MANILA, Philippines, November 3 ------ Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray is set to return as a behind-the-scenes commentator for the Miss Universe 2024 pageant, which will be held in Mexico this November. This marks her third consecutive year as part of the team.
"I will be in Mexico this November second week to support our own Chelsea Manalo, and also to serve as a commentator once again. I'm grateful for the trust of the Miss Universe Organization for once again inviting me back for the third year in a row," the 30-year-old revealed during the press conference of her upcoming fundraising event dubbed "Catriona Gray's Legacy Ball." "That's a really big thing for me because in a way it really gives me confidence about my hosting on an international level, and I really do enjoy it. There's a certain level of spontaneity and an event such as Miss Universe. Of course, everything is happening blow by blow — you don't know who's coming in or what's going to happen next. Naturally, with different hosting countries, the first two years were in New Orleans and El Salvador, and now it's in Mexico. So every different country gives a different energy and a different audience," she said.
She also expressed her excitement about being involved from a new perspective, saying, "I love being a part of that because again it gives me that well-rounded perspective because like I was a girl up there on that stage and I know how they are feeling but to be within the crowd and to feel that energy, it's electric, it's really the love of pageantry that is really igniting all over again." "So third year. It's really different — from experiencing it as an audience member, just watching at home in past years, to being a candidate, giving my farewell, and passing on my title, and now being behind the scenes as a commentator, watching the action unfold — it's a whole different experience," she added.
When asked about the facial reactions viewers notice from her during the competition, especially when the Philippines doesn't place in the top, Gray responded candidly, "I understand the weight that a Philippine sash has on a candidate, I understand the pressure, as a candidate myself once upon a time I understand the challenges, the hardworking that goes to being on that stage so of course it's impossible for me not to relate to a Miss Philippines and their journey so of course I'm always rooting for them so maybe that's just my emotions."
Meanwhile, Gray expressed her enthusiasm for Miss Universe Philippines 2024 representative Chelsea Manalo, who will compete for the country's fifth Miss Universe crown. "I have really high hopes for Chelsea — that she will make us proud. I think she brings a fresh breath of air into the competition, and I know she's had ample time to prepare. I'm really excited, just as all other Filipinos are, to see how she will make us proud every single day, from Day 1 to the coronation itself," she enthused. When asked if Manalo might bring home the Philippines' fifth Miss Universe crown, Gray responded optimistically, "I hope so. She's great, and as I said, she gives a fresh new air to Miss Philippines. She's so young, and I'm excited to see how she transforms on stage. I feel like she's the type of girl who, when you meet her in person, is very sweet — but on stage, she kind of unlocks a different part of herself. She's really a performer, so I'm very excited to see how that comes alive on the Mexico stage."
Offering words of wisdom, Gray told Manalo to "be present, remember her anchor, and just enjoy." "Remember why you went on that journey in the first place. It can be anything that resonates with you — whether it's opening new opportunities, elevating your community or a cause, or representing the country. Just hold on to that anchor because throughout the exhaustion, the long schedules, and the ups and downs of being Miss Philippines, that's what you need to hold on to," she advised. "I look back on it now, and it feels like a blip — it was so fast. My time was just two and a half weeks in Thailand, and now looking back, I wish I could've been more present to soak in every moment because it was really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It's like being in the Olympics — not to compare Olympians and beauty queens — but you're surrounded by delegates from all over the world, representing your country. That's such an incredible honor to have in your lifetime," she said.
Miss Universe 2024 will be the 73rd Miss Universe pageant to be held in the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico, on November 16. The highly-anticipated event will feature 130 women from around the globe vying for the crown, the largest number of candidates in history of beauty pageants in the world.
Source: maniiatimes.net
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