Miss Universe mistake crowns Colombia before Philippines

“Miss Universe 2015 is Philippines”, he added as the music began anew, with the actual victor, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach – a high-profile actress and television host – looking stunned and mouthing “what?”

The final three contestants were Miss Phillipines, Miss Colombia and Miss USA, with host Steve Harvey at first crowning Miss Colombia, Ariadna Guiterrez the victor.

Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez (left) stands by as Miss Universe 2014 Paulina Vega places the sash on Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach during the 2015 Miss Universe Pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada, December 20, 2015.

He held up the card for Fox network cameras to see up close afterward.

Steve Harvey is a huge misogynist.

Wurtzbach says she tried to approach Aravelo onstage afterward but the Colombian was crying and surrounded by a crowd of women. She said she realized it was, “probably bad timing”.

“None of this was done on goal”.

“Listen folks, let me just take control of this”, Harvey stammered as a perplexed audience held its breath, cheers mixing with boos. I will take responsibility for this.

Steve Harvey later went on Twitter to apologize the only way he knew how. After the broadcast, he told reporters he felt “horrible for this young woman”.

Shortly before the end of the contest, a auto mounted a pavement close to the Las Vegas venue and ploughed into pedestrians, killing one person and injuring at least 37 others.

For the first time, viewers at home are casting votes making them equal to a fifth judge determining the final result.

NBCUniversal and Donald Trump co-owned the Miss Universe Organization until earlier this year.

Miss Universe is down to 15 contestants including the 24-year-old woman representing Mexico who had threatened not to participate after the pageant’s co-owner at the time, Donald Trump, made controversial comments about Mexican immigrants in launching his Republican bid for US president.

Spanish-language network Univision pulled out of a deal to televise the pageant, and NBC cut ties with Trump.