You’d be forgiven for thinking the sequins have only just been swept from the stage floor at Hyderabad’s HITEX Exhibition Centre.
Indeed, just four months have passed since viewers watched Suchata Chuangsri make history as the first Thai woman to be crowned Miss World since its inception, here in England, by the lesser known Eric Morley in 1951.
But while next year’s edition of the world’s oldest beauty pageant remains a meticulously planned work in progress – to date, an appropriate host country and venue are yet to be confirmed – sights are already being set on its outcome, and Chuangsri’s successor.
With 28 competitors already announced – among them Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland – Afton McKeith is hoping her already familiar name will soon join the growing list after being named as Miss England’s first semi-finalist.
McKeith, 24, the daughter of TV presenter and nutritionist Gillian McKeith, is one of 33 candidates determined to represent England at next year’s ceremony and bring the crown back to its birthplace for the first time since 1983.
Naturally, there are significant obstacles to be scaled before that can happen, and her progress will be determined on October 3, when the hotly contested Miss England semi-final gets underway at Wolverhampton Grand Station.
Gillian McKeith’s daughter Afton has sets her sights on the spotlight as she competes for Miss England crown – with a secret weapon she inherited from her wacky TV mum
McKeith, 24, the daughter of TV presenter and nutritionist Gillian McKeith , is one of 33 candidates determined to represent England at next year’s ceremony and to bring in health and wellness in all that she does – just like her mother (pictured in 2024)
Just four months have passed since viewers watched Suchata Chuangsri make history as the first Thai woman to be crowned Miss World since its inception
Success will secure her a place in next year’s final and bring her one step closer to her dream of reaching Miss World and bringing her passion for health and wellness to a global stage.
A qualified movement coach, yoga instructor and trained dancer, McKeith’s passion for health and wellness – traits she inherited from her mother – has led to the launch of spinal health campaign Save My Back, and its subsequent Made To Move initiative.
The new Beauty With A Purpose campaign encourages Brits to improve posture, reduce back pain, stiffness, and uplift mental health by dancing for ten minutes, three times a day.
She told Daily Mail: ‘As a movement and mobility coach, I’ve seen firsthand how posture impacts your physical health and how you feel about yourself.
‘When you stand tall and pain free, you’re unstoppable, and that’s the energy I want to bring to Miss England.’
McKeith is now hoping to encourage the practice at grass roots level by hosting workshops in schools across the country, and a new photoshoot suggests she already practices what she’s willing to preach.
The aspiring Miss England goes makeup free while modelling a nude string bikini in a collection of photos that will feature in the competition’s Bare Face round.
A qualified movement coach, yoga instructor and trained dancer, McKeith’s passion for health and wellness has led to the launch of spinal health campaign Save My Back
She told Daily Mail: ‘As a movement and mobility coach, I’ve seen firsthand how posture impacts your physical health and how you feel about yourself’
The aspiring Miss England chose to go makeup free while modelling a nude string bikini in a collection of photos that will feature in the competition’s Bare Face round
She explained: ‘I’ve chosen to submit photos in a nude bikini to truly honour and celebrate the natural body and face.
‘I want to make a statement about self-confidence and body positivity. It’s about embracing who we are, being fearless and inspiring others to feel comfortable in their own skin and be their healthiest selves.
‘Winning Miss England would mean the chance to reach even more people, especially young women, and show that true beauty is about health, confidence and having a sense of purpose.’
With the Spanish coastline serving as an appropriately dramatic backdrop, McKeith strikes a series of poses that draw attention to her athletic physique, the result of vigorous exercise and dance choreography.
She told Daily Mail: ‘My favourite form of fitness is dancing! It’s a way of life for us, I don’t know any different.
‘I love the way that we eat, it is a gift to have so much knowledge about health thanks to my mum.
‘I ended up training in health and fitness, attaining 20 qualifications in the field. I am passionate about it as health is the most important aspect in life.’
McKeith – who trained in performing arts at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts – inherited that passion from her mother, who became a household name through TV diet show You Are What You Eat.
She explained: ‘I’ve chosen to submit photos in a nude bikini to truly honour and celebrate the natural body and face. I want to make a statement about self-confidence and body positivity’
Appearing as the show’s holistic nutritionist, Gillian developed a degree of notoriety in her own right thanks to her habit of checking human stool samples, believing body malfunction can be determined through the smell and consistency of feces.
Her daughter is now hoping to make her own impression while endorsing a similar passion for health and wellness – on a global scale.
‘For me, this journey is about so much more than a crown,’ she said.
‘Miss England gives me a platform to share a message of health, confidence and purpose with people across the UK and beyond.’
