America’s Next Top Model legend Miss Jay Alexander has led a quiet life away from social media over the past few years, and in the new documentary ‘Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model,’ the runway coach revealed the devastating reason why.
The documentary— which is now streaming on Netflix— gave ‘ANTM’ their first on-camera interview with Miss Jay in years, during which he revealed that he has been left paralyzed from a stroke he had in 2022.
“On December 27th of 2022, I had a stroke. I woke up. I didn’t know where I was other than in the hospital,” he says in the documentary. “I spent five weeks in a coma, and I couldn’t walk. And I couldn’t talk. And I thought to myself, ‘What was I going to do?’
“…I’m the person who taught models how to walk,” he said. “I taught models how to walk, and now I can’t walk.”
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Miss Jay stated that, while he is still using a wheelchair, he is determined to walk again.
“I’m sure you’re going to see me again. It’s not over for me yet,” the 67-year-old insisted. “…I miss being the Queen of the Runway. The catwalks, of course.”
As ‘America’s Next Top Model’ fans will remember, Miss Jay— who taught host and executive producer Tyra Banks how to walk as a young model— appeared on the show’s first 18 seasons, from 2003-2012. In addition to serving as the models’ runway walk coach, he was also on the judging panel for several seasons.
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After Cycle 18, Miss Jay was infamously fired by Tyra, alongside veteran cast members Jay Manuel and Nigel Barker, who all appear in the new documentary. (Miss Jay did return briefly for Cycle 21 in 2014.)
In the documentary, Miss Jay revealed that his ‘ANTM’ friends Jay and Nigel visited him in the hospital after his stroke. Tyra— who he was once very close friends with— has yet to visit him.
“No, not yet,” Miss J said. “She just sent me a text she wants to come and visit me, but no not yet.”
“I don’t know whether he even wanted me to see him in that way,” Nigel says in the documentary of visiting Miss Jay in the hospital. “I was going to go see him. And that was just such a terrible shock and really upsetting and horrifying and scary. When he saw me, he was happy to see me, and the two of us cried, and I held him.”
“I could feel how upset he was for sure,” Jay stated. “I can only imagine where he was in his mind.”
Following his stroke, Miss Jay basically stopped posting to his social media accounts, prompting many fans to comment “Where is Miss Jay?” in the comment sections of existing posts. Last month, he posted the trailer for the new documentary to his Instagram account, his first new posts in several years.
In the comment section of the post, ‘ANTM’ Season 3 contestant Amanda Swafford (who is possibly best-remembered for being the model who was losing her eyesight) left a sweet message to Miss Jay.
“Miss J, I can sincerely say, was a light in a dark room,” she wrote. “My glitter on the runway.”
“They built a brand off the dreams of every girl who did that show.”
Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model premieres in 12 hours. pic.twitter.com/rS1pj4frVa
— Netflix (@netflix) February 15, 2026
‘Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model’ is not the only documentary about ‘ANTM’ coming out this year. In March, E!’s new documentary series, Dirty Rotten Scandals will also cover ‘America’s Next Top Model.’ Unlike ‘Reality Check,’ though, Tyra is not attached to the E! project.
You can watch a clip of Miss Jay in ‘Reality Check’ below.
“I taught models how to walk. And now I can’t walk.”
Miss J Alexander reveals he suffered a stroke a few years ago — but is determined to walk again.
Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model is now on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/WoQbcL7pPT
— Netflix (@netflix) February 16, 2026
(Photos: The CW; Instagram)
One Response
I loved Miss Jay. Tyra is truly a self centered person. Everything is about her. She wouldn’t have even sent Miss Jay a text if it weren’t for this documentary. The devastation of being paralyzed can make you feel hopeless and helpless. It is all consuming and you won’t find anyone that you know that will truly understand what you are going through. I wish Miss Jay continued healing and I pray he can walk again and that he has true friends that love him and want to be there for him.