Tyra Banks has openly discussed her weight gain since her days with Victoria’s Secret, candidly addressing the changes in her body over the years. The supermodel and television personality shared her perspective on body image and self-acceptance, emphasizing the importance of embracing one’s evolving physique. Her revelations come as part of her broader conversation about beauty standards and the pressures faced by models in the industry.
During her appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, where she discussed the show’s conclusion, supermodel and mogul Tyra Banks, 50, expressed her genuine joy at returning to her role as a Victoria’s Secret Angel for the evening. When host Drew Barrymore, 49, remarked that Banks appeared to be “good about” herself and was “really living in the moment” during her runway walk, Banks affirmed that this description accurately reflected her experience of dusting off her wings after so many years.
In contrast to previous years when Tyra Banks stated that she “would walk” for herself, the Life-Size actress shared that this time she felt a profound connection with her audience as she took the stage. “I felt like everybody was inside of me,” Banks explained. “Fifty-year-old women, insecure women — I just felt like there was more. When I look at the playback, I see myself stomping because I felt like I was a vessel, more so than just focusing on myself. It was a different experience,” she enthused.
The creator of America’s Next Top Model, Tyra Banks, also reflected on the changes her body has undergone over the years. “What was different this time is my breasts were about ten times bigger because I was roughly 40 to 50 pounds heavier on this runway than when I retired,” she disclosed to the audience. “So I was thinking, ‘Don’t fall out, don’t fall out.'”
During her tenure as a Victoria’s Secret Angel, Banks participated in nine fashion shows before announcing her retirement from modeling in 2005. In August, Victoria’s Secret announced her return to the star-studded fashion show. Tyra collaborated with Gigi Hadid to confirm the event’s comeback after a six-year hiatus, with Tyra presenting Gigi an invitation in an Instagram video and mouthing “see you there,” to which Hadid responded, “I love you.”
In a playful TikTok video, Tyra Banks teased her upcoming appearance on the Victoria’s Secret runway, expressing her excitement: “It feels crazy being back on the Victoria’s Secret runway. I mean, like, cray-cray as in cray-cray good. I never thought that I would be back on this runway, to be honest. I remember — what was it, like, 19 years ago — and I was like, ‘This is it.’ And I remember all the press, ‘Tyra’s … last … walk.’ It was so over the top, and I was like, ‘I’m out.'” Her candid remarks highlight the nostalgia and significance of her return to such a prominent stage in the fashion world.
Tyra Banks made her debut on the Victoria’s Secret runway in 1996, and her final appearance for the brand was in 2005, after which she shifted her focus to television. The 2024 show featured a star-studded lineup, including Victoria’s Secret veterans Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima, alongside next-generation icons Taylor Hill and Barbara Palvin. Adding to the excitement, Cher headlined the night with an all-woman musical lineup that also included Blackpink alum Lisa and rising star Tyla, marking a significant milestone for the event.
In May, Tyra Banks celebrated her 50th birthday. Reflecting on her views about dieting, she previously shared on The Tyra Show in 2009 that she no longer believes in diets, stating, “They are a bunch of bologna.” Instead, she emphasized the importance of being in the best shape possible rather than focusing solely on being skinny.
