Heidi Klum received the Blue Panther for this year’s “GNTM” relay, in which men were allowed to compete for the first time.
Great honor for Heidi Klum (51): She will be awarded the Blue Panther 2024 on October 23rd in Munich for the 19th season of her ProSieben show “Germany’s Next Top Model”. As the organizers announced, she will receive the renowned media award in the entertainment category.
“Strong sign of diversity and tolerance”
The jury chairman Prof. Dr. Klaus Schaefer praises: “With this show, Heidi Klum sets a strong example for diversity and tolerance and serves as a role model in entertainment TV.” In the 19th season of the model casting show, which ran in spring 2024, men were allowed to take part for the first time. Male models will be considered again next year, as Klum recently confirmed in an Instagram story. Filming for the 20th season starts on October 7th in Munich.
The prominent award winner is quoted as saying: “I am very happy about the Blue Panther, especially that this 19th season has convinced the jury. Unfortunately, when it comes to diversity and tolerance, we are still far from where we are in the fashion world should be, which is why the topic will continue to be a priority for me in the future.” The news was announced by the Blue Panther Award – with a sentence reminiscent of Klum’s iconic saying from her show: “Heidi Klum, we have a Blue Panther for you!”
The jury particularly emphasized the further development of the format, which has been running in Germany since 2006. “The format has managed to continually reinvent itself and to absorb and reflect social developments. For the first time, men were also able to take part in the competition. This expansion was very good for the format,” says the press release. The show now stands for “more lived diversity and more team spirit instead of pure competition”. And further: “The show – once dedicated to a one-sided ideal of beauty – is now multi-layered: It gives people with different gender identities, body types and from different countries the opportunity to take part in the show and present their unique qualities as a top model.”
Heidi Klum played a “central role” in the success of the show. Because: “Her charismatic and professional manner, coupled with her years of experience in the fashion industry, have contributed significantly to the popularity and credibility of the show.”
From the Bavarian Television Prize to the Blue Panther
The award was originally presented as the Bavarian Television Prize since 1989. In 2022 it received a new, modern focus in terms of content as the “Blue Panther – TV & Streaming Award”. In 2024, the Blue Panther will be awarded for the first time in a total of five categories: information/journalism, fiction, entertainment, culture/education and, now, social media. A 14-member jury decides on the awarding of the trophies made of Nymphenburg porcelain – with the exception of the audience prize.
The award show, to which around 750 guests are expected at the BMW Welt in Munich on October 23rd, will be moderated by Steven Gätjen (52) and cabaret artist Eva Karl Faltermeier (41). The arrival of the celebrities from 6:15 p.m. and the awards ceremony from 7 p.m. will be shown in the live stream on www.blauerpanther.com, Joyn and RTL+, among others. BR television will broadcast the gala from 10:45 p.m., and the program will also be available in the ARD media library.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
