little petty, I made sure I was in every [press] picture they took of us, standing next to him," she says.

Despite finishing in 7th place, Williams claims the show hurt her modeling career, as potential clients would dismiss her ANTM experience as a "joke in the industry." She remains frustrated with the show, but says she would return for an all-stars edition, "because I'm petty."