Latest news with #beautyqueen
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Beauty queen dramatically steps down as Miss Grand International after citing 'toxic environment'
A beauty queen has dramatically stepped down as Miss Grand International after just eight months - citing a 'toxic environment.' Rachel Gupta, an Indian model and actress, who made history as the first Indian to win the Miss Grand International title in October 2024, has handed back her crown. The 21-year-old claimed she endured a toxic environment, body shaming, and unfulfilled promises by the pageant's organizers. In a 56-minute YouTube video called 'The Truth About Miss Grand International – My Story,' the model broke down in tears as she shared her experience of her short reign. She said she was subjected to demeaning comments about her body, including an incident where a representative allegedly pinched her and told her to ' lose weight here and here.' Rachel described it as 'so embarrassing' and said it made her feel 'so small and so bad.' 'I realized they would never, never support me, and I was completely on my own,' she said. Gupta also alleged that she was made to live in substandard conditions - first in a cramped hotel room and later in a dilapidated house in Bangkok without basic amenities. She claimed that the organization failed to provide the promised financial and logistical support, forcing her parents to assist her financially. The former Miss Grand International also accused the pageant of exploiting her by making her sell products on TikTok. 'They made us sell these cheap, tacky products on TikTok like we were salesgirls,' she revealed. In response to her video, the Miss Grand International organization dismissed Gupta's claims as 'false, misleading, and defamatory,' in an Instagram post. The organization accused her of relying on 'emotional appeals and tearful storytelling without any physical evidence to support her claims.' It also released statements and evidence, including photos of her accommodations and email correspondence, to counter her allegations. The organization officially terminated her title, citing her failure to fulfill her duties and accusing her of seeking inappropriate favors, such as free cosmetic surgery for relatives. Rachel warned future contestants of systemic problems within the pageant, stating, 'I don't think they can ever change this.' Christine Juliane Opiaza from the Philippines is set to be crowned as Gupta's replacement on June 3. has reached out to both parties for further comment. Rachel's resignation follows a similar exit by England's Miss World contestant Milla Magee. Milla, 24, had initially blamed her abrupt departure from the pageant in Hyderabad, India, on 'personal reasons.' But now the truth behind her exit has been revealed – and it paints a disturbing picture of a pageant she claims is 'outdated' and 'stuck in the past.' The history-making beauty – the first Miss England in the competition's 74-year history to resign – said she had gone in with hopes of making a difference. 'I went there to make a difference but we had to sit like performing monkeys,' she told The Sun, accusing organizers of turning her into little more than eye candy for wealthy male sponsors. Milla revealed contestants were ordered to doll up in heavy make-up and evening gowns from morning to night – even at breakfast – and were paraded at events purely to charm deep-pocketed backers. She said the experience made her feel 'like a prostitute' who was being 'farmed out for entertainment.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Mystery as Miss Universe beauty queen dies suddenly aged 28
A beauty queen who competed in the Miss Universe pageant has died tragically at the age of 28. The death of María Lorena Argüello, a semifinalist in Ecuador's Miss Universe pageant last year, was confirmed by the nation's pageant committee on Sunday. No further details were provided. 'We stand with respect and solidarity with her family and loved ones in this time of grief,' the Concurso Nacional de Belleza said in a statement on Instagram. 'Her memory will always be with us.' Argüello represented Ecuador's capital city of Quito in the 2024 contest, her first-ever pageant. She obtained medical surgeon degree from the University of Las Americas on June 30, 2024, three weeks before she came up short in the pageant. Argüello's unexpected death stunned her friend María Topic, who went on to be crowned Miss Universe Ecuador. 'Today heaven gained a beautiful soul,' Topic wrote on social media. 'My heart mourns your passing, but I trust that God holds you in his arms. Nadia Mejía, who was crowned Miss California 2016 and competed in last month's Miss Universe Ecuador contest, described Argüello as 'one of the kindest people' she had ever come across. '[She was] always supporting others and lifting them up with her light. A true queen,' Mejía wrote on her Instagram. 'God gained a true angel today. Please pray for peace for her family and friends at this time. So much love for you, Lore.' María José Córdova recalled competing against Argüello for the chance to represent Ecuador at the Miss Universe pageant and how it led to a long-lasting friendship. 'At first, this seemed like just a pageant, but it ended up being a family. Although we started in 2024, we remain united because we all created bonds that go beyond the crown,' Córdova wrote. 'Today, it pains us to see her go, but it comforts us to know that she did what she loved: discovering herself and shining,' she added. 'Her passing reminds us that every step leaves a mark, and that with faith, love, and hope, we can continue fighting for our dreams. 'May her example always inspire us to give our best, in her honor, and for all those who share this path.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
I'm a 6ft beauty queen but stuck being single because I'm so successful – men are too scared to approach me
A BEAUTY queen has revealed that despite her modelling success and business acumen, she is stuck being single. Harriotte Lane, 24, claimed that men are too intimidated by her looks and jet-setting lifestyle to ask her out. 4 4 As reported by the Daily Star, the model acknowledged that guys are too scared to ask her out on dates as a result of her pageant queen looks. But the strawberry blonde stressed that despite men her age lacking the confidence to approach her, she is happily single for now and is enjoying the lavish lifestyle she has built for herself. The young woman, who runs her own successful pageant coaching company Crown Coach, has just been announced as Miss Grand United Kingdom to compete in Miss Grand International in Bangkok, Thailand, later this year. But the beautiful 6ft model is eager to demonstrate that she hasn't just got the looks, but has brains too. Harriotte, from Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, said: "I think because I'm a beauty queen and successful, it puts guys my age off from approaching me.' But Harriotte is 'ok with that' as she only wants someone who will 'add' something to her life, or 'is successful.' She stressed that this is the case for her with friends or a partner coming into her life, as she voiced: 'They need to be adding value and be very confident. "I know the right person who's my match will come at the right time but at the moment I'm very happy travelling the world and focusing on what I have." The business owner, who has scooped multiple beauty pageant crowns over the years, said she's passionate about promoting the industry that she credits for empowering women. She claimed that she 'started out as a shy girl' with a limited number of friends. World's first AI beauty pageant slammed as 'more curse than blessing' as people claim it's sign world 'getting dumber' Not only this, but she also felt that she didn't 'fit into society' during her early teenage years. But Harriotte has since been able to turn her life around and credits pageantry for giving her the opportunity to find like-minded women who are focused and driven. The History of Britain's Beauty Pageants Following World War Two, a number of seaside resorts around the United Kingdom introduced beauty contests. The first pageant of its kind, held in Morecambe in 1945, went on to become Miss Great Britain. Alongside it was Miss England, which had its first competition in 1928 but got properly underway as a beauty pageant in 1953. The winner of the first ever Miss Great Britain in 1945 was 18-year-old Lydia Reid, a civil service typist, who received a cup and a paltry prize (according to the local paper) of seven guineas, as well as a swimsuit. Prize money increased to £100 the following year, £500 the next and reached £1,000 in the fifties due to the competition's popularity, with it becoming a form of seaside entertainment for holidaying Brits. 'The contests were aimed at a family audience,' a blurb on the Miss GB website reads. 'Men could enjoy watching pretty girls, women could have fun backing their favourites and young girls could aspire to be a bathing beauty when they grew up.' Morecambe Town Council put the contest up for sale following the 1989 final and it was purchased by new owners who rebranded it as the 'Miss Great Britain Organisation'. As well as this, Harriotte, who grew up in a working family household, is now living her best life. She beamed: "I've been able to travel the world, do humanitarian work and actually live a life that people would genuinely only get to dream of.' I think because I'm a beauty queen and successful, it puts guys my age off from approaching me Harriotte Lane The proud northern lass now hopes to inspire others across the UK that they can achieve their dreams - as she is with Miss Grand International. She explained: 'You don't have to come from the capital to achieve extraordinary things. I'm very proud to be representing Newcastle.' Harriotte recognised that judges of pageants are looking for more than just someone beautiful. She claimed that now, entrants will need 'body, brain, beauty and business', as she concluded: "They're looking for someone who is an all-rounder."
Independent Singapore
21-05-2025
- Independent Singapore
Miss Grand International 2021 Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien taken into custody for fibre supplement fraud
VIETNAM: Vietnamese beauty queen Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, who won Miss Grand International back in 2021, was arrested on Monday! According to VNExpress , it's all tied to this investigation about tricking customers over those Kera Supergreens Gummies, the fibre supplement she was promoting. The 26-year-old beauty queen is under investigation for allegedly deceiving consumers, according to Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security. Tien co-owned Kera Supergreens Gummies with other investors, and authorities discovered that she controlled a 30% profit stake in the company. It was not just Tien promoting these gummies. She teamed up with two other influencers, Pham Quang Linh and Nguyen Thi Thai Hang, and they were all publicly talking about how great the product was back in December of last year. On her Facebook page, she was telling everyone that these gummies were a healthy snack and that just one gummy was like eating a whole plate of vegetables! She even said they were good for people of all ages. It turns out a customer was unsure about these gummies and decided to get them tested on their own at a place called the Quality Assurance and Testing Centre 2. And that's when the truth started to come out and all the controversy began. Each box of those gummies, even though it was supposed to have a good amount of fibre, actually only had a tiny 0.51 grams! That's way less than what they were saying. And after all the fuss started, Tien quickly took down all her posts promoting the gummies from social media. It turns out that the people in charge of food safety in Ho Chi Minh City did an official test on these gummies. They did this because the Food Safety Department, which is part of the Ministry of Health, asked them to. It sounds like the higher-ups were definitely concerned and wanted to get to the bottom of what was really in these things.
Independent Singapore
19-05-2025
- Independent Singapore
Chinese beauty queen Li SI Xuan sentenced to jail for faking Columbia University credentials to enter HKU
CHINA: Chinese beauty queen, Li Si Xuan, is going to jail for faking her qualifications from Columbia University to get into The University of Hong Kong (HKU), according to VnExpress. Based on a report by 8days, the 28-year-old was sentenced to 240 days in jail, reduced from the original 300-day term. Another 40 days will also be served separately. Her defence lawyer argued for clemency, pointing to her regret and the lack of evidence indicating that the fraudulent documents were used for personal financial advantage. The court found that her acts had no bearing on the admission of any other candidates. Fake documents In 2021, Li Si Xuan applied to HKU, and to make her application look good, she said she'd already finished studying linguistics at Columbia University in New York. She even sent in fake documents, like made-up certificates, to back up her claims. And it actually worked – she got into HKU's Master's program for Applied Linguistics. See also Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth finalise divorce HKU started hearing some reports in 2024 about students possibly using fake documents, so they decided to look into it. And wouldn't you know it, when they actually checked with Columbia University, they found out that the beauty queen had never even been a student there. 'Pass' to 'Distinction' Besides forging documents and fabricating her undergraduate degree, Li was also caught having altered her Master's degree certificate. She even tried to make her time at HKU look better than it was! She apparently changed her grade from just a 'pass' to a much fancier 'distinction.' She even messed with the date of her graduation, saying it was on June 12 when it really happened on June 11. So, after finding out about all the fake documents and not being able to even talk to Li about it, HKU decided to put an end to it. They kicked her out of the program and then reported the whole thing to the police. When she finally confessed, Li admitted that she actually graduated from a university in Wuhan back in 2020. She even said she paid a company called 'Academic Emperor' to help her get into HKU and get all those fake qualifications. 'Academic Emperor' agency So, it turns out Li shelled out a whopping 380,000 yuan – that's like 67,000 Singapore dollars! – to this 'Academic Emperor' agency. And part of what she paid for was even access to some online course that was supposedly run by Columbia University. Li entered a guilty plea to two charges: faking her Master's degree results and forging paperwork to get into HKU. She acknowledged using outside agencies to execute the fraudulent activities. The 28-year-old won the Miss Woman of the Universe Shenzhen 2024 title, a contest organised by the same organisation that founded Mrs. Universe China.
