Photos by Andrew Mee ( more added soon )
Melton Theatre in Leicestershire was buzzing with excitement on Sunday 11th October 2026 as Miss England semi-finalists and Mr England contenders came together for a fun-packed day of fashion, talent, charitable fundraising and entertainment!
With contestants travelling from across the country, the event celebrated much more than appearance, highlighting creativity, personality, community spirit and the important charitable work carried out by those competing for the prestigious national titles.
A Busy Start Backstage!
The action began at 12 noon, when the Miss England semi-finalists arrived to register with the Miss England team.
The first challenge of the day that was recorded was the Beauty with a Purpose fundraising round, giving contestants the opportunity to highlight their charitable fundraising in the lead-up to the competition for the Miss World Charity called Beauty with a Purpose . The contestants managed to collectively raise of £6,000 and were invited to show screenshots of their fundraising efforts.
The ladies were then welcomed by reigning Miss Leicestershire Caitlin Bennet, who distributed STARPOWA gummies for everyone to try. Contestants were also treated to Pure teeth-whitening strips and encouraged to create social media content before rehearsals got underway.
Law Student Sia Kaur from Leeds poses with Starpowa gummies , one of the arrival gifts given to all the contestants
It was then straight onto the main theatre stage, where experienced Miss England choreographer Lisa Powell began putting the contestants through their paces in preparation for the evening’s show.
Mr England Contenders Join the Rehearsals!
Following registration, the Mr England contestants changed into their official Mr England Finalist T-shirts sponsored by Envoy London, before meeting members of the media and preparing for the show.
An hour later, the guys took to the main stage to rehearse in front of the Miss England semi-finalists.
It was then revealed that each Mr England contender would carry a rose to present to a Miss England semi-finalist on stage, in the eveningwear section adding a lovely touch to the evening’s proceedings.
With rehearsals complete, it was time for hair and make-up, while the Mr England contenders continued chatting to the media about their experiences and ambitions and prepared for their stage appearance .
All the contestants enjoyed pizza backstage before the show finally got underway at 5.15pm!
Mel V Thomas QPM the High Sheriff of Leicestershire welcomed everyone to the event from across the country starting the show early at 5.15pm …
and the glamorous hosts were non other than Charlotte Grant an actress from Liverpool who represented England at Miss World in 2025 and Melissa Ray , the Miss England 2025 finalist turned Miss Newcastle director who encouraged the audience to cheer on all the contestants !
Two Fundraising Stars Raise Over £2,100 for Charity!
One of the first outstanding achievements to be recognised came from Amber Hood from Dagenham, Essex, who raised an impressive £1,100+ for Beauty with a Purpose, the Miss World charity.
Matthew Teal, a restaurant manager from Bradford, had raised over £1,000 for Balls to Cancer, the charity supported by the Mr England competition.
Together, the pair raised more than £2,100 for their respective charities and were both recognised as Top Fundraisers at the evening’s awards ceremony. Over £7000 was raised in total for the two charities .
Showtime! A Spectacular Opening at Melton Theatre
The audience welcomed the judging panel, including former Miss England winners Dr Bhasha Mukherjee and Laura Coleman, alongside distinguished police officer Dr Rani Gundhu QPM.
The show opened with an exciting performance from the talented Ann Oliver dancers, setting the scene for an evening of glamour and entertainment.
Guests were then treated to a moving video celebrating reigning Miss England Grace Richardson’s remarkable journey to the 75th Miss World competition in Vietnam, where she made history by winning the prestigious Miss World Talent Award.
Grace became the first Miss England winner to win a fast-track award at Miss World, an incredible achievement for the organisation and a proud moment for England!
Sustainable Fashion Takes Centre Stage – WeDoEthical Iconic Legend Award!
One of the most colourful and creative rounds of the evening was the WeDoEthical Fashion Show, where Miss England semi-finalists were challenged to create outfits inspired by their favourite fashion icons, using sustainable and recycled materials.
From music legends to iconic fashion designers, the contestants showcased their creativity and individuality while promoting the importance of ethical fashion.
The standout winner for WeDoEthical was 17-year-old Pearl Ede from Market Harborough, one of the youngest contestants in the competition whos inspiration and Icon was non other than Vivienne Westwood !
Pearl was announced as the WeDoEthical Iconic Legend Award winner after creating a striking outfit inspired by legendary British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood.
Using old shirts, Pearl transformed discarded clothing into an edgy, punk-inspired fashion statement that impressed the judges.
WeDoEthical founder Kelly Levell explained on the @wedoethical Instagram account why Pearl was selected, highlighting:
- Iconic styling: A creative interpretation of Vivienne Westwood’s legendary punk-inspired fashion.
- Resourcefulness and wearability: Making the most of minimal materials while creating a stylish, wearable outfit.
- An engaging tutorial: Demonstrating how the outfit was created and inspiring others to rethink fashion waste.
Pearl also collected an impressive 45 tree-planting pledges, helping to support the planet and showing that fashion and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand!
Miss England’s Got Talent! Four Contestants Take the Spotlight
Talent has always been an important part of the Miss England competition, and this year’s semi-final certainly didn’t disappoint!
Four contestants were shortlisted to showcase their abilities, entertaining the audience with a variety of performances.
Ques-Li de Bruin (18) – Northamptonshire won the Talent award !
A compliance administrator, Ques-Li impressed with a dance performance. She was sponsored by Gymfinity Kids and won the Miss Talent award !
Sophie Mitchell (25) – Derbyshire won the Peoples choice public vote award and placed 2nd in the Talent round
Sophie, who runs her own doggy daycare business, entertained the audience with a song by country music legend Dolly Parton.
Angel Patel (25) – Leeds
An associate genetic technologist, Angel demonstrated her singing talent and was sponsored by CES Schools.
Sandeep Kaur (24)
A model, singer and actress, Sandeep took to the stage to sing for the guests. She was sponsored by Johns Chippy.
The four talented ladies demonstrated that the Miss England competition is about far more than beauty, giving contestants the opportunity to showcase their individual skills and confidence on stage and Ques-Li was voted the winner !
Explore the Nation – Celebrating the Best of England!
Next came one of the competition’s most interesting rounds, Explore the Nation, which encourages contestants to become ambassadors for their hometowns and regions.
The finalists were invited to create their own videos showcasing the best attractions, landmarks, communities and hidden gems in the places they call home.
The audience enjoyed a selection of the top five videos, featuring locations including York, Dagenham, Market Harborough and Newcastle. ( See the contestants videos on their profiles on this website on the national final page )
Among the contestants featured were:
- Adele Simpson from York, showcasing the historic city of York.
- Amber Hood from Dagenham, Essex, celebrating her hometown.
- Pearl Sanders, shortlisted again for her video about her home town of Market Harborough
- Chantelle, a finalist from Miss Newcastle… The round highlighted the contestants’ creativity, presentation skills and pride in their local communities ..
Amber Hood Wins Her Second & third Award of the Evening!
It was another fantastic moment for Amber Hood from Dagenham, who was announced as the Explore the Nation winner for her video showcasing her hometown in Essex.
Having already been recognised as the Top Fundraiser for raising more than £1,100 for Beauty with a Purpose, Amber celebrated her second award of the evening followed by the announcement that she was also the Crowds Queen , a new award introduced to Miss England for 2026 !
Her success demonstrated the importance of both community involvement and charitable commitment within the Miss England competition and naturally her supporters in the crowd where ecstatic ! Amber won 3 trophies and 3 crowns and has now been invited to represent Essex in the final of Miss England !
The Road to the Miss England & now the Mr England Grand Final!
Heres the list of the Award Winners ;
- Explore the Nation (ETN), Beauty with a Purpose (BWAP) and Crowd’s Queen – Amber Hood, who has now been invited to represent Essex in the Miss England Final.
- Bare Face Award – Evanjelin Elchmanar (25), who retained her Miss Birmingham crown, sponsored by Richard Clarke.
- Publicity Queen – Mackenzie Porter, sponsored by Poultons Golf Centre.
- People’s Choice Public Vote – Sophie Mitchell, who has since been invited to represent Derbyshire at the Grand Final.
Other winning finalists included ;
The judging panel also selected the following contestants to progress to the Miss England Grand Final:
- Alex Tyne (25) – An RAF pilot who will represent Lincolnshire
- Amarachi Ugo (17) – From Nottinghamshire and a board member for Family Justice sponsored by Skin Solace
- Amelia Laidlaw (18) – A nursery apprentice from the North East
- Katie Dulson (23) – from Hull and will now represent Yorkshire
- Katie Everett Jones (27) – A model and student from Southampton sponsored by Submerj
- Milly Everatt (27) – A farmer from Scunthorpe
- Sandeep Kaur – From Halesowen sponsored by Johns Chippy
- Angel Patel (25) – From Leeds sponsored by CES a learning centre for English studies
- Evie Rose Moat (16) – From Newcastle.
- Katie De Costa (27) – A make-up artist from Newcastle.
- Sia Kaur (23) – A law student from Leeds
- Chantelle Williams – From Newcastle.
The Melton Theatre event brought together talented and ambitious young people from across England, celebrating sustainable fashion, charitable fundraising, local communities and personal achievement.
The excitement now continues towards the Miss England and Mr England Grand Final on Tuesday 17th November 2026 at Athena, Leicester, when both national winners will be announced at a spectacular red-carpet event.
Who will be crowned Miss England 2026 and Mr England 2026? The countdown is on!
For tickets for the red carpet event including a 3 course meal , the show and entertainment click here
