Rival Miss France event banned
Former Miss France organiser Geneviève de Fontenay has been banned from repeating her alternative contest ‘Miss National
THE “Lady in the Hat”, Geneviève de Fontenay, has been banned from holding her alternative beauty contest “Miss Nationale” next month.
De Fontenay, who has been associated with Miss France since the 1950s, fell out with current organisers Endemol, best-known for running Big Brother, who she accused of lowering the tone.
Last year, after a split, she ran her own contest, screened on the internet, however a court has ruled she must not repeat the event, which had been planned for December 4, one day after Miss France.
It ruled she could face a €100,000 fine if her event goes ahead.
However this latest twist in the saga of conflict between de Fontenay and Endemol, which dates from 2002, when she sold the rights to the competition to the firm, is unlikely to be the last.
“I will continue to fight until I am exhausted,” de Fontenay told Le Parisien.
“I think it’s going to kill her, it’s what certain people want,” said her son, Xavier on RTL radio.
“You can’t have your cake and eat it,” an Endemol spokesperson said, referring to the fact de Fontenay reportedly sold them the rights to run Miss France for millions.
