Former Miss Great Britain Zara Holland, was 'de-crowned' after having sex on reality TV show Love Island. Photo / Getty
Former Miss Great Britain Zara Holland, was 'de-crowned' after having sex on reality TV show Love Island. Photo / Getty
Talk about sticking the boot in.
Beauty queen Deone Robertson, who now holds the official title of Miss Great Britain after Zara Holland was 'de-crowned' for having sex on a reality TV show, says the title was "bittersweet" under such circumstances, and that she "saw it coming".
Miss Holland, who had her title revoked last week by the Miss Great Britain Organisation, was a contestant on UK dating show, Love Island.
During an episode which went to air on Wednesday night, Miss Holland got intimate with fellow contestant Alex Bowen in front of the cameras.
While no explicit scenes were actually shown, it was made very clear what happened between the pair.
Zara Holland and Alex Bowen on Love Island. Photo / YouTube
"You know when you're in the moment and it just happens," Miss Holland told the cameras. "That's really not like me at all. Why couldn't we have just gone to sleep?"
In response to the scene, the Miss Great Britain pageant organisation admitted that while they had no problem with sex, they simply could not condone Miss Holland's actions.
"As an organisation we have not taken this decision lightly, we are close to all of our winners and wherever possible stand by them during their reign. That said, we feel we have no choice but to make this decision under the circumstances."
Ms Robertson, who was runner up to Miss Holland at the UK pageant, admitted that while they were friends, she understands why the committee made the decision to revoke the title.
Deone Robertson is now Miss Great Britain, and can understand why the pageant committee decided to 'dethrone' Zara Holland. Photo / Instagram
"We are supposed to be role models for young girls and represent our chosen charities - [Zara] knew this," she told the Mirror.
"Everyone is briefed before entering a pageant. It's drummed into your head. There are contracts in place. You can't be seen naked or topless and you definitely cannot have sex on TV.
"The rules are all on the website. Some say they're outdated but at the end of the day, rules are rules and you have to stick to them.
"Zara has been in the pageant industry a long time. She would have known all of this. She knew the difficult situation she would have been putting the organisers in.
"But I think the pageant community saw this coming. Nobody is saying she did anything wrong. She is a young girl enjoying life but under these circumstances, she can't be a titleholder."
Ms Robertson said because of the strict restraints around being a beauty queen, there's no way she would appear on a show like Love Island - which requires contestants to couple up in a race against time for a pot of cash.
"I would be so cautious," she added. "I think the idea of someone watching you all the time is scary. I love these reality shows but I don't think I could actually be on one."
An online petition has been started to support Zara Holland. Photo / Getty
In a bid to get Zara her crown and title back, a group of fans have launched a Change.org petition in her support.
Titled 'Give Zara Holland her Miss GB Title Back,' the petition has received more than 12,000 signatures of support.
"I think it is a harsh punishment stripping her of her title for a silly little mistake and for only being human," the petition administrator Dell Bennett wrote.
"I am aware that having a title like that comes with responsibilities and I for one think she has been absolutely amazing, she has shown she is a strong positive person, we have to remember she is still a young lady and what happened was only natural.
"I think she should be given a second chance as Miss Great Britain!"
The petition has been met with support, with some signatures slamming the organisation's decision as "harsh" and "disgusting".
"I feel the decision made on Zara has been too harsh," Team Zara Holland wrote.
"I'm a feminist and having sex with a man does not mean someone is a negative role model," Kerry Michaels of London added.
