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Deal or No Deal is returning to CNBC in December, and although it is being called “all-new,” it will still have a group of female-only models who stand next to briefcases.

One of those models is a former Survivor contestant, who appeared on two seasons of the show,a nd another appeared on America’s Next Top Model.

CNBC said the 26 models include:

“up-and-coming DJ/model Mahogany Lox who is also the granddaughter of Berry Gordy”

who is also the granddaughter of Berry Gordy” “two-time Survivor alum Brenda Lowe”

“A nchal Joseph of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 7″

of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 7″ “Anne Julia Hagen who was crowned Miss Germany [and] since earned a PH. D.,”

Brenda finished 10th on Survivor Nicaragua and in sixth place on Survivor Caramoan.

Anchal placed seventh during her season of Top Model.

Deal or No Deal’s models ‘have their own stories’

CNBC’s press release calls them “fascinating, accomplished women” who “each also have their own stories,” but in a 55-second preview released in late July, they just stand and smile, and host Howie Mandel found no time to let them speak.

It’s not clear how exactly those women’s stories will be told, or how their accomplishments will play into their new roles of standing still wearing identical outfits until Howie Mandel tells them to open a briefcase.

At the Television Critics Association summer press tour, executive producer Scott St. John said:

“We wanted to find a group of women that had life experiences that we thought would tie into what a lot of people are going to be coming on the show and talking about. I think we’ve done a great job with finding women who have engaging personalities, who are empathetic, who will be connected to playing the same way that Howie does. Obviously, this is a unique show, and the role that the women play on the show is unique, so our casting process was a little unique. It wasn’t like the traditional, Oh, let’s contact a modeling agency and book the 26 people that we think are the most attractive. That was not the whole entirety of it, by any stretch.”

Model Patricia Kara said, “we connected to the contestants every single time, every single game, and we connected with each other as well, which is really nice.”

And model Soraya Yd said this:

“Just thinking about the contestants, what we go through, the chance that they have, it’s just so beautiful. And we have the opportunity to be ourselves. The emotions that we feel, we’re not just a briefcase model. It’s more than that. We’re so connected to the contestants. It’s just a whole other level.”

Meanwhile, the show’s shadowy “banker,” a stand-in for the producers themselves, is now a woman, according to Howie Mandel. “The banker is now a female who seems to be even more shrewd than I remember,” he told TV critics.

She won’t, of course, be seen other than in shadow, nor will she talk. St. John confirmed that viewers “won’t hear any more about the banker in the background.” He didn’t say whether she was another model, a stand-in, or an actual member of the production.

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