MR UK TAKES MR GAY WORLD 2014 – NEEDS CUP OF TEA

For the first time, a delegate from the United Kingdom has won Mr Gay World.

Stuart Hatton Jr from South Shields, England was awarded the 2014 title at a ceremony in Rome, Italy on Saturday night.

When his name was announced as the winner, Hatton fell to his knees and proclaimed, “I need a cup of tea!” The 29-year-old is a model and dance teacher.

“I am still in a complete daze about it and overwhelmed. But this is just the beginning,” he wrote on Facebook after his win. “Now it’s time to show the world what we as a global gay community are made of. This is a joint win that I share with all my fellow delegates from around the world.

“Together, as a family we will fight to bring equal rights to the entire world. Alone we are only one voice but together we will roar!” he added.

South Africa’s representative, Werner de Waal, came in the top 10 among the 25 delegates from around the world. While the country didn’t take the title, South Africa was awarded hosting rights for next year’s Mr Gay World contest, which will take place in Knysna and Cape Town during the annual Pink Loerie festival.

Mr Gay Cyprus, Kiriakos Spanos, came second while Mr Gay Ireland, Robbie Lawlor, took the third spot.

The contest was won by New Zealand for the past two years, but the country’s 2014 representative, Troy Williams, mysteriously pulled out of the competition at the last minute.

Mr Australia, Christopher Glebatsas, also pulled out, with his sponsor, skincare company Lqd, blaming his departure on “a complete lack of organisation” of the event and “social media intimidation by people involved in the organising of the competition,” reported Gaynz.com.

Coenie Kukkuk, Mr Gay World Director for Africa & Middle East, told Mambaonline, however, that Mr New Zealand “was disqualified due to alcohol abuse and transgression of rules.” He also stated that Australia “was disqualified also due to insubordination” and that if “he did not leave on his own accord, he would have been asked to leave.”

Kukkuk admitted that there were some initial organisational glitches with the Gay Village venue at first, “but that was sorted out” and pointed out that Mr Australia left on the second day of a six day event.

The Mr Gay World 2015 winner was decided after the contestants took part in a week of events, tests and interviews in Rome. Their score also included the results of a public online poll.