Edinburgh duo aim to bring home double national pageant crowns in historic first

Scotsman

21 hours ago

Actress and model Jennifer Winter, and finance manager Samantha Masuku are aiming for a double win at the UK's longest-running beauty pageant, Miss Great Britain, in October – making them the first ever Scottish duo to do so.
The brunette beauties beat dozens of other competitors to be crowned Miss and Ms Great Britain Edinburgh during a glittering ceremony at the glamourous Prestonfield House last week (Thursday, June, 5).
Now, they are preparing to represent the city in the Miss and Ms categories on the national stage in Leicester in October, in the hopes of bringing both titles back to Edinburgh for the first time in the pageant's 80-year history.
Jennifer, who came second in last year's competition, said: 'This is a total dream come true for me.
'Never did I think I'd be heading to the Miss Great Britain stage, especially after only entering my first pageant last year, but I've absolutely fallen in love with the experience and everything the system stands for.
'Last year, I came runner-up to Ava Morgan, who went on to be crowned Miss Great Britain 2024. It was such an inspiring moment and lit a fire in me to come back stronger and with a real sense of purpose.
'Now, to have won the Miss GB Edinburgh title myself and be following in Ava's footsteps is incredibly special, and to potentially make history by achieving a double win for Scotland in the same year would be the greatest honour.'
Samantha added: 'It means so much to me to be the first Black woman to hold the title of Ms Great Britain Edinburgh.
'Representation matters and I want to inspire young women from all backgrounds to believe in themselves and chase their dreams.
'I hope to make history by becoming the first national Ms Great Britain winner from Edinburgh, while using this platform to celebrate diversity and empowerment.'
Eighteen women competed in the Miss and Ms divisions of the competition, with contestants raising over £10,000 for Cancer Research UK and A-Sisterhood, an organisation that supports women's charities worldwide.
Now, Jennifer and Samantha hope to use their platforms to continue to raise funds and awareness for the causes close to each of them.
Samantha, who travelled from Zimbabwe to the UK as a refugee when she was just seven, said: 'After surviving a childhood marked by war, abuse, and homelessness, I've spent the past decade rebuilding my life in Scotland, raising my son alone while working my way up to a regional finance manager role.
'Now, through this platform, I'm pursuing my true calling by creating opportunities, safety and empowerment for minority children and women who deserve the chance to thrive.'
Jennifer added: 'Pageants have given me something positive to focus on during the hardest year of my life.
'But through the hardship, I have chosen to reclaim my voice and turn pain into purpose through my platform, Walk Through It.
'My mission now is to empower women to keep moving forward, even if it's just one small step at a time.'
Kay Morgan, Director of Miss and Ms Great Britain Edinburgh, said: 'Jennifer and Samantha are shining examples of what modern pageantry is all about: strength, authenticity and purpose.
'They each bring such powerful personal stories and are using their platforms to uplift others and create meaningful change not just here in Edinburgh, but across the country.
'We're incredibly proud to support them and can't wait to see what they achieve on the national stage.'
Established in 1945, Miss Great Britain has long been recognised as the UK's oldest pageant, with former winners including Capital FM presenter Amy Meisak and Scots model and dancer Deone Robertson.
Now in its second year, the Miss Great Britain Edinburgh organisation has enjoyed outstanding success at the national final, with last year's representative Ava Morgan crowned the overall winner against more than 60 delegates.
Kay added: 'Last year, Ava Morgan made history by becoming the first ever Miss Great Britain Edinburgh to go on and win the national Miss Great Britain title, bringing the crown back to Scotland.
'Now, with Jennifer following directly in Ava's footsteps, there's a real chance we could see it happen again, and for the first time in the competition's 80-year history, we could see both the Miss and Ms Great Britain titles come from the same region.
'With two such inspiring, determined and capable women flying the flag for Edinburgh, I truly believe this could be a landmark year not just for Scotland, but for the entire Miss Great Britain organisation.'
To find out more about Miss and Ms Great Britain Edinburgh, follow them on Instagram or email: [email protected]
The Miss Great Britain grand finals take place Friday, October 17, and will crown three winners – Miss Great Britain, Ms Great Britain and Ms Great Britain Classic.
1 . Contributed
Samantha Masuku has been crowned Ms Great Britain Edinburgh (credit - Brian Hayes) Photo: Submitted Photo Sales
2 . Contributed
Jennifer Winter has been crowned Miss Great Britain Edinburgh (credit - Brian Hayes) Photo: Submitted Photo Sales
3 . Contributed
Samantha and Jennifer with last year's regional winners, Mouveen Sharma (L) and Miss Great Britain, Ava Morgan (R) Photo: Submitted Photo Sales
4 . Contributed
The finalists raised more than £10,000 for Cancer Research UK and A-Sisterhood (credit - Brian Hayes) Photo: Submitted Photo Sales
Related topics: Edinburgh