First Miss World 1951

First Miss World

First Miss World won by Miss Sweden, Kiki Haakinson, on April 19th, 1951.

Miss Sweden, Kiki Haakonson, carried off the first Miss World title in the Lyceum Ballroom in London, in what was originally intended to be a one-off event connected with the Festival of Britain. It was the brainchild of Eric Morley, once a London orphan, an Army captain during the war and a self-made entertainment entrepreneur of great shrewdness and drive. He had already started the Come Dancing programme, which would turn into BBC television's longest-running series, and he would set commercial bingo going in Britain, in 1961. He was in his early thirties and working for a dancehall and catering company called Mecca when it was approached by an RAF officer named Phipps, who had been put in charge of Festival of Britain publicity. Phipps was looking for some pizzazz to spice up the more sedate attractions and Morley suggested an international bathing beauty competition.