Latest news with #pageant
Daily Mail
2 hours 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.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Miss Hawaiʻi crowns new queen: Miss Kaneʻohe
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Miss Hawaiʻi has crowned its 2025 regnant following a tough pageant at the Hawaiʻi Theatre, with the newly-crowned queen preparing to represent the islands at the Miss America pageant in September. Emalia Dalire, who participated in the pageant as Miss Kaneʻohe, was crowned Miss Hawaiʻi with Miss Moku O Keawe, Tatia Denis-McRight, serving as first runner up. Hundreds of native plants restored to Kailua Beach Park Dalire will make her way to the Sunshine State later this year for the Miss America pageant, which will take place in Orlando. In addition to competing in Miss America, Miss Hawaiʻi will also participate in various community initiatives and programs through her term.'Being crowned Miss Hawaiʻi 2025 is an indescribable honor and a dream come true. I feel overwhelmed with gratitude, knowing I get to represent the beauty, culture and mana of our islands,' Dalire said. 'This moment is not just mine. It belongs to every person who believed in me and helped unlock the key to life.' For more information on the Miss Hawaiʻi Organization, visit their website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Miss World organisers accused of being ‘vindictive and bitter' towards ex-contestant
Their mantra is 'beauty with a purpose'. But the organisers of the Miss World pageant have been accused of something altogether uglier: being 'vindictive and very bitter' towards a contestant who left over claims she had been used as window dressing. The reigning Miss England, Milla Magee, said she agreed to take part in the 2025 Miss World pageant because she believed it would be a platform to promote her campaign to have CPR included in the school curriculum. But she said the reality was very different. She left before the grand final in India on Saturday, saying she felt she was being exploited and claiming she and the other women felt they had been provided as entertainment for investors as a 'thank you'. Miss World organisers responded with a statement in which they referred to 'false and defamatory statements' that they said were 'completely unfounded and inconsistent with the reality of her time with us'. The organisation's chief executive, Julia Morley, went further in an interview with the Hindu newspaper, in which she accused Magee of leaving because she 'believed she didn't stand a chance in the competition'. On Saturday, Magee said: 'What Julia said was vindictive and very bitter. And it was a ridiculous statement. I did not leave because I thought I was not going to win. I left because I wanted to stand for what I believe in and it didn't align with my values. And I would hate for another young girl to go into this system after watching me this past year and have to experience the same.' Magee said there were a 'lot of tears behind the smiles' at the Miss World event in Hyderabad and she was unwilling to 'promote a lie'. She said that while the pageant purported to be about 'beauty with purpose', she found it to be about 'wearing different ballgowns every day and what you look like'. She said: 'I felt like I've been fed a false narrative of this system that promotes 'beauty with a purpose', that's supposed to be about advocacy and what you champion for. And I thought, right, this is a real good opportunity for me on a global stage to be able to talk about [my campaign] Go Far with CPR. This isn't about me standing on the stage, this isn't about what I wear. It's not about what I look like.' Instead, Magee claimed she found she and the other contestants were there more to look pretty and to entertain guests, with only limited opportunity given to promote their causes. In one instance, she alleged, a man she could not identify walked up to her and said: 'Next time I'm in London or England, hook me up,' leaving her feeling uncomfortable. Magee also said she felt Miss World had exposed her to anger from its backers by posting its statement on social media for them to comment on – failing, she said, in its duty of care to her. Nevertheless, she said, she had been 'inundated' with messages from women who had taken part in pageants 'saying how they felt the exact same'. She called on the organisation to modernise, saying: 'They have a big responsibility to acknowledge what I've said, acknowledge and listen to the reasons of why I left, to not just so quickly and irresponsibly put out a statement to say it's because I didn't think I was going to win.' Miss World has been contacted for comment.
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Free Malaysia Today
Tamparuli girl crowned 2025 state-level Unduk Ngadau
The 2025 state-level Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan, Atitih Yatie Robert, has a degree in education from Universiti Putra Malaysia. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Atitih Yatie Robert has been crowned the winner of the 2025 state-level Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan pageant, beating 50 other contestants to the title. Atitih, who hails from Tamparuli, won RM17,500 in cash, a North Borneo University College scholarship worth about RM35,000, a return trip to South Korea as well as a year's supply of rice, among other prizes. She is a graduate of Universiti Putra Malaysia with a bachelor's degree in education, majoring in Bahasa Melayu. Elka Alika Pijeh from Tambunan was the runner-up, earning her RM13,000, a scholarship worth RM30,000 to NBUC, while Celarin Jenny from Kiulu came in third, the Borneo Post reported. The latter received RM10,500 in cash and also an NBUC scholarship worth RM20,000, among others. The Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan pageant is held annually as part of the harvest festival in Sabah.
The Independent
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Miss England quits Miss World pageant claiming organisers ‘farmed' her out for entertainment
The Miss World Organisation has denied Miss England 's allegation that she was 'farmed out for entertainment'. Less than a week before the Miss World 2025 finale, being held in the southern India city of Hyderabad, Miss England Milla Magee quit the competition claiming the participants were made to 'sit like performing monkeys'. Magee, 24, from Newquay, Cornwall, told The Sun she couldn't 'morally' continue as the pageant was 'outdated' and 'stuck in the past'. When she first left the pageant on 16 May, it was attributed to 'personal reasons'. But Magee then claimed the participants had been made to 'entertain' middle-aged male investors. 'There were two girls to each table of six guests. We were expected to sit with them for the whole evening and entertain them as a thank you,' she told the tabloid. 'I found that unbelievable. I remember thinking, 'This is so wrong'. I didn't come here to be farmed out for people's entertainment. Miss World is supposed to have the same values, but it's outdated and stuck in the past. They made me feel like a prostitute.' Magee also said the officials were 'disrespectful' to the participants and told them off for being 'boring'. 'It was a small incident, but it showed what they really thought of us and how little respect we were being treated with,' she said. Miss World Organisation CEO Julia Morley denied Magee's claims as 'false and defamatory'. 'Earlier this month, Milla Magee requested to leave the competition due to a reported family emergency involving her mother's health. As a mother and grandmother herself, Julia Morley CBE, Chairwoman of Miss World, responded to Milla's situation with compassion and immediately arranged her return to England, placing the well-being of the contestant and her family first,' the statement read. 'Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that certain UK media outlets have published false and defamatory statements, allegedly made by Milla Magee, regarding her experience in India. These claims are completely unfounded and inconsistent with the reality of her time with us. In response, the Miss World Organisation is releasing unedited videos recorded during Milla's stay in India, in which she expresses gratitude, joy, and appreciation for the experience. These videos reflect her own words and sentiments and serve as a direct contradiction to the recent false narratives.' Jayesh Ranjan, a senior official in Telangana state, of which Hyderabad is the capital, told Indian media that an internal inquiry had been conducted and Magee's allegations were 'fabricated and highly exaggerated'. 'We reviewed the CCTV footage from that night,' he was quoted as saying by The Hindu, referring to the event where Magee said the participants were told to entertain investors. 'It clearly shows that Milla Magee was seated with one man and four women, the gentleman being a senior IAS officer, accompanied by his wife, daughter-in-law, and their guests. He is known for his impeccable reputation and professionalism. To suggest he made any inappropriate advances, especially in the presence of his family members, is absurd and unbelievable.' The event in question appears to be a cultural evening at the Chowmahalla Palace held on 13 May since it is the only one of the three formal social events in the official itinerary of the Miss World 2025 pageant. According to a report in The News Minute, which spoke to an unnamed senior government official who was part of the inquiry, Magee was seated at the table with Miss Wales who raised no similar complaint. Ranjan said he spoke to several other contestants whose experiences were 'completely contrary to what Miss England has alleged'. 'The only minor complaint we heard from some contestants was about the overwhelming number of people requesting selfies, something they found excessive, but not sinister,' Ranjan added. After Magee's departure, Miss England first runner-up Charlotte Grant arrived in India on Wednesday to represent the country at the final scheduled to be held on 31 May.
