Miss Universe host Steve Harvey announced that the wrong contestant had won the global beauty pageant Sunday.
“Miss Universe 2015 is … Colombia!” Harvey said at the climactic moment of the show.
Miss Philippines Pia Wurtzbach then retreated to the back of the stage to take her place as the runner up next to Miss USA Olivia Jordan. Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez took her place at the front of the stage. She was draped with the Miss Universe sash, wearing her crown atop her head and in tears, happily waving to the crowd.
To everyone’s surprise, Harvey interrupted the proceedings to reverse the announcement.
“OK, folks. I have to apologize. The first runner-up is Colombia,” Harvey says.
He then announced the correct winner: “Miss Universe 2015 is Philippines!”
Miss Philippines looked stunned and hesitantly moved next to Miss Colombia, who had already been crowned.
“Listen, folks, let me just take control of this,” Harvey said, holding the card that he had misread on the air.
“I will take responsibility for this. It was my mistake. It was on the card. Horrible mistake but the right thing. The first runner-up is Miss Colombia. It was my mistake. Still a great night. Please don’t hold it against the ladies. Please don’t. We feel so badly. It was still a great night,” said Harvey.
The still-stunned Miss Philippines was finally given the crown, and the show ended.
The moment Miss Philippines realizes she won Miss Universe after Steve Harvey corrected his error pic.twitter.com/N9P74j2aYs
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) December 21, 2015
Yeah, that AWKWARD moment when you put the sash on the WRONG winner of #MissUniverse2015. pic.twitter.com/vMhbtCWHRG
— Heather Smith Hunter (@heatherhunterdc) December 21, 2015
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