Nigel Barker Defends Tyra Banks as Not 'Solely Responsible' for Wild 'America’s Next Top Model' Controversies: 'People Make Mistakes'

Nigel Barker is giving Tyra Banks the benefit of the doubt amid resurfaced America’s Next Top Model controversies.

Following the release of the bombshell Netflix documentary Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, the photographer exclusively revealed where he stands with the former host and whether he thinks she is truly to blame for the series’ past mistakes.

"If you say it's your show, it's your show. You're the creator and the executive producer, and it's your idea, and you call the shots, then it's your show," he said of Banks. "That's not to say she's solely responsible. There are a lot of people involved, including networks and production companies and everybody else. Everyone who is involved in that has to take responsibility for whatever does happen or doesn't happen."

One of the most disputed controversies explored in the Netflix docuseries surrounds Shandi Sullivan. The former contestant came forward to reveal that a male model sexually assaulted her while the show was shooting abroad. Instead of putting a stop to the behavior when she was intoxicated, producers kept cameras rolling and pushed the narrative of Sullivan cheating on her boyfriend from back at home.

"Everyone...clearly not production [members] who were there...but the viewing audience, the world who watched that were horrified and shocked, including myself," Barker, who judged 17 seasons of ANTM, expressed. "There were people who knew, clearly, and I did not. There's no way, personally, if I'd seen or heard of that happening, that I wouldn't have stepped in."

Looking back on the incident now, he feels particularly emotional, considering his daughter is around how old Sullivan was at the time. Likewise, 17-year-old Jasmine was "outraged" and "couldn't believe" producers chose to air the alleged assault.

"If I knew something like that, that they were drunk and didn't know what was happening, I would have stepped in and said, 'Hey, guys, it's time to go your own ways. Goodnight,'" Barker, 53, said.

When asked whether Banks, 52, knew about the situation while it was occurring, things became foggy for the Barker Co. founder.

"I don't know exactly how involved she was. Certainly, production did...Tyra wasn't in the control room as things were happening on the live feed. She would have maybe been at dinner," Barker explained. "Someone might have called her, but it wouldn't have been in real time."

Although he cuts Banks some slack, he was shocked when the Victoria's Secret Angel decided not to visit fellow judge Miss J. Alexander in the hospital after his near-fatal stroke.

"I've never been one to tell people what to do. All I do is try to lead by example or just do what I want to do. I wanted to be there because I'm his friend," Barker emphasized. "I wanted to be there because I thought he would want me to be there. He basically almost died, so of course, I would be there. There is no if, how, when, but, or why you do what you do in those moments. I can't speak for why other people do the things they do or don't say. That's also the nature of reality television. People say the weirdest and strangest of things. They behave in the wildest of ways. They do things that you would least expect."

Although Barker was booted from the ANTM franchise — alongside Alexander and Jay Manuel — in April 2012, he remains on good terms with Banks.

"Since then, I've had lunch with Tyra. We've talked. We've chatted. Things have happened. We've hung out..." he recalled. "People make mistakes. They do bad, silly things, but you try to judge them by the weight of your entire experience with them, not just that one moment."