Philippines president doesn’t want American host back for Miss Universe

Miss Universe is due to be held in Manila in January but newly-elected Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte does not want Steve Harvey back as host, after his blunder in the 2015 pageant.

Harvey famously announced Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutiérrez as the winner before correcting Miss Philippines Pia Wurtzbach as the rightful winner.

Tourism secretary Wanda Teo relayed President Duterte’s concerns during a press conference on Thursday, CNN Philippines reported.

“He cannot host. I am going to talk to the Miss Universe that he cannot host so that is my problem,” Duterte told Teo (translated by CNN Philippines). “I don’t want him to be the host of the Miss Universe.”

But Harvey has a five-year contract to host.

“So the President will not get mad, we may add a Filipina to co-host,” Teo said.

Harvey has told the Miss Universe Organisation that he wanted to personally apologise to the Filipinos for the incident.

Source: Variety