Miss World pageants’ darkish scandals – £250k cocaine haul to nudes leak and homicide

Eve Gilles grew to become the primary lady with quick hair to win Miss France in 103 years.

The 20-year-old, from Nord-Pas-de-Calais, strut her stuff in entrance of seven.5million viewers. She impressed judges along with her “androgynous look” and seemed beautiful because the crown was positioned on high of her pixie lower.

But sadly, she couldn’t benefit from the achievement for very lengthy. Keyboard warriors took to social media of their droves to disagree with the choice – with some even accusing pageant organisers of changing into “too woke”.

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On X, previously often called Twitter, one critic wrote: “Miss France is no longer a beauty contest but a woke contest which is based on inclusiveness.” Another said: “She doesn’t look anything like a Miss France.” And a third added: “Did we just have a woke Miss France or what?”



Eve Gilles sparked controversy when she grew to become the newly elected Miss France 2024
(Image: AFP by way of Getty Images)

Politicians and public figures have since stepped in to defend Eve, who maintains her victory is a win for “diversity”. And because the drama dies down, she can be trying ahead to competing at Miss World or Miss Universe.

It’s removed from the one scandal to rock the pageant over the many years. In reality, it makes Eve’s expertise appear to be a storm in a teacup if you look again in any respect the controversy that is gone on.

Here we have a look again on the wildest moments from contests passed by – from nudes leaks, to “inappropriate acts” and devastating crime…

Wild affairs



Marjorie Wallace in Scottish gown, January 1974
(Image: Daily Record)


The pageant queen was stripped of her title
(Image: Mirrorpix)

American Marjorie Wallace gained the 1973 contest at 19, however was the primary winner to be fired, 104 days later for “failing to fulfil the fundamental necessities of the job”.

Miss World officials stripped her of the title after she was spotted having an affair while engaged to racing driver Peter Revson – who was tragically killed in a crash two weeks later.

The then 19-year-old Marjorie was caught with Welsh singing sensation Tom Jones in 1976 – and they were pictured kissing on a beach in Barbados.

Sir Tom ended their relationship when he realised his wife Linda would find out – who he later confirmed was understandably furious and heartbroken.

Marjorie, who was also known for dating football lothario George Best, took an overdose of sleeping pills. Thankfully, she survived the incident.

Nudity scandal



Winner of Miss World 1980 magnificence pageant, Gabriella Brum of Germany
(Image: Popperfoto by way of Getty Images)

Germany’s Gabriella Brum, 18, who was Miss World in 1980, resigned the next day saying that her boyfriend disapproved.

She additionally did not need to go on the year-long promotional tour after profitable the crown, so returned to her 52-year-old companion – Wolfgang Benno Bellenbaum. Reports declare she “wanted to be with Benno instead of flying through the world under a strict contract for a year”.

It later emerged that she had posed for raunchy images. Photographer Wolfgang Heilemann instructed Der Spiegel in 2008 that he’d taken saucy pictures of Gabriella bare in mattress.

He claimed the shoot included pictures of her having a pillow combat along with her boyfriend, which have been apparently set for use in a Miss World cowl story. Gabriella additionally went on to mannequin for Playboy.

The pageant star married Benno in 1981 – however they quickly separated. Her ex husband tragically shot himself aged 55 and was discovered with a farewell letter in his residence in Los Angeles.

Drugs bust



Heather Ross, AKA Miss Bermuda, was arrested at an airport for having medication
(Image: Alamy Stock Photo)

Miss Bermuda 1982 winner Heather Ross was caught making an attempt to smuggle $320,000 (£250,000) value of cocaine into London from Amsterdam. The court docket was instructed she had hidden the medication within the false backside of a suitcase.

Just per week after the Miss World pageant, she was arrested at Heathrow Airport. After showing at Reading Crown Court, she was later sentenced to a few years in jail.

‘Inappropriate acts’

Last 12 months, a Miss World competitor was stripped of her crown after being accused of “inappropriate acts”.

Ruan Yue was gearing as much as symbolize her nation within the well-known pageant after profitable Miss China 2022. Then two weeks earlier than she was set to strut her stuff on the catwalk, she was axed from the competitors with little rationalization.



Qin Zewen’s credentials are at present being investigated by Miss World
(Image: Miss World China)

People thought the drama had ended when she was changed by an entrant referred to as Qin Zewen. But the 25-year-old confronted scrutiny when she was accused of mendacity about her college {qualifications}.

Miss World investigated the matter – with a spokesperson commenting: “We are concerned with the complaints regarding the Miss China candidate that we have received. We will look into the matter and if the rules have been breached, appropriate actions will be taken.”

Bikini row

Last 12 months, Miss World introduced again its divisive bikini spherical for the primary time since 2014. There was a Top Model present the place contestants might enter a beachwear competitors.

Some have been happy that swimwear featured at Miss World – and Miss England – once more. This included Miss England finalist Corel-Jo Antwhistle, from Newscastle.



Miss England finalist Corel-Jo Antwhistle described the bikini spherical as “empowering”


Activists protest in opposition to the Miss World Beauty Pageant outdoors the Royal Albert Hall the place the competition was held, London, UK, twentieth November 1970
(Image: Getty Images)

The Geordie lass instructed Daily Star: “I think it’s going to be so empowering to all the young women taking part, and also brilliant to empower all women across the UK.

“A lot of women of all ages, are influenced by social media, unfortunately, social media is very fake, and comparing and seeing bodies edited can have a serious effect on mental health when you’re viewing this daily, this new round can show real bodies! And real self-love for them.”

But the decision surprised some as the swimwear catwalk show was axed seven years ago as judges put their focus on “brains and personality” rather than “physical beauty”.

Around 50 years ago, feminists protested at the Royal Albert Hall to get the raunchy runway removed. Pictures that date back to the 1970s show campaigners with placards and throwing flour bombs on stage.

Family feud



Helen Morgan was topped Miss World in 1974
(Image: Getty Images)

There have been 5 British Miss Worlds together with Rosemarie Frankland, Ann Sidney, Lesley Langley and Sarah-Jane Hutt.

But Welsh winner Helen Morgan grew to become the primary to resign after it was revealed that she was the single mum of an 18-month-old son – although this didn’t technically break the competitors’s guidelines.

Murder and mayhem

Maria Jose Alvarado, 19, was set to symbolize Honduras on the 2014 contest however was murdered – alongside along with her sister – by her sister’s boyfriend, simply days beforehand.

Plutarco Ruiz was handed a 45-year jail sentence in September 2017 following the slaying of Miss Honduras and her sibling Sofia. But he did not find yourself serving his full sentence.

That’s as a result of Ruiz, 40, was killed at El Pozo again in February – the place he was serving his time. Reports declare he was shot lifeless by two inmates within the maximum-security jail in Ilama, Honduras.



Miss Honduras, Maria Jose Alvarado, who disappeared on November 13, 2014 along with her sister
(Image: AFP/Getty Images)


The tragic teenager was murdered earlier than she might compete at Miss World
(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

This is not the one heartbreaking crime to rock the pageant both. The 1998 winner, Israel’s Linor Abargil, was raped at knifepoint and stabbed simply earlier than competing by a journey agent who was later convicted.

And a 1966 contestant, South Africa’s Johanna Carter, was the sufferer of an tried kidnapping by college students who hoped to ransom her for charity.

Deadly riots

The glitz and glamour that include the Miss World contest became dying and destruction one 12 months as 100 folks have been killed in riots in Nigeria.

Following the victory of Agbani Darego, who represented the nation in 2001, Nigeria was set to host the world well-known contest however not everybody was comfortable about having the pageant within the capital metropolis Abuja.



Azra Akin was topped the winner of Miss World 2002 when the occasion was moved to Alexander Palace in London
(Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Youths reportedly began the riots within the metropolis of Kaduna that noticed 500 folks injured and 100 folks killed on November 22 in 2002.

On November 23, Miss World organisers made the choice to maneuver the present to London to be held on December 7 following the unrest within the African nation.

Catwalk-outs

The 1976 competitors was boycotted by a number of nations over Apartheid insurance policies in South Africa as there have been separate black and white contestants.

The 2002 Miss World needed to be re-located to the UK from Nigeria after non secular riots, whereas it was moved to Bali type Jakarta, Indonesia in 2013 after Islamic protests, with a sarong changing swimwear.

Pageants