Tyra Banks was 29 years old when she started hosting and producing America’s Next Top Model in 2003, since she was born on December 4, 1973 and the show premiered in May 2003.

Quick Scoop: Tyra’s Age When ANTM Started

  • Tyra Banks’ birthday: December 4, 1973.
  • ANTM premiere (Cycle 1, U.S.): 2003.
  • That makes her 29 years old during the show’s launch year (she turned 30 at the end of 2003).

So if you’re wondering “how old was Tyra Banks when she started ANTM?” → She was 29. ✅

A Little Context For Fans

Tyra had already been a major supermodel before ANTM even existed.

By the early 2000s she:

  • Had modeled for top fashion houses and walked major runways.
  • Become one of the world’s most recognizable models.
  • Was transitioning into TV and production work, setting herself up to create and front a full-on reality competition.

Launching ANTM at 29, she was young enough to feel close to the contestants but experienced enough to act as mentor, judge, and producer all at once.

Why People Still Ask This

Fans on forums and social media often compare Tyra’s age on ANTM to current reality hosts and influencers.

Common discussion angles include:

  • How early she pivoted from pure modeling to building a TV brand.
  • Whether 29 seems “young” or “already very established” for someone helming a global franchise.
  • How ANTM helped define early-2000s reality TV and fashion culture.

It’s one of those fun timeline questions that also highlights how long she’s been a fixture in pop culture.

TL;DR

  • Tyra Banks was 29 years old when she started America’s Next Top Model in 2003.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.