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Watch | Host announces wrong winner at Miss Universe 2015

By Will Stroude

The grand finale of the Miss Universe 2015 competition was marred in controversy last night (December 20), after the wrong winner was announced and crowned, before having her apparent victory rescinded just minutes later.

Organisers and host Steve Harvey have since apologised for the screamingly awkward error, which saw Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez, declared the winner instead of the rightful champion of Miss Philippines, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.

universe

OK folks … I have to apologise,” Harvey told a confused crowd in Las Vegas, as Miss Colombia celebrated beside him.

“The first runner-up is Colombia. Miss Universe 2015 is Philippines.”

He continued: “Let me just take control of this. This is exactly what’s on the card. I will take responsibility for this. It was my mistake. It was on the card.”

Harvey later took responsibility for the gaffe, apologising “wholeheartedly” to both contestants as well as viewers, who flocked to Twitter to express their shock as the incident began trending worldwide.

Organsisers later issued their own statement, offering their “sincerest apologies” for the “human error”.

Miss Philippines later offered her sympathies to Miss Colombia, telling reporters afterwards that she wished her competitor well.

“I’m very sorry, I did not take the crown away from her and I wish her well in whatever she wants to pursue after this pageant,” she said.

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