2018 titleholder Catriona Gray questions Miss Universe 2025 results

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray. Photo from Gray's Instagram

Shortly after the winners were announced on Friday, 31-year-old Gray posted on her Instagram broadcast channel: "Does the Q&A no longer matter in Miss Universe?" followed by a sad, broken-heart emoji.

At the coronation held in Bangkok, Mexico’s Fatima Bosch, 25, was named Miss Universe 2025. Representatives from Thailand, Venezuela, the Philippines and Ivory Coast finished as first, second, third and fourth runners-up, respectively.

Gray later shared an Instagram Story congratulating the Philippines’ representative Ahtisa Manalo on placing third runner-up, writing: "So proud. We all saw how you left your heart on that stage. Our queen."

Her remarks came amid widespread complaints that several runners-up delivered stronger performances in the question-and-answer section and across the competition than the eventual winner.

Fatima Bosch, representing Mexico, the winner of the Miss Universe 2025 pageant. Photo from Miss Universe's Instagram

On Miss Universe’s official Facebook page, many users voiced their shock.

"Miss Philippines is the only one who answered with a very concrete, tangible, and actionable plan," one commenter wrote, attracting more than 1,800 likes and heart reactions as of Monday.

"Yes we [were] cheering for the Philippines but we know how this girl answered the questions well my goodness seriously Miss Universe?? Whahaha," another user wrote under the post announcing the Ivory Coast representative as fourth runner-up, drawing more than 9,500 likes and hearts as of Monday.

Tens of thousands of users also flooded the Miss Universe Facebook page with angry reactions.

The criticism was not limited to audience members. French-Lebanese musician Omar Harfouch, who resigned from the judging panel before the final, called Bosch a "fake winner" on Instagram, alleging that the victory was orchestrated by Miss Universe owner Raul Rocha in collaboration with Bosch's father.

Besides the final results, this year's Miss Universe pageant also drew widespread criticism over its perceived "lack of professionalism."