America’s Next Top Daddy? ‘ANTM’ judge Nigel Barker is slaying the gays with his recent thirst traps
America’s Next Top Model, especially for the gays.Beyond setting the template for other reality competition TV shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race, ANTM—as its become colloquially known—has given us so many iconic and unforgettable moments, from endlessly quotable Tyra Banks freak-outs to ethically dubious photoshoot challenges.It also introduced so many impressionable viewers to the debonair, square-jawed charms of Nigel Barker, the celebrity photographer who would become the show’s longest-running judge.Sign up for the Queerty newsletter to get your fix of heartthrobs with a side of the hottest queer news and culture.A post shared by Nigel Barker (@nigelbarker)With his posh British accent, wry smile, and eye for style, Barker’s presence on the ANTM panel was responsible for many a sexual awakening among the show’s robust “baby gay” viewership.
His critiques were often tough but fair, and his ability to stay calm and cool when things flew off the handle on the show (as they frequently did) made him all the more alluring.While the now 52-year-old is straight—he’s been married to model Cristen Chin since 1999—that didn’t stop him from becoming a truly formative crush for so many of us.“At the time, I had not done reality TV, and I was also learning as I went along,” Manuel says. “It was a struggle to process some stuff at times.”So, what’s he been up to lately?
More like: What hasn’t he been up to lately. Barker’s kept busy post-ANTM as a creative director, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and he even launched his own namesake brand of bottled espresso martinis.
And, no shade, but none of those endeavors have brought him the level of attention he received during his reality TV heyday.
