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Miss Universe South Africa Bryoni Govender is emerging as one of the front-runners at the Miss Universe competition currently underway in El Salvador.
The finale takes place on Saturday, November 18, and will be broadcast live on SABC 3 (DStv Channel 193) from 03h00 on Sunday, November 19, and repeated later the same day at 19h30.
Miss Universe 2023 will be the 72nd Miss Universe pageant and will be held at the José Adolfo Pineda Arena in San Salvador.
R'Bonney Gabriel of the United States will crown her successor at the end of the event.
Contestants from 85 countries are competing in the competition, which will be hosted for the second consecutive time by How Do I Look? host Jeannie Mai and Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo, along with US TV presenter Maria Menounos. Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and Zuri Hall will once again serve as backstage correspondents. John Legend will perform at this year's pageant.
For the first time, the Miss Universe Organisation has allowed married women and women with children to compete. Rikkie Kollé of the Netherlands and Marina Machete of Portugal are the second and third transgender entrants to compete at Miss Universe, following Ángela Ponce of Spain in 2018. Camila Avella of Colombia and Michelle Cohn of Guatemala are the first married women and mothers to compete.
This edition also marks the debut of Pakistan, and the return of Denmark, Egypt, Guyana, Hungary, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Mongolia, Norway and Zimbabwe to the competition. The Miss Zimbabwe Universe contestant, Brooke Bruk-Jackson, is also Govender’s roommate.
Govender is currently busy with rehearsals ahead of the pageant finale with the personality interviews on November 14 and the National Costume Show on November 16. South Africa’s national gown – by acclaimed KwaZulu-Natal designer Casey Jeanne – celebrates Govender’s Indian South African heritage andis an African-Indian fusion ensemble, inspired by a sari and adorned with traditional Zulu beads in an Ndebele print pattern.
Speaking from El Salvador, Govender says: “I want the world to stop spinning on its axis so I can breathe it all in and savour this glorious time. Meeting wonderful women from all over the world and connecting with them at so many levels has been a true delight. It’s all going too quickly. I want more time to enjoy every precious moment.”
Adds Miss South Africa Organisation CEO Stephanie Weil: “We are delighted with the support that South Africans are showing Bryoni who is flying the flag high for the country. We wish her everything of the best as she competes on the international stage and we know that she has what it takes to win the title as she exudes leadership, focus and passion. She has worked incredibly hard as Miss Universe South Africa and is an inspiration for a generation of young girls who wish to reach for a dream.”
David Makubyane, SABC Head of Platforms – Video Entertainment says: “We are truly elated to have the rights to broadcast Miss Universe after a successful broadcast of Miss South Africa earlier this year. S3 continues to deliver on its strategy of bringing globally relevant events to South Africans”.
South Africa is one of the top pageant countries in the world and has had an impressive track record at the Miss Universe pageant:
- 2017 - Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (Tebow) crowned Miss Universe
- 2018 - Tamaryn Green (Green-Nxumalo), first runner-up
- 2019 – Zozibini Tunzi, crowned Miss Universe
- 2021 - Lalela Mswane, second runner-up
South Africans are encouraged to vote for Govender with online voting now open via the official Miss Universe app; the contestant earning the most votes gets an automatic placement in the semi-finals.
Miss South Africa is presented by Weil Entertainment in association with Sun International. SABC3 is the official broadcast partner.
? Go to:
Twitter:?@Official_MissSA
Instagram:?@official_misssa
Tik-Tok:?@official_misssa
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For more information contact Janine Walker on?janine@ninesquared.co.za?or 083?600 9753
