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Munich / Berlin (dpa) - Heidi Klum (47) wants to focus on more diversity in the search for the next top model this year.

"For me, Germany's next top model was never a blonde girl with blue eyes," she said on Monday in an online press conference.

"I've never looked for a blonde, blue-eyed girl."

In the 16th season of the casting show, which is to be broadcast on ProSieben from February 4, there are also candidates who do not quite correspond to the classic, tall, slim model type, who are smaller or thicker, have scars or are were born as a boy.

There is also a deaf candidate.

"I wanted to open the door wider," said Klum.

"We have to encourage it a little more, push a little more."

What is missing are older candidates.

“Of course, I can only take what comes,” she said, and encouraged “older women too” to consider themselves as future candidates.

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One candidate fled the war from Syria and has only been living in Germany for five years.

Here she graduated from high school.

"It's a great story and it has to be told," said Klum.

"Your German is better than mine and I was born here."

Her daughter Leni, who recently appeared on a joint cover picture with her mother on Vogue, will not play a major role this season, even if she is to be seen briefly in front of the camera.

"Actually, she doesn't play a role," said Klum.

"Maybe sometime in a few years."

Leni is not the only member of the Klum family to be there this year: Brother-in-law Bill Kaulitz, Tokio Hotel singer and twin brother of Klum's husband Tom, will also be featured.

Designer Wolfgang Joop will once again be a guest judge and - a surprise - comedian Otto Waalkes will also be on the jury alongside Klum.

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Because of the corona pandemic, the new season, which is usually mainly produced in Klum's adopted home of Los Angeles, had to be shot in Berlin.

And otherwise there were some restrictions: "We have only been tested non-stop," said Klum.

Nevertheless, she was unable to make a detour to her place of birth Bergisch Gladbach, where her family lives, because of the corona restrictions.

"That's a little further than 15 kilometers."

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210126-99-174318 / 3

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