Miss Universe S'pore back home after 'intense', 'surreal' and 'truly unforgettable' 3 weeks in Bangkok
It had been an eventful Miss Universe, to say the least.
Or as Miss Universe Singapore, Annika Sager, described it – intense, surreal and "truly unforgettable".
There was a mass walkout, Miss Jamaica fell from the stage, and Miss Mexico, who was the catalyst for the walkout, won the title of Miss Universe 2025.
Having survived all that in Bangkok, Miss Sager returned home safely to a warm reception at Changi Airport.
She posted on social media on Nov 23: "Touching down in Singapore with a heart overflowing with gratitude and pride.
"These past weeks have been intense, inspiring, and truly unforgettable, and living my @missuniverse dream still feels surreal."
Miss Sager had spent three weeks in the Thai capital for one of the more controversial editions of the international beauty pageant.
On Nov 4, Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch was reprimanded by Mr Nawat Itsaragrisil, a Thai media mogul who holds the licence to stage the 2025 Miss Universe pageant, in front of dozens of contestants for failing to post promotional content, reported The Straits Times.
He called her a "dumb head". Ms Bosch objected and left the room, followed by several other contestants in solidarity.
That confrontation led to Mr Nawat publicly apologising, after the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) denounced his conduct as "malicious".
Wading into the spat between Mr Nawat and Ms Bosch, Miss Universe 1996 Alicia Machado from Venezuela on Nov 8 slammed Mr Nawat in a live stream and called him a "despicable Chinese".
That comment earned the ire of many people online, especially Asians.
Ms Machado, now a TV host and actress, refused to back down when she was told her comments were racist. She even doubled down by saying everyone with slanted eyes – even if they are Korean, Japanese or Thai – are Chinese to her, and then making a slanted-eye gesture in her live stream.
Then a week later, two judges resigned, with one claiming the contest was rigged.
Mr Omar Harfouch, a Lebanese-French musician, said in an Instagram post that an "impromptu jury" had pre-selected finalists ahead of the Nov 21 event.
Hours afterwards, former French football star Claude Makelele also withdrew, citing "unforeseen personal reasons".
MUO rejected Mr Harfouch's allegations, insisting that "no external group has been authorised to evaluate delegates or select finalists".
It suggested that Mr Harfouch may have been referring instead to Beyond the Crown, a social-impact initiative that operates independently of the main pageant and is overseen by a separate selection committee.
On Nov 19, Dr Gabrielle Henry, who is Miss Jamaica, was taken away on a stretcher after falling from the stage during the preliminary evening gown round.
In a statement released on Instagram on Nov 21, the Miss Universe Jamaica Organization said that Dr Henry's sister, Dr Phylicia Henry-Samuels, told ithe organisation that the beauty queen's condition has improved slower than expected.
"Gabby isn't doing as well as we would have hoped, but the hospital continues to treat her accordingly," Dr Henry-Samuels said, noting that doctors have ordered Dr Henry to remain in the ICU for at least seven days for close monitoring and specialised care.
