The Miss Universe pageant is once again grabbing headlines after Miss Jamaica 2025, Gabrielle Henry, suffered a frightening fall off the main stage during the preliminary evening gown competition in Thailand.
The incident quickly went viral and added to an already controversy-filled year for the global event.
The fall occurred on Nov. 19, 2025, as Henry glided across the stage in an orange evening gown and high heels. Videos shared widely online, including on Instagram by Meekii Modez, shows Henry posing at center stage before stepping leftward — and suddenly plummeting off the stage edge. Audience members gasped and rushed to their feet as officials scrambled to help.
Additional footage shows a medical team placing Henry on a stretcher before taking her for treatment.
Hours later, the Miss Universe Jamaica Organization said Henry was in stable condition after being “rushed to Paolo Rangsit Hospital,” adding that early examinations indicated no life-threatening injuries. Tests are ongoing.
“We ask everyone to stay upbeat, lift her in prayer, and send positive thoughts as she receives the necessary medical care,” the organization said in a statement, thanking fans for their support.
Miss Universe Organization President Raúl Rocha also visited Henry and later confirmed she had no broken bones.
“She is under good care,” he wrote on Instagram.
Henry had already completed the national costume and swimsuit segments prior to the incident. Whether she will be able to continue in the competition remains unclear.
A Pageant Already Mired in Controversy
The fall comes on the heels of a messy pre-pageant dispute involving Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch and Miss Universe Thailand director Nawat Itsaragrisil. The clash, reportedly sparked by Bosch’s reluctance to post promotional content for Thailand, escalated to the point that Bosch walked out — followed by several contestants in solidarity.
Itsaragrisil responded with a threat: “If anyone wants to continue the contest, sit down.”
The remark triggered intense online criticism and questions about professionalism and bias in the host country’s leadership. Rocha subsequently condemned Itsaragrisil’s behavior, prompting a public apology.
For many fans and analysts, the tension echoes past complaints about Itsaragrisil’s management style. Last year, India’s Rachel Gupta, winner of his other pageant, Miss Grand International, gave up her crown, calling the environment “toxic.”
A Human Moment in a Turbulent Season
Henry’s fall, though accidental, has become a flashpoint in a pageant season marked by walk-outs, threats of disqualification, resigning judges, and public apologies.
It also raises deeper questions about contestant safety and the pressures placed on women who must perform flawlessly in high-stakes, physically challenging environments.
Meanwhile, the controversy intensified for the well-known beauty pageant when judge and composer Omar Harfouch announced his resignation from the Miss Universe 2025 competition just three days before the final competition.
He claimed that a “secret committee” had already chosen the top 30 finalists before the preliminary rounds took place. Omar further shared that a ‘significant potential conflict of interest’ included an alleged affair between a contestant and a selection committee member.
Omar said that the unofficial judging panel is “composed of individuals with a significant potential conflict of interest due to some [personal] relationships with some of the Miss Universe contestants, including the person responsible for counting the votes and managing the results, which constitutes a further conflict of interest.”
Soon after, a second Miss Universe judge, French soccer manager Claude Makélélé, announced his withdrawal from the pageant.
In a post shared on Instagram, he wrote, “Regretfully, I will not be attending Miss Universe 2025. Thank you for your understanding and support.” No specific reason was given for his resignation.
The Miss Universe finals are set for Nov. 21, with 122 contestants competing for the crown in what should have been a global celebration of culture, confidence, and representation.
Instead, the organization now finds itself juggling crisis management and public reassurance, even as the videos of Henry’s fall continue circulating worldwide.
