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Live shock at Australia’s Next Top Model

Updated: Sarah Murdoch announces the wrong winner of Australia's Next Top Model live on air. Foxtel will award Kelsey $25,000 and a NY Trip.

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A bombshell upset at the Australia’s Next Top Model finale has resulted in host Sarah Murdoch announcing the wrong girl as the contest winner live on air.

Murdoch declared 19 year old Kelsey Martinovich as the winner tonight as the crowd erupted.

But no sooner had Kelsey made her thankyou speech did a gobsmacked Murdoch begin to backtrack before a stunned audience.

“Oh my God, I don’t know what to say right now,” she said.

“I’m feeling a bit sick about this. No. I’m so sorry about this. Oh my God. I don’t know what to say. This was a complete accident. It’s Amanda, I’m so sorry. It was fed to me wrong. Oh God. This is what happens when you have live TV folks. This is insane. Insane, insane, insane….”

18 year old Amanda Ware was suddenly elevated as the series winner.

The two girls, in a clearly embarrasing live television moment, consoled one another and Murdoch.

“It’s ok, it’s ok,” said Kelsey.

The disastrous moment is unprecedented in the show’s history.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKb0BR-giCA[/youtube]

The mix-up stemmed during the show’s first ever three-way finale, which saw 19 year old Sophie Van Den Akker from Melbourne placed third.

The finale of the FOX8 series aired live before an audience of 2000 at Luna Park, Sydney.

For the first time the winner was chosen by the viewing audience via SMS and interactive Red Button. The choice left the judges Alex Perry, Charlotte Dawson and Jez Smith urging for their favourites during the show.

During the show Perry openly campaigned for Amanda Ware from the top of the show whilst voting was still open. His fellow judges didn’t reveal their picks until an hour later when Smith agreed with his choice whilst Dawson favoured Sophie Van Den Akker.

The 2hr finale brought back all the former contestants from the series for group fashion parades, joined by male dancers, DJs, aerial performer and band. It also included video messages from models including Megan Gale and Elle MacPherson.

Amanda wins representation by modelling agency Priscilla’s, a $25,000 contract to appear in a Levi’s campaign, a trip to New York to meet ELITE agency, a Ford Fiesta Zetec, $20,000 cash and an eight-page spread for Harpers Bazaar Australia.

No doubt many fans will be campaigning for Kelsey to be awarded significant prizes as well.

UPDATE: “Tonight we saw the perils of live TV. At the time of the result announcement there was a miscommunication between the broadcast truck and the stage,” said Jamie Campbell, Foxtel Director of Publicity.

“Sarah handled what was a difficult situation with utmost professionalism and grace. Amanda and Kelsey were neck and neck in the voting all night.

“We apologise to Kelsey for the error, and Foxtel will be sending her to New York as well as awarding her $25,000 as a prize,” he said.

108 Responses

  2. I think it was massive screw up and nothing more, JMO.

    Also can someone confirm that the Fox8 +2 had the exact same coverage?

    The final is repeated today from 11am, will be interesting to see if they edit it out.

  3. I voted for Kelsey but thought both girls were classy and my faith was rewarded by the way they behaved. That sort of strength of character will take them far and I hope they stay friends. Their parents should be really proud – lovely on the outside, lovely on the inside. The real loser of the night – apart from poor Sarah who showed magnificent grace under pressure – was Alex Perry. What a dag that man is. He is trying for the Kyle Sandilands Tackiness Prize and I will never buy anything with his moniker on it again. I would feel grubby. If you are going to be rude you at least need some facility with language – witty, not witless.

  8. It’s amazing how some people think our legal system works. In what world would the young lady have any sort of case? Thats not even taking into consideration the contracts that all participants of these types of shows sign It is an extremely embarrasing stuff up, but little else.

    If Australia were to win the 2022 world cup bid, but Sepp Blatter announced the country to host was Austria, would they then have to host it? Just because, well thats what the announcment stated.

    Lets not be like the Americans, who shout their intentions to sue at every event and incident.

  11. I can’t believe that Granada and FOX8 would purposely expose themselves to such global ridicule as this is going to earn them in the next 24hrs. Whoever was producing in the truck is probably going to need a serious holiday after this!

  13. You just know now that the producers of 20 to 1 have just thought of a new idea for an ep thanks to this

    20 to 1 Top Live TV blunders

    This should take out 1st place

  14. Even if sarah seemed genuine this does not mean it was not set up behind the scenes. These girls have been the absolute favourites the entire competition. I think this was ridiculous. I would’ve loved to see both girls on harper’s Bazaar and to see which mag sells the most! I do not trust FOX 8 for a second!

  16. So sickening to sit and listen to Alex Perry all night I’ve watched this show for a long time and he is such a turn off. Ordinary finish
    and poor tv from a company like foxtel.

  17. Thank God I didn’t read the article when I saw the twitter post from David declaring a “shock” win in the title. I thought maybe Sophie had won as a result and went to watch my recording as I’d been out. The ending was priceless. The look on Murdoch’s face was priceless. Gotta love live TV. Poor Kelsey. That’s what worst nightmares are made of, winning big only to have it stripped away from you!

  18. Total and utter disgrace! Why are we so darn unprofessional in Oz when it comes to shows like this. OMG this would be an outrage in Hollywood! A laughing stock! Heart goes out to Kelsey….who yes, definately deserves a whole lot more than a simple apology! Won’t be watching this show again!

  19. oh i loved it!

    but thanks for iQ not really extending the 20mins on my 7.30 recording i had to jump on youTube to watch 3 extra minutes of the mistake!

    Arggggg

    but great ending and at least they both are going to NY.

  21. ummmm… so Bazar mag accidentally released this at 4pm this afternoon… on there website…

    harpersbazaar.com.au/congratulations-amanda.htm

    was this whole thing rigged? Look at the article time…

    1. Seemed like a genuine error to me, but I think it was a shame Perry pushed for one contestant during live voting when the other judges didn’t reveal their choice until an hour later. Murdoch had been doing a great job all night until this production error.

      As for Bazaar magazine… I wouldn’t pay much attention to the timestamp. They probably drafted three articles at the same time and published one late tonight. Are you saying you actually saw it online at 4:51pm?

      Good to see Foxtel quickly giving Kelsey some prizes after a clear bungle.

  22. Definatly rigged to grab headlines. It seems a very simple task to announce a winner, which would have been defined much ealrier than the ‘announcement’ broadcast. Wouldnt be suprised if they didnt tell Sarah, although she wasn’t very convincing. Thats not a nice thing to do to someone at all, they shoud have ‘fixed’ it in private rather on live TV.

  23. What a surprise, throughout the whole show all were going on about how Amanda should win. But when Kelsey win, there is a ‘mistake’… A little suspicious if you ask me!
    However, sophie should of won, or Valeria (even though she was kicked off first)

  24. Ha ha! Top 20 Biggest TV stuff ups all over the world….here we come!

    Who is complaining of a set up? As if it isn’t. What kind of idiot votes in these things anyway? Maybe those who do could take this as a lesson in how to waste your money.

  25. What a disgrace Fox 8, shameless to let occur and painful to watch. Poor Kelsey. A victim of biased judges influencing the voting against her, when clearly she was the crowd favorite and most deserving to win.

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