Miss England, Millie Magee, withdrew ahead of the finale, calling the event exploitative and outdated.
Hyderabad: The 72nd Miss World Festival concludes at Hitex at 6.30 pm on May 31. The evening draws the curtain on nearly a month-long events across Telangana. During this time, 108 women from across the globe engaged with communities, explored heritage sites and participated in curated events, bringing global attention to the state. However, this spectacle has not been without controversy.
Miss England, Millie Magee, withdrew ahead of the finale, calling the event exploitative and outdated. The 24-year-old lifeguard from Cornwall criticised the expectation to stay dressed in formal attire and described herself as feeling like a “performing monkey” and also that she “felt like a prostitute.” She called the pageant “stuck in the past.”
In response, the Miss World Organisation refuted the allegations and shared footage of Magee thanking organisers during her time in the pageant. Charlotte Grant, the first runner-up of Miss England, replaced Magee.
This isn't the first time Miss World has faced such scrutiny. Over the years, the pageant has been criticised for its alleged sexist nature and objectification of women. Feminist groups disrupted the 1970 edition in London, accusing it of being a spectacle for male approval and chanting “We’re not beautiful, we’re not ugly, we’re angry.” Questions around body weight, skin colour, and outdated notions of femininity have persisted even as the format has evolved.
Despite these controversies, the pageant proceeds with its grand finale which will be hosted by Stephanie del Valle and Indian presenter Sachiin Kumbhar. Bollywood actors Jacqueline Fernandez and Ishaan Khatter are expected to perform live on stage. Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar will be present, and actor Sonu Sood, part of the jury, will be conferred the Miss World Humanitarian Award. Other jury members include entrepreneur Sudha Reddy and Dr Caryna Turrell, a public health expert and former Miss England.
This year’s format brings together 108 contestants, from which ten semi finalists will be selected from each continental region. These forty will compete as quarterfinalists. From there, five from each continent will be picked, then narrowed to two, with one final winner per region facing a last round of questions before the Miss World 2025 crown is awarded. Some semifinalists have already been chosen through fast-track events, including Nandini Gupta of India and Monica Kezia Sembiring of Indonesia.
