Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
child beauty pageant
Concerns raised over pageant organisers' lack of contact with parents
One parent whose two-year-old daughter is due to take part in the ‘child beauty’ event said she had had no contact from the pageant company since a Dublin hotel cancelled its booking for the event yesterday.
THE MOTHER OF a prospective child beauty queen due to take part in this weekend’s planned Universal Royalty pageant is raising concerns about lack of contact from the organisers.
The Bracken Court Hotel in Balbriggan, which had been due to host the ‘Toddlers and Tiaras’ style event this Saturday, cancelled its booking yesterday, saying it had not been told in advance of the true nature of the event.
Pageant boss Annette Hill has promised it will still go ahead. This tweet was sent by her company earlier today:
However according to Lynsey from Dublin 24, who plans to enter her toddler in the show, no email had been received as of 6pm today.
Lynsey told TheJournal.ie she was concerned that the ‘plan b’ venue would only be confirmed at short notice, and that “it could be anywhere”.
She said she had called and emailed Universal Royalty for an update, but hadn’t been able to get through.
“It just went to their voicemail, which was full.”
TheJournal.ie also put calls in to the company’s Texas HQ and to Hill herself. Both went unanswered.
Lynsey said she had spent €40 euro to enter her 2-year-old daughter in the pageant.
She said she “would have spent over €100″ on the event — on outfits and shoes for her daughter, and on admission fees for herself and other family members.
“They didn’t have a problem answering phones or emails until the last day or two, now nobody answers them,” Lynsey added.
Eden Wood, of ‘Toddlers and Tiaras’ is due to appear on tonight’s Late Late (Image: Tammie Arroyo/AFF/EMPICS Entertainment)
Hill is due to appear on tonight’s Late Late Show to speak about the pageant. It’s planned she’ll be accompanied by another Irish parent who has entered her daughter in the event. American child beauty queen Eden Wood, who gained fame in Toddlers & Tiaras, is also due to appear.
A spokesperson for RTÉ said it wasn’t known if Hill planned to make any announcement on plans for an alternative venue.
have your say