A stressed out Tyra Banks says she nearly walked away from “America’s Next Top Model” not long ago.
“I’ve thought about turning the reigns over,” she tells The Post. “I had to be reminded that [ the show ] is my baby. A few years ago, I was willing to give my baby up for adoption!”
The former model, 38, says she has now engaged a personal, executive coach to help her cope with the pressures of running a global modeling empire.
“I am learning how to delegate, and how to empower people,” she says. “It has decreased my stress more. Now we are going to be producing so much more television.
“I didn’t produce more TV because I am so much a mico-manager, hands on. But now, I realize that in order to truly grow, I have to delegate and find amazing people that are better at it than me.”
And these days, Banks can use all the help she can get.
She’s been forced to completely reinvent “Top Model,” which kicks off its 19th season on August 24.
Last spring, Banks decided to clean house — axing longtime judges Nigel Barker, 39, and Jay Alexander, 39. Barker has since signed on to host Naomi Campbell’s competing model show “The Face” on Oxygen channel.
Banks quickly regrouped, adding Kelly Catrone and international male model Rob Evans to her panel for the upcoming college-themed cycle.
“We’re calling it ‘Fierce Friday Foursome,’” she says. “The fourth judge is the home audience, which we’ve never done before.”
Banks says she still envisions that one day the show could go on without her.
“We have 24 formats around the Globe that don’t have me,” she says. “So (in this country), I would hope so.”