(From left) Ximena Navarrete, Olivia Jordan, Wendy Fitzwilliam. Images: Instagram/@missuniverse
The Miss Universe Organization (MOU) has formed an all-female selection committee to take on the hard task of choosing the semifinalists for the 71st Miss Universe.
In a post on the MOU’s official Instagram account on Wednesday, January 11, organizers announced that previous Miss Universe titleholders Ximena Navarrete (Miss Universe 2010) of Mexico and Wendy Fitzwilliam (Miss Universe 1998) of Trinidad and Tobago have been appointed to join the selection panel of the upcoming pageant, as well as Miss USA 2015 and Miss Universe 2015 second runner-up Olivia Jordan.
Also part of the 71st Miss Universe selection committee are:
- Big Freedia – Rapper and performer
- Mara Martin – Fashion model
- Emily Austin – Sports journalist, actress, model
- Olivia Quido – O Skin Med Spa founder
- Myrka Dellanos – TV host
- Sweta Patel – Vice President of Growth Marketing and Merchandising at Roku
- Kathleen Ventrella – Chief Marketing Officer at ImpactWayv
According to the MUO, Jordan will be participating in the pageant’s selection committee for the preliminary activities alongside Martin who was tapped to be a judge at the finals.
The MUO previously revealed that this year’s event will have an all-female team of host with Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and actress-host Zuri Hall serving as backstage commentators. Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo and TV personality Jeannie Mai Jenkins, on the other hand, will be the show’s main anchors.
Celeste Cortesi will be competing for the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe crown on January 14 (morning of January 15, Philippine Standard Time) in New Orleans, Louisiana in the United States. Harnaaz Sandhu of India will crown her successor at the end of the event.
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