English Entertainment
Star World to air first ever Miss Earth pageant on 30 November
Beautiful bombshells strutting their stuff for the environment.That too in swimsuits and in national costumes a la Miss Universe. Surely, conservationists must be gnashing their teeth. Nevertheless, a contest of that type was held in Quezon City in the Philippines on 28 October. You can get a ringside view of what happened by tuning into the Miss Earth Pageant on Star World on Friday 30 November. The show was held at the UP Theatre and had participation from 42 countries.
Miss Earth 2001 Catharine Svensson of Denmark (second from the left) (from left to right) Miss Argentina Daniella Stucan who won as Miss Earth Fire (3rd runner-up), Miss Brazil Simone Regis, the Miss Earth Air (first runner-up) and Miss Kazakhstan Margarita Kravstova who won as Miss Earth Water (2nd runner-up).
The winner a certain Miss Denmark walked away with the Miss Earth crown and $20,000 in cash, apart from other takings. The first and second runners-up, won the Miss Earth Air and Miss Earth Water titles, while the third runner up was crowned Miss Earth Fire crown. The first and second runners-up pocketed $ 2,500.00
The show was hosted by Jaime Gachitorena with popular Channel V VJ Asha Gill and Miss Asia-Pacific 1997 Emma Suwanalat of Thailand serving as co-hosts. The 42 beauties had a happy go lucky time interacting with Mother Nature and soaking in the natural beauty of the Phillipines. They also spoke with environmental personnel and activists in the country. The opening ceremony which had the the contestants wearing their National Costumes ranging from simple European desgins threads to native clothing from Africa and Asia. One of the pre-pageant awards was won by Miss India Shamita Singha in the National Costume category.
The Miss Earth Pageant had its fair share of controversy. Charges of racisim were hurled at the Miss Ponds Rosy White Skin competition which was won by Miss Estonia Evelyn Mikomagi. The critics carped that Africa had no chance of winning this award since it was meant for those possessing fair skin.
The Miss Earth Show airing on Star World features interviews with the ten semifinalists who had to describe what selected pictures meant for them, all of which concerned the environment. One picture showed an area affected by drought while another showed a man chopping down a tree. Miss Brazil Simone Regis spoke about the importance of preserving the Amazon.
There was also the swimsuit competition which had the contestants wearing similar Avon swimsuits with blue wavy design and the gown segment.
The finale had the five finalists tackling the question "Technology makes life very easy but it is to blame for certain environmental problems. How do you find solutions to balance technology and earth preservation."
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
