User:Mauriziok/Miss Universe 2017

Miss Universe 2017, the 66th Miss Universe pageant, was held on 26 November 2017 at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Iris Mittenaere of France crowned her successor Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa at the end of the event.

The show was hosted by Steve Harvey and Ashley Graham, while Fergie and Rachel Platten performed. Carson Kressley joined runway coach and pageant expert Lu Sierra in the commentary and analysis table throughout the telecast.

Contestants from 92 countries and territories participated in this year's pageant, surpassing the previous record of 89 contestants in 2011 and 2012.

Background
Australian businessman Troy Barbagallo of Miss Universe Australia organization told the Herald Sun newspaper that he made an offer to IMG for Australia to host the 2017 edition with possible host cities to be either Sydney and Melbourne.

On 25 May 2017, the Philippine Department of Tourism stated that the Miss Universe Organization offered to host the pageant again in the Philippines. The country hosted the Miss Universe 2016 pageant. The Miss Universe Organization was accordingly pleased with the Philippines' hosting of the previous pageant claiming it overshadowed the pre-events of the 2017 Super Bowl. On 22 June 2017, the DOT announced that they will not host the pageant this year and considered the possibility of hosting the next edition instead.

On 28 September 2017, the Miss Universe Organization via Instagram confirmed the date and venue for the pageant. According to their Instagram page, the pageant is going to be held on Sunday, November 26, 2017, in The AXIS theatre of Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, United States.

Judges
The six judges for the preliminary competition include:
 * Cecilio Asuncion – Slay Models director and founder
 * Morgan Deane – TAO restaurant group marketing director
 * Wendy Fitzwilliam – Miss Universe 1998 from Trinidad and Tobago
 * Isabelle Lindblom – IMG Models scout
 * Megan Olivi – Fox Sports 1 host and reporter
 * Bill Pereira – CEO, president, and co-chairman of IDT Telecom

Judges
The seven judges for the final telecast include:
 * Wendy Fitzwilliam – Miss Universe 1998 from Trinidad and Tobago
 * Jay Manuel – television host, creative director, and makeup artist
 * Farouk Shami - businessman, owner of Farouk Systems
 * Ross Mathews – television personality
 * Megan Olivi – Fox Sports 1 host and reporter
 * Lele Pons – Vine and YouTube personality
 * Pia Wurtzbach – Miss Universe 2015 from the Philippines

Program
Contestants were classified under three geographical regions namely (1) The Americas, (2) Europe, and (3) Africa & Asia-Pacific for the first time in this edition. The judges voted for the top 4 candidates from each of the three regions as well as four other candidates regardless of geographical affiliation to advance to the Top 16 round. The remaining 16 candidates competed in a swimsuit competition with 10 of them advancing to the Top 10 for the evening gown competition. Five advances to the Top 5. The audience of the pageant contributed to the scoring of candidates through an online vote to determine those who advance to the Top 10 and Top 5. The question and answer format are followed for the Top 5 and Top 3 round.

Contestants
92 contestants competed for the title of Miss Universe 2017.

Debuts

 * 🇰🇭 Cambodia
 *  Laos
 * 🇳🇵 Nepal

Returns
Last competed in 1972:
 * 🇮🇶 Iraq

Last competed in 2010:
 * 🇿🇲 Zambia

Last competed in 2014:
 * 🇪🇬 Egypt
 * 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
 * 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia
 * 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago

Last competed in 2015
 * 🇸🇻 El Salvador
 * 🇬🇭 Ghana
 * 🇮🇪 Ireland
 * 🇱🇧 Lebanon

Withdrawals

 * 🇧🇿 Belize, 🇩🇰 Denmark, 🇭🇺 Hungary, 🇰🇪 Kenya,  Kosovo, 🇨🇭 Switzerland - No national pageant was held.
 * 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone – Miss Universe Sierra Leone Adama Kargbo was unable to obtain a visa for travel to the United States in time for the competition, and thus was forced to withdraw.