logo
AI clones of Miss England contestants enter pageant competition with eerie ‘digital twins'

AI clones of Miss England contestants enter pageant competition with eerie ‘digital twins'

The Sun18-07-2025
AN EERIE new AI round for the Miss England pageant has been introduced with "digital twins" of real-life contestants.
Hopefuls can now walk down a virtual catwalk and wear just about anything their heart desires all thanks to the power of AI.
5
5
The so-called "Miss England Avatar Round" give beauty queens the chance to step into the world of AI technology.
Organisers behind the famed contest believe it's the first beauty pageant in the world to introduce such a round.
Over the course of two-hours, each participant can develop a fully-animated digital clone of themselves, capable of delivering presentations and making virtual appearances.
Afton McKeith, daughter of I'm A Celeb star Gillian McKeith, was the first Miss England semi finalist to complete the filming process this week.
A sample video shows her virtual clone interacting, wearing an array of outfits and even speaking in different languages.
"This is not actually me, I am Afton's digital twin," the avatar says.
"I have no human needs, no sleep, no stress, no make-up disasters.
"Just pure calculated perfection.
"Very soon digital twins won't be a novelty, they will be attending meetings, handling interviews and running entire lives.
"Lets face it, wouldn't you rather send your avatar to your 9am meeting if you could?"
mum's an I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! legend. But Afton's more likely to be found backstage at a pageant than in the jungle
Miss England has got tech firm MirrorMe on board to make the new round possible.
Contestants need to record voiceovers and movements to bring their avatars to life, allowing them to explore how they might represent themselves in future digital interviews, business pitches, or public speaking engagements - with the ability to speak more than 140 languages too.
The Miss England business avatar round will be one of ten rounds in the next Miss England semi final that contestants can opt to enter.
A winner will be judged on the highest combined views for their AI video presentations on the MirrorMe website, Vimeo and YouTube.
The real Afton, 25, said: "It's such an exciting honour to be the first Miss England contestant to experience the Avatar Round.
"This initiative is a brilliant way to encourage more young women to step into the world of business and technology.
"A digital twin can be a powerful asset as it allows you to create content that can be reused, save time on filming and even license your likeness to companies for campaigns or educational tools.
"It's about working smarter and exploring new ways to build your brand, create income and stay present even when you're not physically available."
Angie Beasley, who has run the Miss England competition for 23 years, added: 'Miss England has always been about more than just looks.
"With the rise of remote working, AI and virtual platforms, I felt it was time to reflect the world our contestants are stepping into.
"This round is about confidence, presence and impact — whether you're in the room or on a screen.
"It's an empowering way to bridge beauty, brains and modern tech.
"This innovative new round opens the door for contestants to embrace technology in a whole new way, highlighting their adaptability, creativity, and communication skills in the digital space."
5
5
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Without hesitation as the whistle blows... The wit, wisdom and epitaph of a comic genius: CRAIG BROWN
Without hesitation as the whistle blows... The wit, wisdom and epitaph of a comic genius: CRAIG BROWN

Daily Mail​

time17 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Without hesitation as the whistle blows... The wit, wisdom and epitaph of a comic genius: CRAIG BROWN

When is a comedy not a comedy? Perhaps when it involves Radio 4's quiz show Just A Minute and the incomparable Kenneth Williams. As I explained on Tuesday, I am addicted to the website which offers complete transcripts of every episode of the show, dating back to the 1960s. On one episode, broadcast on January 20, 1976, Williams had to speak on the subject of 'When It Is My Go'. He used the topic to round on his fellow panellists. 'When it is my go,' he began, 'I should be allowed to get under way properly and not be interfered with by pygmy-like minutiae and rubbish from other people... 'Get out, you old gasbag!' and rudeness! Whereas I, used to the cloistered world, or groves of academe, as they are sometimes called, should proceed evenly and calmly through life on some vast panopoly. Silken gowns and beauty, noise. No ugly chants. No discord shall interrupt!' At this point, he accused his fellow panellists of failing to interrupt for sly reasons of their own. 'Oh, I realise I'm being set up rotten!' he continued. 'They've all just decided . . .' But then the whistle went: he had completed the minute, without hesitation, deviation or repetition. However, instead of being triumphant, he was wary, complaining. 'They just sat there with no intention of pressing their buttons… I could see what they were doing: give him enough rope and he'll hang himself!' Throughout his life as a comic, Kenneth Williams worried that audiences were laughing at him rather than with him. His diaries form a record of extravagant exhibitionism juxtaposed with intense self-loathing. They often seem to echo the philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, who wrote in his 1836 journal: 'I have just returned from a party of which I was the life and soul; wit poured from my lips, everyone laughed and admired me, but I went away – and wanted to shoot myself.' On another episode, Williams expatiated on the subject of 'Wellies'. 'The other use to which they could be put is shoved under a drainpipe and thus you collect water which in these times of emergency . . .' he began. A buzzer went. The actor Alfred Marks was challenging him. 'I don't know of many drainpipes that would take a full-sized welly,' said Marks. Williams erupted with what appeared to be genuine fury. 'I don't care what drainpipes you're familiar with, mate! You don't know anything about drainpipes! You've never been round my place! What a nerve! Sitting there pontificating about drainpipes! You know nothing about them! What do you know about plumbing! You couldn't even change a washer! 'Look at him! He's gone white! He sits there – what a nerve! You've interrupted one of our great pundits! I know more about plumbing than you've had hot dinners!' At this point, panellist Peter Jones interjected: 'You've touched on a very sensitive area there, Alfred!' 'How dare you!' retorted Williams. Another time, he was asked to speak on 'My Other Self'. 'It is the side of me few people ever see,' he said. 'I closely guard this private person because all of us do cherish some secret feeling which we feel, if it were to be betrayed… 'It was Emerson, I believe, who said we have as many personalities as we have friends. Mine consequently are varied and extraordinary. Many times, people say, 'Well, we saw a side of you we didn't know existed! How won-derful it was to have the curtain or the veil, as it were, lifted on your pro-cliv-ities!'' There were roars of laughter but, once again, the private man had unwittingly revealed his vulnerability. Williams did have many personalities: in his private diary he would often employ five or six entirely different styles of handwriting. And most of his personalities were tormented. In February 1976, asked to speak on 'My Epitaph', he quoted – or slightly misquoted – these lines from Gray's Elegy: Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth A youth to fortune and to fame well known And talent smiled upon his humble birth, But melancholy claimed him for her own.

Geri Horner celebrates with the Lionesses at Oasis' Wembley concert after the team won the women's Euros final
Geri Horner celebrates with the Lionesses at Oasis' Wembley concert after the team won the women's Euros final

Daily Mail​

time19 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Geri Horner celebrates with the Lionesses at Oasis' Wembley concert after the team won the women's Euros final

Geri Horner celebrated with the Lionesses as they attended Oasis' concert at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday after the team won the women's Euros final. The former Spice Girl, 52, joined Alex Greenwood, Hannah Hampton and Alessia Russo in the crowd the band's hotly-anticipated reunion. The team roared to victory in Sunday's match following a nail-biting game, which finished with an incredible 3-1 penalty shoot out win. Congratulating them on their win, Geri joined the girls for a photo before they took their seats for the gig. She captioned her Instagram post: 'They're home!' After a run of homecoming gigs in Manchester's Heaton Park, Oasis returned to London last week, where they will play five shows. Elsewhere, Geri has faced yet another blow when it was revealed her book company has racked up a huge £1million debt. It comes following the news her husband Christian was released from his operational duties as the boss of Red Bull one year after the scandal that engulfed him over texts he apparently sent to a female employee. According to a new publication Geri could now be facing her own troubles as her company Falcon Queen Productions has sunk further into the red. The Mirror reports, Geri had a deficit of £750,000 in the year ending August 2024, compared to a £276,000 the previous year. The singer released her children's books, Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen and Rose Frost: Ice On Fire via the firm. However, her 'main company, Wonderful Productions, earned £2.16m in the 12 months to August last year.' Wonderful Productions was set up by Geri in 1997 at the height of the Spice Girls' fame and channels earnings from her career in music and other commercial deals. MailOnline has contacted Geri's representative for comment. Christian was released from his operational duties as the boss of Red Bull earlier this month. It ends the longest reign of Formula One team principals in the sport and comes a year after the scandal that engulfed him over texts he apparently sent to a female employee. Red Bull issued a statement confirming the news, reading: 'Red Bull has released Christian Horner from his operational duties with effect from today, Wednesday 9 July 2025, and has appointed Laurent Mekies as CEO of Red Bull Racing.' Horner's former Spice Girl wife Geri stood by her husband after the explosive accusations rocked the Formula One paddock last year. Horner has vehemently denied the claims. Screenshots of alleged WhatsApp messages between Horner and a Red Bull employee were leaked anonymously the day after a three-week investigation, carried out externally, cleared the 51-year-old of all allegations. Horner survived accusations of coercive behaviour towards his colleague – and was twice cleared in internal investigations of wrongdoing.

Revolut eyes US expansion amid clash between Chancellor and the Bank of England over its UK licence
Revolut eyes US expansion amid clash between Chancellor and the Bank of England over its UK licence

Daily Mail​

time19 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Revolut eyes US expansion amid clash between Chancellor and the Bank of England over its UK licence

Revolut wants to expand in the US amid tensions between the Chancellor and the Bank of England over its plans in the UK. The British fintech firm is reportedly weighing up buying an American lender to allow it to operate in the US as the wait for full authorisation in the UK drags on. Revolut's application for a UK banking licence was approved in 2024 after a three-year delay, but it still faces restrictions on lending. It emerged this week that Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey blocked Rachel Reeves from brokering a meeting with regulators and Revolut to help the company secure a full licence. She had tried to set up talks between the fintech, the Treasury and the Prudential Regulation Authority, which is an arm of the Bank. Bailey had concerns that the Bank's regulatory activities should be independent from political interference, the Financial Times reported. Revolut and the Bank declined to comment. The Treasury has been contacted. The US market would provide access to a large pool of customers and potentially higher deposits.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store