PageantCast News Desk: Miss Universe in shock elimination

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Miss Universe in shock elimination

Jennifer Hawkins has been eliminated from Dancing with the Stars.
Photo: Supplied

Former Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins - considered the favourite to win Dancing With The Stars - has been a shock elimination from the Seven reality show.

Her exit last night almost came with yet another wardrobe malfunction, when she nearly lost a shoe.

Compere Darryl Somers revealed his surprise at the move by telling the pair - Hawkins and partner Hungary-born professional dancer Sergei Bolgarskiy - that many home voters may have assumed they were safe from elimination.

"Woah ... that's a surprise I think to everybody," Somers said.

"I think a lot of people probably ... looked at your performances and where you were on the rung each week and think 'Oh yeah Jen, she's fine we don't have to vote for Jen'.

"... (But) you still have to vote for your favourite couple, that's the only way that you stay in."

The TV dance competition is now down to the final five couples.

Last week, Simone Warne, former wife of Australian spin bowler Shane Warne, was eliminated.

Hawkins wore a black skirt and polka-dot top for her performance, in which she almost lost a shoe.

Hawkins has had a string of problems with her clothing.

In September 2004, upon returning to Australia for the first time since her Miss Universe crowning, she revealed she had accidentally kept her bikini bottoms on when she changed into her evening gown for the pageant watched by millions around the world.

At the time, she said: ''I'm like, oh my God, in the rush of it all I left my swimmer bottoms under a 25,000 (dollar) gorgeous dress and I didn't even know about it.

''I always have to do something like that.''

The following week, she was caught with little more than a red Bonds G-string, after her skirt was snagged and fell off while she was modelling at a Sydney shopping centre.

Speaking to Somers last night, Hawkins said she had ''had a ball'' in Dancing With the Stars, and intended to continue dancing lessons with her partner.

''I put in 100 per cent so I'm happy, I got past half way so I'm happy,'' Hawkins said.

During her appearances on the show she raised funds for the Olivia Newton John Cancer Centre, and the singer made a special appearance on the program last week.

Hawkins' year-long reign as Miss Universe took her around the globe as an ambassador for a range of organisations including YouthAIDS and the Global Health Council.

In April last year, she was voted the second sexiest woman in Australia and New Zealand in a FHM 100 Sexiest Women survey, behind Bec Hewitt, then Cartwright.

Source: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/04/05/1143916566005.html