UK/VARIOUS: FORMER WINNERS GATHER TO CELEBRATE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MISS WORLD CONTEST.

Record ID: 708223

  • Title: UK/VARIOUS: FORMER WINNERS GATHER TO CELEBRATE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MISS WORLD CONTEST.
  • Date: 28th November 2000
  • Summary: LONDON, UK (RECENT) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ERIC MORELY SAYING, "When I go back to 1952. the number of girls in Miss World were 12, and it has grown and grown and grown, it jumps forward, now today, practically every country wants to go in except for the strong Muslim countries obviously, but apart from that we try to make it so that every country can go, in beachwear we tell them that they can wear wraps and all that sort of thing, whereas in the old days you wouldn't do that."
  • Embargoed: 13th December 2000 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, UK AND VARIOUS
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA780M2IVZ1MAJJ74709TNGWA4H
  • Story Text: Miss World is 50 years old - and to mark the anniversary of the world's longest running international beauty pageant, sixteen of the former winners gathered in London to reminisce over their past victories.
    Miss World was an institution of the fifties and sixties, was scorned by the feminist movement of the seventies, and fell out of fashion in the eighties and nineties. But despite all the changes in the last half century, it survived and now, in the year 2000, the competition has reached it's 50th birthday, and this years gala promises to be bigger and better than ever.
    For the former winners, from all over the world who descended on London's swanky Hilton Hotel, the competition is as important today as it ever was, and they were all in agreement that being crowned Miss World changed their lives forever.
    It was a chance for the veteran beauties to catch up, being the first such gathering for 25 years Unfortunately, the founder of Miss World, Eric Morley will not see the golden anniversary of his brainchild, he died earlier this month The second ever Miss World, May-Louise Flodin from Sweden will be attending the event on Thursday (November 30), she thinks it still presents a wonderful opportunity to young women, "It was the most fantastic experience that I had, I would suggest to all girls to enter and have this feeling, because it is a wonderful feeling, and I wish the best to Miss Sweden this year, and all the contestants, the best will win."
    Despite the glamour, the contest has always tried to keep a squeaky clean image, not always successfully.
    Several winners have been deposed, for offenses such as being a single mother, and posing for nude photos. Miss Jamaica, winner in 1976 attracted scandal when it was revealed that she was the mistress of reggae legend, Bob Marley, a married man, to whom she had a child. She has become an established actress, and is soon to release her first record. The fantastic opportunities presented to her as Miss World we the reason she entered.
    "I wanted an opportunity, I wanted to be able to see the world, make some money, I was a young girl coming from Jamaica, I was finished with High School, I tried lots of different things, my family had no money to send me on to higher education, and I thought what can I do with myself now? And I really saw it as an opportunity, consequently I think I saw the Miss World experience as a job for a year, and I think that is how you should see it so that when the year is over you don't think no-one cares anymore, and I am not the focus of attention anymore. because at the end of the year, the job is over and you will not be the focus of attention. So I think it is important to remember that, work as hard as you can during the year, and get as much as you can out of it."
    Sound advice for the girl lucky enough to win this year's crown.
    Miss World 2000 will be held at the London's Millennium Dome on Thursday 30th November.
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