Miss England Milla Magee left the show with a claim that it made her feel “like a prostitute”, adding that it did not discuss relevant issues.
Published May 25, 2025 | 5:20 PM ⚊ Updated May 25, 2025 | 5:20 PM
Milla Magee in Hyderabad. (Instagram)
Synopsis: The exit of Miss England Milla Magee from the Miss World 2025 pageant has cast a dent on the image of Hyderabad and Telangana. Hyderabad’s reputation as a city of diversity and culinary delights has taken a beating.
The Miss World 2025 pageant in Hyderabad was meant to be Telangana’s shining moment — a dazzling showcase of its Nizam heritage, vibrant culture, and the holy trinity of Chai, Charminar, and chicken biryani. Instead, it has been upstaged by Miss England Milla Magee’s shocking exit.
Her claim that the event made her feel “like a prostitute” left the organisers red-faced. Talk about a plot twist that has left Hyderabad’s global branding dreams in tatters.
Telangana’s government had hit upon the idea of hosting this 20-day spectacle, aiming to position Hyderabad as a cultural hotspot. The plan was to whisk contestants from 140 countries to iconic sites like Ramappa Temple, complete with rituals like abhishekam for Lord Shiva — because nothing says “empowerment” like a divine photo-op.
However, Magee’s allegations have flipped the script. She told The Sun that contestants were treated like “performing monkeys,” expected to entertain wealthy male sponsors with small talk and relentless glamour, from dawn to dusk ball gowns.
The pageant’s slogan, “Beauty with a Purpose,” promises a platform for women to champion humanitarian causes. Magee, a 24-year-old lifeguard, hoped to amplify her CPR education initiative. Instead, she claims she was “farmed out for entertainment,” with contestants pressured to charm middle-aged men at dinner tables — two women per six guests, no less.
When she tried discussing her social causes, the men weren’t interested, leaving her feeling objectified and the pageant’s ethos ringing hollow.
Hyderabad’s reputation as a city of diversity and culinary delights has taken a beating. The Telangana government, led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, had high hopes of boosting tourism with the slogan “Telangana Zaroor Aana” (Come for sure to Telangana). But Magee’s claims of exploitation have sparked global outrage, with critics calling the event culturally tone-deaf and morally questionable.
Miss World’s organisers, led by Julia Morley, insist Magee left due to a family emergency, dismissing her claims as “false and defamatory.” They’re rolling out unedited videos of her praising the experience, hoping to make the PR mess look less ugly.
However, social media and international headlines aren’t buying it, with Magee’s exit — historic as the first Miss England to quit in 74 years — fuelling debates about the pageant’s relevance and ethics.
Did Miss World 2025, a bold move to build Hyderabad’s brand, blow up in Hyderabad’s face? Has it turned the spotlight on Telangana into a glare of scrutiny? The city’s chai, Charminar, and chicken biryani may have remained untarnished, but did its image as a progressive cultural hub?
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
