Pia Wurtzbach, 5 others to judge Miss Universe 2017

By: Robert R. Requintina

Published November 17, 2017, 11:04 AM

Filipino-German beauty queen Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach will return to the 66th Miss Universe pageant which will be held at The Axis of Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada on Nov. 26 (Nov. 27 Manila time).

But this time, Wurtzbach will serve as one of the telecast judges who will select the new Miss Universe.

Along with Wurtzbach, other telecast judges are American television personality Ross Mathews, Venezuelan-American Internet personality Lele Pons, TV host and makeup artist Jay Manuel, Fox Sports host Megan Olivi, and Miss Universe 1998 now lawyer Wendy Fitzwilliam.

American television personality and author Steve Harvey, who mistakenly announced Miss Colombia as the winner of the 2015 Miss Universe contest instead of Miss Philippines, will host the show for the third time.

Wurtzbach joins the roster of distinguished Filipinos who served as judges in the Miss Universe pageant.

The first Filipino invited to judge the contest was the late Foreign Affairs Secretary Carlos P. Romulo when the pageant was first held in Asia and in the Philippines on July 21, 1974. The late Amparo Muñoz of Spain won the contest, only to give up her crown after several months.

After 15 years, the next Filipino judge was fashion designer Josie Cruz Natori who served the panel during the contest held in Cancun, Mexico on May 23, 1989.

Then it was followed by singer-actress Kuh Ledesma who also became a judge for the Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on May17, 1991.

Former Chairman of the Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation and philanthropist Emilio T. Yap also judged for the 43rd edition of the contest when it was held in Manila for the second time around on May 20, 1994. Sushmita Sen of India won that year.

Broadway star Lea Salonga became a judge for the beauty pageant in Sau Paolo, Brazil on Sept. 12, 2011. Leila Lopes of Angola was the winner.

Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao judged the 63rd Miss Universe beauty pageant held in Doral, Miami, Florida on January 25, 2015. Colombia’s Paulina Vega won the contest.

A total of 93 contestants will vie for the title of Miss Universe, the biggest so far in terms of number of candidates in the history of the pageant.

Also appearing on the finals night are pop stars Fergie and Rachel Platten.

https://entertainment.mb.com.ph/2017/11/17/pia-wurtzbach-5-others-to-judge-miss-universe-2017/