Miss World makes comeback
2004-12-02 08:29
Cape Town - The world's most famous beauty pageant makes a return to local screens after South African viewers missed out on last year's competition.
A special one-hour package of the finals of the 54th Miss World competition will be broadcast on M-Net on Saturday, December 4 at 19:00.
This year's final, which takes place in Sanya, China, features 108 of the world's most beautiful, intelligent women, representing countries from
Albania to Zimbabwe. South Africa's entrant is Joan Ramagoshi, the reigning
Miss SA.
"We're excited to have Miss World back on South African screens," says M-Net CEO Glen Marques. "M-Net last broadcast the event in 2001, and we've decided to show it again this year after receiving a lot of requests for it. All eyes will be on Joan. The country will be watching and waiting!" he says.
Put through the paces
The competition is not limited to one night of preening and strutting -
these ladies will have been put through their paces in the Miss World Top
Model competition, Miss World Talent competition, the Miss World Sports
Award and Miss World Beach Beauty, gaining points along the way which will
secure their entrance to the final.
Winners thus far are Miss Antigua, Shermain Jeremy, in the Talent
competition, Miss Wales Amy Guy in the Sports competition, and Miss United
States Nancy Randall in the Beach Beauty competition.
The gala finale, set to be broadcast live around the world to a viewership
of more than 2.3 billion, will feature performances by multi-Grammy
award-winning soul sensation Lionel Ritchie and Simon Cowell's latest pet
pop project, Il Divo.
Such is the excitement in China about Ritchie's performance, that the day of his arrival - December 3 - has been declared National Lionel Ritchie Day by the Chinese government. The event will be hosted by reality TV star Troy McClain.