Playboy Reboots Iconic Playmate Search with Star Judges and New Reality Series

Playboy is expanding its comeback beyond its February annual issue.

The magazine is relaunching the Playmate search with a completely new approach and has a television project in early development.

This year’s competition, “The Great Playmate Search,” will shift away from the original 1978 “Playmate Hunt,” which relied on mailed ballots from fans.

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The updated version will be hosted online, making it accessible to a much wider audience.

Public voting will determine the initial round of contestants, but the final decisions will be made by a panel of former Playboy models. Judges will include Shanna Moakler, Summer Altice, Brandee Roderick, Daphnee Duplaix, and the 2025 Playmate of the Year, Gillian Nation.

The magazine is also developing a behind-the-scenes television series that will follow the casting process from auditions to the final selections.

A source compared the project’s style to Netflix’s “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders,” which chronicles the rigorous process of making the NFL cheer team.

Founded in 1953, Playboy became a global name for its distinctive mix of provocative photography and respected journalism.

The brand’s new competition and media plans aim to connect that legacy with a modern audience.