My Week: Julia Morley The International President of Miss World

Nathalie Curry
Friday 19 November 1999 19:02 EST
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Sunday

I take my two dogs, Robbie and Daisy, for a walk, before going straight to the office in Golden Square, London. A sea of faxes has collected over the weekend on the office floor. There is information on when everyone is arriving tomorrow - contestants, families, 35 supporters from Puerto Rico, and press.

All the girls stay in the same hotel. I try to read about them prior to their arrival, and room them according to their interests and language. All the girls speak English this year, except for three of them.

At 5pm I leave the office and go to the contestants' hotel to meet up with all the people in the Miss World team - make-up, hair stylists, administration, production, transport, security, interpreters and banqueting. We go over the schedule for the next few days.

Monday

I start at 4.30am in the hotel office. Everyone disperses to meet and greet all the contestants at various airports. Miss Turkey, from Istanbul, has concussion when she gets here. She fell in the airport in Turkey and has been pretty unwell. She has a black eye and bruising. The doctors come to the hotel to look after her. These things happen and we have to cope.

Once everyone is sorted out, I go straight back to the office. I am very worried because I can't find Miss Nigeria. It has been very difficult making contact with her country, and I haven't managed to speak to her. I have no idea when, or if, she is arriving.

At 9pm, my secretary, Maureen, arrives with some bread pudding. I am starving by this stage, so we crack open a bottle of moselle and tuck in. I slip home after this to cuddle my dogs and husband.

Tuesday

I take my dogs for a walk. I know I sound dog-mad, but they are very important to me. I then go to the office.

Today is a big day, with a press conference and photocall at the night club, home, in Leicester Square. There are some last-minute photos to sort out for the press packs. Our printer is working very hard to get them delivered to us, but is stuck in a huge traffic jam in Haymarket. I have to send out three volunteers literally to carry all the stuff from the van to the press conference.

All 91 nations turn up, although Miss Nigeria is still missing. It seems to go well, although I am never sure how we will be received. I was relieved that the tone of the press conference was very light-hearted - there is such a cross section of thought on the competition.

Wednesday

I have an 8.30am meeting with Channel 5 to discuss Malta. This is where the beachwear sequence takes place. On the day of the competition itself, most of the show is live, but it is intermingled with 17 minutes of the prefilmed sequences from Malta.

The girls choose what they want to wear for the beach sequence. It could be a wrap, shorts or a swimsuit - whatever suits them. They can be doing anything, from swimming to playing volleyball.

All of a sudden, Miss Nigeria turns up. Her plane had taken her via Germany, which is why she was delayed. She is fit and well, however, and I am very pleased to see her. We now have the full company of 94 girls.

Thursday

Today we fly to Malta. We are slightly delayed because of luggage problems. Some of the girls arrive with the most enormous pieces of hand luggage. It all has to be stuffed into the hold somehow. Moving 94 nations plus luggage is an experience!

When we arrive at Malta there is a big reception at the airport. The minister of tourism is there, with an entourage dressed in the most wonderful gold and crimson uniforms.

We arrive at the hotel and brief the girls with a schedule for tomorrow. They are divided into different groups, representing a good cross section of cultures, for filming. In the evening there is a cocktail party and dinner for us.

Friday

We go straight into filming. Two groups of girls are up at 4.30am for a sunrise sequence. A huge number of the press have come along. I try to look after them as best as I can, in addition to taking care of the girls' families and their supporters.

I never get tired of it all. It is an exacting time for all of us, but we have a lot of laughs along the way. If you don't have a sense of humour, then forget it.

Miss World will be broadcast live on Channel 5 from Olympia on 4 Dec

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