Former Miss Americas back pageant reformer

Thirty former Miss Americas have written a joint-letter expressing their support for Gretchen Carlson, the 1989 winning competitor brought in to reform the pageant, after state officials pushed for her resignation.

Ms Carlson, trying to modernise the pageant in the light of #Metoo, announced that the organisation was dropping the swimsuit element of the competition. The former winners said they “hope the voices of our majority can and will be heard”.