EVE Gilles made history on Saturday as the first woman to win Miss France… with a pixie haircut.
The stunning 20-year-old, from Nord-Pas-de-Calais, claimed the prize in front of 7.5million viewers, but bizarrely found herself at the centre of a woke row online.
AFPMiss France Eve Gilles was caught up in a bizarre woke row this week over her haircut[/caption]
PA:Press AssociationHelen Morgan, from Barry, Wales, was crowned Miss World but resigned four days later[/caption]
“Miss France is no longer a beauty contest but a woke contest which is based on inclusiveness,” said one viewer on X, formerly known as Twitter, as social media users bemoaned the lack of a victor with long, flowing hair.
However, Eve remained defiant and celebrated her win for “diversity”, while French politicians and pageant fans have since spoken out to defend her – including author and head judge of Miss GB Sally-Ann Fawcett.
She told The Sun: “Absolute merde, say we! Some of the most beautiful winners in history have been without long, flowing tresses – and that includes Eve!
“Witness Zozibini Tunzi (Miss Universe 2019), Giselle West (Miss World 1986), Bev O’Donnell (Miss England 1978) and Rosemarie Frankland (Miss World 1961), who all scooped the crown with short locks.”
The peculiar saga, however, pales in comparison to the scandals that have rocked Miss World pageants since the first competition was launched in the United Kingdom in 1951.
From a jealous beauty queen dousing her rivals’ dresses in itchy powder to another sacked for having sex on TV, Sally-Ann reveals the biggest beauty queen scandals of all time.
Quit after four days
Helen Morgan quit as Miss World 1974 after only four days.
The Welsh beauty revealed, after winning the Miss United Kingdom title, that she was a single mum to baby Richard.
Miss World organisers Eric and Julia Morley allowed her to carry on and to compete in Miss World.
But the frenzied press attention after she won became too much for her and, when it was reported that she was to be cited in a divorce case, she tendered her resignation.
Celeb flings
AlamyTom Jones with Miss World Marjorie Wallace on a film set[/caption]
Marjorie was sacked after her A-list flings came to lightRex
American beauty Marjorie Wallace became the first and only Miss World to be sacked, after her affairs with both singer Sir Tom Jones, and football legend George Best emerged.
One report alleged she gave both lovers marks out of ten, with Sir Tom scoring considerably better than his rival.
But when the crooner realised his wife Linda was about to learn the truth, he told Marjorie it was all over. The devastated beauty queen nearly died from an overdose, but thankfully pulled through.
She told the Sunday Mirror in 2012: “We stayed friends and we are often in touch. I wouldn’t want to rehash our relationship as it was so long ago and I have no interest in doing that.
“But it is great to speak to him on the telephone once in a while.”
Jealous boyfriend
RexGabriella Brum stepped down after her boyfriend threatened to release nude photos[/caption]
Gabriella Brum was the shortest reigning Miss World in history in 1980.
When the German blonde took the crown, her 52-year-old boyfriend said he was unhappy she would be separated from him during a year on the promotional trail.
Her partner, porn film producer Benno Bellenbaum, also claimed that she had posed nude in photos for him, and Gabriella quit after just 18 hours to return home to her lover.
The couple married but the union was short-lived, and shockingly estranged Benno was found dead after killing himself in 1984.
The Welsh ‘wildcat’
News Group Newspapers LtdSian Adey-Jones was a glamour model who got in trouble with the law[/caption]
Sian Adey-Jones, Miss Wales 1976, was dubbed ‘the Welsh wildcat’ when she was arrested back in 1968 for assaulting a police officer.
The car she was in, being driven by her then boyfriend Stephen Cryer, was pulled over by police in Colwyn Bay and Sian refused to cooperate and lashed out at the officers, kicking the main PC in the groin.
She had to be restrained as she was taken to the cells, yelling, “I’m a wildcat!”
Sian was found guilty and subjected to a hefty fine when the case reached court.
Judge ‘dating’ scandal
PA:Press AssociationDanielle Lloyd wins Miss Great Britain in 2006[/caption]
She was vindicated after it was claimed judge Teddy Sheringham had been living with herRex Features
Danielle Lloyd was sacked as Miss Great Britain 2006 when it was rumoured that she had been dating one of the judges before the contest.
It was alleged that footballer Teddy Sheringham was already living with the Liverpudlian beauty when he voted for her to win, rumours she denied.
It was only when the Miss Great Britain organisation changed hands in later years that Danielle was vindicated and her title returned to her.
She went on to appear on Celebrity Big Brother in 2007.
Love Island romp
Zara Holland won Miss GB in 2005
ITVShe was stripped of the title after her Love Island romp[/caption]
Zara Holland lost her Miss Great Britain 2015 title after an on-screen romp on ITV’s Love Island, attracting sympathy from her fans from fury from the pageant directors and she was sacked while still out at the villa.
In a stark warning to future contestants, she later said: “I would say to any contestants this series, don’t do anything that you would regret later in life.
“Sometimes things in the moment never leave you and it can be hard to get over.
“To put it down to one thing and it is still a fact now; I can’t get away from what happened.
“I feel like there were other girls on my series, not naming names, that did way worse than me but just because they didn’t have a title no one really cared.”
Crown and out
AFPMrs Sri Lanka 2020 Caroline Jurie removes the crown of 2021 winner Pushpika de Silva[/caption]
Caroline Jurie was so incensed at being succeeded to the Mrs Sri Lanka title by Pushpika De Silva that she snatched the crown from her head and presented it to the runner-up, in full view of the stunned live audience.
Caroline was convinced that Pushpika was divorced and therefore not eligible to compete.
As the dazed new queen was taken to hospital with injuries resulting from the attack, Caroline was arrested for assault and for subsequent damage to the theatre.
Wrong winner
RexMiss England runner up Angela Turner and winner Myra Van Heck[/caption]
Eric Morley announced the wrong winner at Miss England 1969 – live on BBC TV.
Contestant number 28, Angela Turner, stepped forward to accept the sash, only for Eric to rush forward and remove it, explaining his error and that the real winner was No 29, Myra van Heck.
Poor Angela received a cheque for £100 as an apology, while Myra received a great deal more when she posed nude for Playboy magazine a year later.
Racy photoshoot
GettyVanessa Williams was at the centre of a racy photoshoot scandal[/caption]
Vanessa Williams was sacked as the first black Miss America in 1984.
By July she had found herself at the centre of a scandal when nude photos of her appeared on the pages of adult magazine Penthouse.
Despite being taken before the contest, while she’d been working as a photographer’s assistant, she bowed to pressure from the competition’s officials and sponsors and resigned.
But it didn’t harm her career for long. She went on to become a successful singer and actress and starred in Ugly Betty, also scoring a worldwide smash with Save the Best Til Last.
Pepper spray sabotage
Ingrid Marie Rivera broke out in hivesGetty Images – Getty
Foul play was suspected at Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2008 when a contestant broke out in hives.
Hot favourite Ingrid Marie Rivera discovered that her evening gown and make-up had been doused in what later tested positive as pepper spray by a jealous rival.
She came out in hives and had to reach for ice packs in between rounds but, despite her discomfort, she went on to win the crown.
“We thought at first it was an allergic reaction, or maybe nerves,” pageant spokesman Harold Rosario said.
“But the second time, we knew it couldn’t have been a coincidence.”
Cocaine haul
AlamyMiss Bermuda Heather Ross was busted as a drugs mule[/caption]
Miss Bermuda 1982 Heather Ross was arrested just a week after the Miss World pageant for attempting to smuggle $320,000 (£250,000) worth of cocaine into London from Amsterdam.
She was sentenced to three years in jail.
Double ban
Helga Vera Johns was banned from Miss World twice. In 1972 she was barred from competing as Miss Rhodesia due to a government block on the country.
She returned to Miss World as Miss South Africa 1975 but again was rejected due to failing to adhere to residency rules.
AlamyHelga Vera Johns was twice banned over residency rules[/caption]