Miss United Kingdom


Miss United Kingdom is a title held by the highest-ranked contestant from the UK in the Miss World pageant. The winner sometimes competes at Miss International the following year under the Britain or United Kingdom banner. From 1958-1999, Miss United Kingdom was a national beauty pageant held to choose a representative for the Miss World Pageant. In 1999, Scotland and Wales had their own contestants at Miss World, and in 2000, England and Northern Ireland sent their own representatives. The existing organization now runs the Miss England competition.

History

The pageant was created in 1958 by Eric Morley, the man behind the Miss World pageant. Before 1958, the winner of the Miss Great Britain contest would go on to represent the UK at the Miss World pageant, but from 1952-1957, none of the Miss GB title holders made the final seven at Miss World, so Morley decided to create the Miss United Kingdom contest in the hope of achieving better results at Miss World. From 1958-1999, the winner of Miss United Kingdom title would represent the UK at Miss World.
At Miss United Kingdom, traditionally there would be regional heats from the four constituent Countries of the United Kingdom, these would take place early in the year. The winners of the respective Miss England, Miss Scotland and Miss Wales titles would compete in the summer at Miss Universe. The Miss UK contest would then take place featuring these titleholders plus a certain number of other top contestants from the regions, the winner would then go on to compete at the Miss World Contest in October/November. This meant that during the 60s, 70s and 80s, many British beauty queens competed at both the Miss Universe and Miss World contests.
Although England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have had separate representatives in other international pageants, Miss World did not allow this until the creation of separate Parliaments in the United Kingdom.
1999 was the year of the last Miss United Kingdom pageant, won by Nicola Willoughby, who competed as Miss UK at Miss World. The 1999 Miss World contest also saw the debuts of Scotland and Wales, so there was the unusual situation of having a Miss UK compete alongside Miss Scotland and Miss Wales. The following year, Julie Lee-Ann Martin became the first representative of Northern Ireland in the pageant while Michelle Walker was the first to compete as Miss England.
Since 2000, the Miss World Organization has announced the highest-ranking delegate of the four home nations at Miss World, as the winner of the Miss United Kingdom title. The winner receives a cash prize and has often represented the United Kingdom at the Miss International contest the following year. Since 2000, Scotland has the most Miss United Kingdom winners with, followed by England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Winners

From 2000 to present

From 1958 to 1999

Real name Diane Hickingbotham
Also known as Carolyn Grant

United Kingdom in international pageants

Miss World

From 1952-1957 the UK were represented by the winner of the Miss Great Britain pageant. At the first Miss World in 1951, 21 of the 26 contestants were from the UK, including those that placed as first runner-up and second runner-up. From 1958-1999 the winner of the Miss United Kingdom pageant competed. There have been five UK winners of the Miss World title; all won the title competing as Miss United Kingdom.
YearTitleholderCountry
Placement
1957Leila WilliamsGreat Britain
1956Iris Alice Kathleen WallerGreat Britain
1955Jennifer ChimesGreat Britain
1954Patricia ButlerGreat Britain
1953Brenda MeeGreat Britain
1952Marlene Ann DeeBritain 1951
1952Doreen DawneBritain
1951Laura Ellison-DaviesBritain1st Runner-up
1951Doreen DawneBritain2nd Runner-up
1951Aileen P. ChaseBritain4th Runner-up
1951Pat CameronBritain
1951Fay CottonBritain
1951Marlene Ann DeeBritain
1951Brenda MeeBritain
1951Elayne PryceBritain
1951Nina WayBritain
1951Sidney WalkerBritain
1951Ann Rosemary WestBritain

Miss Universe

The first UK contestant was Aileen Chase, who competed at the first Miss Universe in 1952 as Miss Great Britain. From 1955-1990 Miss England would compete, joined By Miss Scotland and Miss Wales; many of these contestants would go on to compete at the Miss United Kingdom contest later in the year. The Miss World organisation held the franchise. The 1990s and 21st century have returned to one contestant competing as Miss United Kingdom or Miss Great Britain. Since 2005 the UK has been represented by the winner of the Miss Universe GB pageant. No woman from the United Kingdom has ever won Miss Universe.
YearTitleholderCountry PlacementSpecial Award
2020TBAUnited KingdomTBA
2019Emma JenkinsGreat Britain
2018Dee-Ann Kentish-RogersGreat BritainTop 20
2017Anna BurdzyGreat BritainTop 16
2016Jaime-Lee FaulknerGreat Britain
2015Narissara FranceGreat Britain
2014Grace LevyGreat Britain
2013Amy WillertonGreat BritainTop 10
2012Holly HaleGreat Britain
2011Chloe-Beth MorganGreat Britain
2010Tara Hoyos-MartínezGreat Britain
2009Clair CooperGreat Britain
2008Lisa LazarusUK
2006Julie DohertyUnited Kingdom
2005Brooke JohnstonUnited Kingdom
2000Louise LakinGreat Britain
1999Cherie PisaniGreat Britain
1998Leilani Anne DowdingGreat Britain
1996Anita St. RoseGreat Britain
1995Sarah-Jane SouthwickGreat Britain
1994Michaela PykeGreat Britain
1993Kathryn MiddletonGreat Britain
1992Tiffany StanfordGreat Britain
1991Helen UptonUnited Kingdom
1990Carla BarrowEngland
1990Karina FergusonScotland
1990Jane LloydWales
1989Raquel Marie JoryEngland
1989Victoria Susannah LaceScotland
1989Andrea Caroline JonesWales
1988Tracey WilliamsEnglandMiss Photogenic
1988Amanda LairdScotland
1988Lise Marie WilliamsWales
1987Yvette Dawn LindseyEngland
1987Nicola Gail DaviesWales
1986Joanne Ruth SedgleyEngland
1986Natalie M. DevlinScotland
1986Tracey RowlandsWales
1985Helen WestlakeEngland
1985Jacqueline HendrieScotland
1985Barbara ChristianWales
1984Louise GrayEngland
1984May MonaghanScotland
1984Jane Anne RileyWales
1983Karen Lesley MooreEngland4th Runner-up
1983Linda RentonScotland
1983Lianne GrayWales
1982Della Frances DolanEnglandTop 12
1982Georgina KearneyScotland
1982Michelle DonellyWales
1981Joanna LongleyEngland
1981Anne McFarlaneScotland
1981Karen Ruth StannardWales
1980Julie DuckworthEngland
1980Linda GallagherScotland1st Runner-up
1980Kim AshfieldWales
1979Carolyn Ann SeawardEngland2nd Runner-upMiss Photogenic
1979Lorraine DavidsonScotlandTop 12
1979Janet Beverly HobsonWalesTop 12
1978Beverly IsherwoodEngland
1978Angela Mary Kate McLeodScotland
1978Elizabeth Ann JonesWales
1977Sarah Louise LongEngland
1977Sandra BellScotland2nd Runner-up
1977Christine Anne MurphyWales
1976Pauline DavisEnglandTop 12Miss Photogenic
1976Carol GrantScotland3rd Runner-up
1976Sian Adey-JonesWales2nd Runner-up
1975Vicki HarrisEnglandTop 12
1975Mary KirkwoodScotland
1975Georgina KerlerWales
1974Kathleen Ann AndersEnglandTop 12
1974Catherine RobertsonScotland
1974Helen Elizabeth MorganWales1st Runner-up
1973Veronica Ann CrossEngland
1973Caroline MeadeScotland
1973Deirdre Jennifer GreenlandWales
1972Jennifer McAdamEngland4th Runner-up
1972Elizabeth Joan StevelyScotland
1972Eileen DarrochWales
1971Marilyn Ann WardEnglandTop 12
1971Elizabeth MontgomeryScotland
1971Dawn CaterWales
1970Yvonne Anne OrmesEngland
1970Lee Hamilton MarshallScotland
1970Sandra CaterWales
1969Myra Van HeckEngland
1969Sheena DrumondScotland
1969Shirley JonesWales
1968Jennifer Lowe SummersEngland
1968Helen DavidsonScotland
1968Judith RadfordWales
1967Jennifer LewisEngland2nd Runner-up
1967Lena MacGarvieScotland
1967Denise Elizabeth PagWalesTop 15
1966Janice WhitemanEnglandTop 15
1966Linda Ann LeesScotland
1966Christine HellerWales
1965Jennifer Warren GurleyEngland
1965Mary YoungScotland
1965Joan BoullWales
1964Brenda BlacklerEngland1st Runner-up
1964Wendy BarrieScotland
1964Marilyn Joy SamuelWales
1963Wendy BarrieScotlandMiss Congeniality
1963Maureen ThomasWales
1962Kim CarltonEnglandTop 12Miss Photogenic
Best National Costume
1962Vera ParkerScotland
1962Hazel WilliamsWales
1961Arlette DobsonEngland3rd Runner-up
1961Susan JonesScotlandTop 15
1961Rosemarie FranklandWales1st Runner-up
1960Joan Ellinor BoardmanEnglandTop 15
1959Pamela Anne SearleEngland3rd Runner-upMiss Photogenic
1958Dorothy HazeldineEngland
1957Sonia HamiltonEngland2nd Runner-up
1956Iris Alice Kathleen WallerEngland3rd Runner-up
1955Margaret RoweEnglandTop 15Most Popular Girl in Parade
1952Aileen P. ChaseGreat Britain

Miss International

Hosts

YearHosts
1977John Stapleton
1997Tania Bryer, Russ Williams