I have a confession to make: I am shamefully, completely and hopelessly addicted to the “Next Top Model” franchise in all its incarnations (but mainly the American and Australian versions).

Before you write me off as some sad reality TV-loving drone, you should really know that it’s not the case. I will take a pass on watching most reality TV shows, even (in fact especially) “Big Brother”, which as far as I am concerned demeans the human race as a whole.

However for some reason each season of “Australia’s Next Top Model” and “America’s Next Top Model” suckers me in to the point of fanaticism. I don’t know why, because really at the end of the day it’s just a group of teenage girls calling each other fat then pretending to cry when one of them gets booted off each week.

Actually perhaps that is the reason why it’s such a guilty pleasure. Because despite the fact that these girls are young and attractive, you can still feel slightly superior because, well, they carry on like idiots.

After the recent bullying incident widely reported on in the press I couldn’t help but be slightly amused at people making comments such as “the modelling world is no place for bullying and bitching”. Did I miss something? Isn’t the modelling industry actually a breeding ground for that sort of behaviour? My extensive experience in the industry (ie watching every single season of Next Top Model) leads me to conclude that’s the case.

Well we are now down to the final three, which will be whittled to two tonight. Imagine how distressed I was to find after moving apartments on the weekend that my block is not Foxtel-ready (the show airs on Fox 8). I went into a slight panic yesterday and made several frantic phone calls investigating what can be done. I even considered fashioning a satellite dish out of foil and placing it on the balcony. Unfortunately I won’t be watching tonight’s episode. Argh…

By Caroline Warnes