Toronto's Jay Manuel To Host Second Season Of Canada's Next Top Model Tuesday October 31, 2006 Jay Manuel, the Canadian photographer and celebrity makeup artist who shot to fame as the photo shoot director on America's Next Top Model, has returned home to host the second season of Canada's Next Top Model. The 34-year-old Toronto native takes over from Canadian supermodel Tricia Helfer, who hosted the first season but reportedly left to focus on her role on acclaimed sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica.
"I ran the fashion show club and we actually did the best kind of fashion shows at the time," Manuel says of his high school days at Scarborough's Dr. Norman Bethune Collegiate Institute.
"You know how all the high schools do them but they're just kind of rinky-dink? Well, ours was actually broadcast on Scarborough cable and the proceeds benefited the (Toronto) Hospital for Sick Children."
The platinum-haired Manuel, who was born in Illinois before moving to Toronto at age two, says he'll still be a part of the American show.
"I really wanted to kind of raise the production quality of the show," said Manuel, of the opportunity to host season two. He'll also executive produce the Canadian series, which like its American counterpart features modeling hopefuls competing for a contract.
Both versions air on Citytv and FT-Fashion Television host Jeanne Beker is reportedly set to return as a judge on the Canadian version.
The show was opened up to contestants Tuesday and applications are available by clicking here.
Whitby, Ont.'s Andrea Muizelaar won the first season. Season 2 will air in the spring of 2007.
