Do you have what it takes?: Supermodel Tyra Banks runs competition for models on Instagram and Twitter (LOOK)

April 5, 2013 |

April 5, 2013

A British teenage boy is considering a career in modelling after being spotted by supermodel Tyra Banks… on Instagram

As part of an online competition, the presenter of America’s Next Top Model shared the photos of just 16 young people – including 17-year-old Liam Hulmes – with her 1.3m Instagram followers, beneath the banner ‘he has what it takes’.

Liam, who lives with his family in Mossley, Greater Manchester, and is studying for his AS-levels at Ashton Sixth Form College, was stunned by Banks’ attention and is now thinking about compiling an image portfolio and contacting modelling agencies.

Liam Hulmes entered this photo of himself into Tyra Banks’ ‘do you have what it takes?’ Instagram competition and she plucked it out of hundreds of thousands of entries

Liam Hulmes was spotted by supermodel Tyra Banks on Instagram

Tyra Banks saw something she liked in Liam Hulmes

Liam Hulmes, left, was selected by supermodel Tyra Banks, right, as part of her ‘do you have what it takes’ Instagram competition – and she showed his photo to her 1.3m followers on the photo-sharing app

He said: ‘Tyra has been running a competition on Instagram and Twitter saying “do you have what it takes?”.

‘I replied, but I never expected to be chosen. She’s only picked a few pictures – most of them girls from America – and me.’

Banks – who also has 8.5m Twitter followers – is running the model-scouting competition via the photo-sharing app in the run-up to the next series of America’s Next Top Model, and tens of thousands of young hopefuls sent her a photo of themselves, desperate to be told that ‘you have what it takes’.

Just two of her selected entries were male, and when she shared Liam’s head-shot on 30 March she added the caption: ‘Oh boy, he sure does… do you?’ This prompted a flurry of inquisitions from catwalk wannabes vying for her attention beneath, plus other comments commending Bank’s selection.

Liam, 17, is now considering a career on the catwalk

iam with his parents Deborah and Harry, and his 19-year-old sister Georgia

Liam, pictured right with his family, said: ‘I’m going to keep both my feet on the ground and continue with college. Who knows – maybe this will be something extra’

But sensible Liam – who lives with his parents Harry and Deborah and sister Georgia, 19 – is determined not to let the sudden influx of attention distract him from his studies.

‘I’d never even considered modelling before now, I just see myself as an ordinary boy from Mossley’
He said: ‘I’d never even considered modelling before now, I’ve never considered myself capable of doing something like that, I just see myself as an ordinary boy from Mossley.

‘I’m going to keep both my feet on the ground and continue with college. Who knows – maybe this will be something extra.’

To see all of Tyra Banks’ selections and apply yourself, visit her Instagram page