Britain's Missing Top Model -The Winner

7/29/2008 10:03:00 pm BenefitScroungingScum 12 Comments

In a surprise decision Kelly Knox won. The judges seemed more confused than ever as to what the competition was about, but as they placed so much importance on the winner being a role model I feel they made the wrong decision. Kelly Knox may be the better photographic model, but Sophie was right, she just isn't passionate enough about changing the way people view disability.

However if this is anything like Pop x-wannabe it'll be Sophie we all remember not Kelly.

12 comments:

Unknown said...

I wanted Sophie to win, too. Not only because she was more passionate about changing attitudes towards disability but because I also thought she was more photogenic than Kelly. I bet she'll be snapped up by an agency anyway and go on to great things. I hope so.

Results aside, this has been a really interesting series. Normally I'm no fan of reality TV but Missing Top Model raised a lot of questions about beauty (perceptions of), disability and "normality". Probably the most intelligent programme ever screened by BBC3...

Anonymous said...

can you post some pics, maybe do a blog readers survey?

Mary said...

But then that was the argument since the beginning of the series - were they looking for a model, who happened to be disabled, or were they looking for a Disability Model?

Casdok said...

Cant believe i missed the last one!!!

Stephanie said...

I watched the whole series and I thought that Sophie should've won. I knew though when it came down to it that Kelly would get it because she did look more like your stereotypical model (aside from the obvious)....Sophie was robbed!!

Wordsmith: I think Sophie should have won, but I do think Kelly is much more photogenic-Sophie is more beautiful though. I think you're absolutely right about Sophie being picked up by an agency, I'd love to see her presenting a mainstream travel show or something similar.
I wonder if there will be a second series too, I think the more programmes like this there are the more mainstream they will become.

Open Flaps: Hello, I don't know how to do a survey I'm afraid, but I know there is one on the official website for Missing Top Model. I'm enquiring about the possibility of pics

Mary: Exactly, and I don't think the judges or series makers are any clearer on that now. I still think it's hugely important we have shows like this, it's a vital first step on a long journey BTW, liked your comeback to Tom Shakespeare on the ouch site ;)

Casdok: It's repeated on thurs, and on iplayer, but the final episode is actually next week with the photos shoot and model agency etc

Stephie: Hello! Yep, couldn't agree more, Sophie was robbed! Overall I think Jenny should probably have won, she had the greatest commitment to becoming a model, and the most 'model like' look.

Mary said...

Cheers - I couldn't believe that article. In much the same way as non-dis people shouldn't try to authoritatively write about being disabled, overprivileged middle-class brainboxes shouldn't try to write authoritatively about living on benefit and struggling to meet your most basic needs, with a Best Case Scenario prospect of underpaid go-nowhere jobs.

spleenal said...

i thought that in order to win you didn't have to be passionate about changing attitudes towards disability. You just had to be the best model.
Models aren't supposed role models. they're supposed to drink, smoke, snort coke, shag rock stars, and look good in over priced clothes.
I Hope Kelly can do all that.

I'm off to see what "open flaps" blogs about now

spleenal said...

Fuckin' hell! It's just what I was hoping for. I'm at work now so I can't read it untill I get home.
I doubt I'll be posting anything myself tonight. I'll be too tired and sleepy

Jim said...

To be honest BG, I just didn't get this series at all, but to be fair I rarely watched it and never saw a whole episode.

If it was about getting people to see past an individuals disability then throwing people into the spiteful world of modelling was perhaps not the way to do it.

J

Mary: To be honest I am an over privileged middle class brainbox, unfortunately that doesn't preclude one ending up on benefits ;) but I take your point!

Spleenal: I quite agree, but the judges were desperate to find a 'role model' for which Sophie was the better choice. As for showing the 'able bodied world' that disabled people can drink, swear, fall over and puke like the best of 'em...well Kelly Knox has already proved that beyond doubt on the show!
For me that's the really positive part of Kelly being the winner, it's the first step towards the general public realising we're all capable of outrageous behaviour, disability or no!
Is it all just photos of fannies then? (open flaps!)

Jim: I see your point, but think that the most important part of series like these is that disabled people are portrayed in the same circumstances as able bodied people. In the future (though probably not one either of us will be around to see) disability will be as present in every day life as any other group, I suppose in a similar way to the fuss there was over the first black actors/presenters on tv or first homosexual kisses etc. I think this is a first step we have to take BG x

Joanna Cake said...

I think at the end of the day it also came down to ability to show off the clothes on the catwalk which is so much harder to do in a wheelchair.

However, to let Sophie believe she wasnt pretty enough was just horrible... and completely untrue.

As she said, she went into her shoot with ideas to help the photographer, Kelly just let him treat her as any other naked model. Perhaps, at the end of the day, that counted against Sophie - especially in the light of the previous photographer's determination to portray them without their disabilities.

In the long run, I think Sophie's aims will all come to fruition without the hamper of being the winner. She will be chosen to do things because of her disability rather than in spite of which, although not quite what she wanted, will give her a far better platform to voice her campaign.