Miss Hongkong Pageant To Be Suspended For The First Time In 48 Years

The Miss Hongkong pageant is one of the most-talked about events every year for Hongkongers.

The beauty contest, which was first held in 1973, has been one of its most reliable star-making factories for the past four decades, having produced stars like Maggie Cheung (1983), Michelle Reis (1988), Ada Choi (1991), Charmaine Sheh (1997), Grace Chan (2013), and Louisa Mak (2016).

But it looks like 2019's winner Carmaney Wong will get to keep her crown a while more as this year's Miss Hongkong pageant, which is organised by TVB, has been officially suspended.

According to TVB high-ranking exec Sandy Yu, the stringent travel restrictions around the globe means that contestants from overseas would not be able to fly over to participate. And because it’s first and foremost a beauty pageant, which means the delegates are judged on their beauty, they cannot be wearing a mask during competition. Besides, it is also rather inappropriate to be making merry during this global pandemic.

Upong hearing that the pageant has been suspended for a year, actress Anita Yuen, 48, who was crowned Miss Hongkong in 1990, said that it's a pity, adding that she hopes that the pandemic would be over soon.

Miss Hongkong 1998 Virginia Yung was also shocked to hear the news, but understood where the organisers were coming from. “Because the beauty pageant will involve the gathering of many people, it is more appropriate to cancel the event now for safety reasons, the 46-year-old said.

Even though the Miss Hongkong pageant has been one of TVB's tentpole events over the past four decades, its suspension did not seem to have much impact on netizens. In fact, ratings have been gradually declining over the past few years, with 2019’s pageant reaching a record low in terms of viewership.

“Is anyone even watching this show?” a netizen questioned. While another said, “Um, I think it doesn’t matter if this contest happens or not. No one watched it last year anyway.”

Photos: Kwong Wah Yit Poh/ HK01