Miss Universe bets knew PHL’s Pia Wurtzbach won before correction —Miss Australia

The 77 candidates in the 2015 Miss Universe pageant already knew Miss Philippines Pia Wurtzbach was the pageant’s real winner before she was crowned following an announcement gaffe by host Steve Harvey,  Miss Australia Monika Radulovic revealed.

Radulovic, who placed fourth in the pageant, told the Australian morning show Sunrise that she and the 76 other bets who were on the stage were shocked when Harvey announced the name of Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez as Miss Universe because the word “Philippines” was flashed on the teleprompter as the winner.

“I still really can’t believe it happened. The girls, the rest of us—the 77 contestants— were on the side of the stage and we actually saw the teleprompter. It said ‘Philippines, please take your first walk as Miss Universe’ after Colombia was crowned. So we were looking at each other thinking, ‘What are we waiting?’” she said.

Radulovic said Harvey only realized his mistake as the other contestants remained confused about the pageant’s results.

“And then Steve Harvey made the walk down the runway and we could all see the worried look on his face when it happened. It was horrible,” she said.

With a regretful look on his face, Harvey took the stage to apologize for the mix up in the announcement of the pageant winner. He then announced Wurtzbach as the Miss Universe 2015 while Gutierrez is the first runner up.

The comedian even flashed the cue card on screen to prove that Miss Philippines was the pageant’s real winner.

Wurtzbach, a 26-year-old Filipina-German actress and model, ended the Philippines' 42-year title drought in the prestigious pageant.

Reflecting on the controversial coronation night, Radulovic said she felt bad for both Gutierrez and Wurtzbach because of the confusion they had to experience while they were on stage.

“My heart goes out to both girls. For Colombia, [she had] that feeling of winning. You could see she was crying of joy and then getting that taken away. At the same time,  for the Philippines [because] she didn’t really have that amazing victory. I mean, we ran first to Colombia to [console] her so she (Wurtzbach) didn’t have that congratulatory walk that the Miss Universe normally gets,” she said.

After the pageant ended, Radulovic said she and other contestants talked to Gutierrez to console her.

“We spoke to her backstage afterwards and we gave her a big hug. She was still proud of herself. I hink she was emotion[al] about everything that happened so fast,” she said.

And while the Australian beauty queen has yet to talk to Wurtzbach following the pageant, she only has kind words for the pageant’s new title holder.

“To Miss Philippines Pia, good luck to her. I’m sure she will be a great Miss Universe,” she said. —Xianne Arcangel/KG, GMA News