Jennifer Hawkins Remembers Charlotte Dawson

Charlotte Dawson and Jennifer Hawkins shared the screen as a judge and host on the popular reality show. Photo: Getty

When season nine of Australia’s Next Top Model returns next week after a year’s hiatus in the wake of Charlotte Dawson’s death last February, the vivacious judge will be acknowledged in an opening tribute by guest star and American series creator Tyra Banks. Host Jennifer Hawkins says Dawson’s legacy lived on throughout filming.

“There was a lot of time between shows, which was a good decision. It really gave people the chance to mourn and grieve for Charlotte,” Hawkins tells WHO of the late star, who took her own life on Feb. 22, 2014, aged 47.

“The first episode back, everyone had a moment and spoke about [Dawson’s passing], and Tyra gave a tribute to Charlotte, which was really special.”

This year, the Top Model set and format has undergone a makeover, including a new scoring system and a different celebrity guest judge each week, including Jean Paul Gaultier and Kelly Osbourne, in place of a full-time replacement for Dawson. “It’s a fresh start, a fresh set, and it’s almost like there’s no elephant in the room,” explains Hawkins. “If you wanted to talk about Charlotte and remember her, it was very free and open.”

“It was a nice set, it was great to even be able to talk about her,” adds Hawkins, who stepped out with co-stars Alex Perry, Didier Cohen and Cohen’s new co-mentor Cheyenne Tozzi, for a premiere screening of season nine at Sydney’s Hoyts Entertainment Quarter on April 22.

“But once we got into shooting, it was a very different show and you have to step forward, I guess.”

Australia’s Next Top Model premieres Thurs., April 30 at 7.30PM on Fox8.

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For more of Hawkins’s exclusive interview – in which she opens up about her second year of marriage and why babies can wait – pick up this week's WHO, on stands now.