The Miss Universe Organization ended its five-year deal with popular American broadcast personality Steve Harvey as it revealed that a female host will be announced for the pageant in the coming weeks.
This was revealed by MUO CEO Amy Emmerich in an exclusive interview by Variety, an international entertainment website, on Dec. 6.
"Among the changes in the move: Steve Harvey, who had hosted for five years as part of the pageant’s deal with Fox (with the exception of 2021, when that pact was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic), also won’t be back. According to Miss Universe Organization CEO Amy Emmerich, a new host — expected to be a female — will be announced in the coming weeks," the article read.
Emmerich also said that the 71st Miss Universe Competition which will broadcast live from New Orleans on Jan. 14, 2023 will be streamed by The Roku Channel.
“My goal was really to make sure we led with a female lens this next go-around. We should hopefully have that to talk about soon… It was a rare opportunity to be able to kind of restart in a whole new place,” Emmerich told Variety.
In October, JKN, a Thai-owned media and content conglomerate, announced the acquisition of the MUO from IMG. It is run by CEO Anne Jukapong Jakrajutatip.
Emmerich also said that the MUO has been looking at ways to reform and refresh the organization.
“I would love to offer one large package and go global because the global audience is so massive, but we’re tied up in a lot of different territory deals.
“That won’t end for another year. So, we said, OK, the best thing that can happen for this brand is go to a place that’s also starting anew. Right away WME suggested Roku. I’m familiar with David from the past and he had just joined there. From the first conversation, you kind of knew it was the place to be. Roku just always had a personality. They really are consistent with who they are, even with the original programming to come. And Miss Universe needed take some chances," Variety also reported.
Despite the ever-changing scene in pageants, the swimsuit competition will continue in Miss Universe, Emmerich also said.
“I did not eradicate swimwear. That’s a big question. It was pretty obvious that that moment was more about the power of their voice, even more than the power of their body. But being able to own the power of your sexuality was really interesting to me. And as a woman, we basically are raised to hate our bodies from birth. And in this moment, they own it. And they own it in an interesting way. Of course, I’d love more body positivity and plus-size women to be represented but I think that’s going to take a little time. I think we need to show that audience that we have a safe space for them. And that’s the work that we have to do," Emmerich also told Variety.