Miss World winner Priyanka Chopra at 2009 competitions
Posted on December 11, 2009
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Former Miss World and Bollywood superstar Priyanka Chopra will appear before an estimated global TV audience of one billion when she takes to the stage as a very special guest at the 59th Miss World Final 2009, on Saturday 12 December. The glittering two-hour spectacular from Gallagher Convention Centre in the City of Gold, Johannesburg will showcase the beauty and talent of 112 of the World’s most incredible young women, who have spent one month enjoying the wonders of South Africa. Presenters of the show will be China’s leading TV presenter Angela Chow and South African TV host Michelle McLean. They will be joined by special guest from India, former Miss World Priyanka Chopra, who won the Miss World crown in 2000 and has now established herself as one of the leading actresses in Bollywood. The show will be screened around the globe, with many countries taking it live to a massive TV audience. Broadcasters include United States (E! TV), India (Zee TV, Hindi and English language versions), South Africa (SABC3), China (CCTV2), and Russia (CTC). As well as showcasing the 112 contestants, the live broadcast will feature exciting presentations by South African and international artists, as well as some of the contestants’ own talent performances, including Canada and Sierra Leone who jointly won the recent Miss World Talent Show
Some things you might not know about Miss World
1. Miss World is the longest running major international beauty pageant, with the first taking place in 1951.
2. Its founder, Eric Morley, initiated the event in response to the Festival of Britain under way across the Thames. It has since grown into one of the biggest and best known events in the world.
3. More than one million women apply every year to take part in the national competitions, in the hope of becoming Miss World.
4. More than 160 countries across almost six decades have participated in Miss World.
5. The Miss World event was first televised in full in 1959.
6. Though originally held in the UK, the Miss World finals have also taken place across the world, including Hong Kong, India, South Africa, USA, the Seychelles, Poland and China.
7. Although Venezuela and India have produced the most Miss Worlds, with 5 titleholders each. Europe has performed the best of all continents in Miss World, claiming 25 titles.
8. The Miss World crown was made by Garrards, jewellers of Queen Elizabeth II, and the crown is Miss World’s symbol of fundraising.
9. The first winner was Sweden’s Kiki Håkansson. She is also the longest reigning Miss World, holding the title for 16 months.
10. In 1951, Sweden’s Kiki Håkansson became the first ever Miss World. The following year, Sweden won again with May Louise Flodin. Only the United Kingdom (in 1964 and 1965) and India (in 1999 and 2000) have also had consecutive winners.
11. In 1983 Sarah Jane Hutt from Weston Super Mare took the title for the UK. No other UK entrant has won since.
12. Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry represented the USA and was runner-up at Miss World in 1986.
13. Bollywood superstar Aishwarya Rai won the Miss World title in 1994, followed by Priyanka Chopra in 2000.
14. TV’s Wonder Woman Lynda Carter, Maggie Cheung, the first Asian actress to win a prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and acclaimed action star Michelle Yeoh all reached the Miss World finals.
15. Along with Halle Berry (Die Another Day) and Michelle Yeoh (Tomorrow Never Dies), no less than 11 Miss World finalists have gone on to appear in Bond films. [Dr No – Michelle Mok (Hong Kong, 1958). Thunderball – Claudine Auger (France, first runner-up 1958). Diamonds Are Forever - Denise Perrier (France, Miss World 1953). The Spy Who Loved Me – Eva Rueber-Staier (Austria, Miss World 1969); she would go on to reprise her role in For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy). Octopussy – Mary Stavin (Sweden, Miss World 1977) and Carolyn Seaward (United Kingdom, first runner-up 1979). A View to a Kill – Lou-Anne Ronchi (Australia, second runner-up 1984) and Mary Stavin (Sweden, Miss World 1977). The Living Daylights – Ruddy Rodriguez (Venezuela, finalist 1985).]
16. It was pure chance that reigning Miss World Ksenia Sukhinova entered the Miss Russia event: she was walking into a Moscow metro station when she was approached by a famous Russian photographer, suggesting she enter.
17. Julia Morley founded Miss World’s Beauty With a Purpose charitable theme. She was recently elected the first British woman international president of Variety, The Children’s Charity.
18. Miss World has brought substantial tourism to every country that has hosted it, with significant boosts to tourist numbers and increased international trade during and directly following the Miss World Festival.
19. Miss World was held continuously in the United Kingdom from 1951 to 1988. Since that time, South Africa has hosted the event seven times and Sanya, China, has hosted the event four times.
20. Next year marks the 60th Miss World Final, a series of celebrations are planned. The 2010 final will be held in Vietnam.
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