Hours after the end of the Miss Universe 2019 pageant, the organizers announce that Steve Harvey was right all along—the National Costume special award goes to Miss Philippines Gazini Ganados and not to Miss Malaysia Shweta Sekhon.
In a series of mishaps following Steve Harvey’s announcement errors while hosting the Miss Universe pageants since 2015, a mistake was made that had everyone confused when Harvey announced a different winner for the National Costume special award.
[READ: Netizens react to Steve Harvey national costume hosting mishap]
The TV Personality announced Miss Philippines as the winner of the special award while flashing an image of Ganados in her elaborate Philippine Eagle-inspired white gown, however, standing next to the host is Miss Malaysia, which prompted her to correct Harvey.
“Can I say something?” Sekhon reached for the mic from the host, “It’s not the Philippines, it’s Malaysia.”
Harvey immediately defends himself, claiming that he is only reading the teleprompter.
However, hours after the announcement of the winner of the Miss Universe 2019 title, an insider from the organizers of the beauty pageant clears up the confusion over the National Costume Category and confirms that Harvey did not make a mistake in his announcement.
According to the Deadline.com, the source confirmed that Ganados is the winner, but featuring Sekhon’s national costume is part of the broadcast.
“Miss Universe Philippines Gazini Ganados is the winner of the Miss Universe 2019 National Costume contest. As part of the broadcast, we also featured Miss Universe Malaysia Shweta Sekhon’s national costume,” the insider said. “Miss Sekhon wasn’t aware we’d be announcing Philippines first, so she jumped the gun when Mr. Harvey started with that news. Mr. Harvey made a joke of it, but no mistakes regarding the national costume winner were made by him, the prompter or production.”
In a Twitter post made by the official account of Miss Universe 2019, Miss Universe verifies Steve Harvey’s announcement and congratulates Ganados on her win.
.@IAmSteveHarvey had it right: Miss Universe Philippines Gazini Ganados is the winner of the #MissUniverse2019 National Costume competition! Congratulations, Gazini. 🎉 pic.twitter.com/L8DpAyNL9I
— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) December 9, 2019
Ganados’ Philippine-eagle-inspired white gown for her national costume was designed by fellow Cebuano Cary Santiago.