A BRADFORD mum says she is looking forward to competing in the finals of a different looking Miss Yorkshire this year.
Darina Skipina, 27, is one of nine finalists in the competition which has been changed this year due to the pandemic.
In more normal times, Miss Skipina, of Thorpe Edge, would be taking her place on stage with the other contestants at a glitzy event.
However, this year she and the other finalists instead face an individual hour-long interview over a video call with the competition's judges.
She is set to be asked why she should be crowned Miss Yorkshire and also about herself and her life.
Miss Skipina will have her Zoom video call with the judging panel on February 24 and will then find out if she is crowned Miss Yorkshire.
The winner of the contest will then represent God's Own County in the Miss England contest and the winner of that will compete in this year's Miss World.
But first Miss Skipina, who moved to the UK from her native Latvia eight years ago, is firmly focused on the regional contest first.
She has previously appeared in modelling campaigns for Primark and New Look and has also entered this year's Top Model search competition.
She juggles being a mum to a one-year-old daughter with working as a paralegal at Leeds-based legal firm DWF.
Miss Skipina said: "I randomly applied and got through to the finals. I'm so happy.
"I'm not a good singer, I'm not a good actress. I wanted to see myself on TV where people can recognise me. The one thing I can do is modelling.
"It's so sad that we can't go anywhere and wear a beautiful dress for the final.
It is a bit of fun to raise money for charity. I will be raising money for cancer charities. It can then be beauty with a purpose
"I'm a law graduate working as a paralegal, so this is a different field. Modelling is a hobby for me."
Each of the Miss Yorkshire contestants has been asked to film and submit videos of themselves, giving an introduction and discussing interesting facts about themselves, wear their favourite dress or evening gown to do a parade on a virtual catwalk, and finally to present a talent or talk about fundraising events.
Phil Green, organiser and owner of Supermodel Agency, said: “The show must go on, and therefore the girls have been asked to do everything on video, which they would have done at the contest venue with a live audience.”
All of the videos are now being watched individually and remotely by a panel of judges, including the current Miss England, Dr Bhasha Mukherjee; Julie Salter, manager of Flawless photographic studios in Leeds, current Miss Lincolnshire, Ella Grace Bayley; former Miss United Kingdom, Nicola Willoughby and Miss England owner/organiser – Angie Beasley. This will be followed by a live interview with each contestant on Zoom.
As well as appointing a new Miss Yorkshire, there is also a title of ‘Miss Popularity’ being awarded to the contestant receiving the most public votes via a phone app. The voting app can be downloaded onto mobile phones at missengland.info The winners are expected to be announced at the end of the live interviews during February.
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