A student who was bullied at school for being ginger has become the first ever redhead to be crowned the winner of Miss England. Jessica Gagen, 26, beat 30 other beauty queens to take the title at the final of the prestigious pageant held in Birmingham last night.
The model and aerospace engineering student became the first redhead to win in the competition's 94 year history and will now represent England at Miss World. Chess champion Emily Cossey, 24, from Chelsea, and HGV driver Milly Everatt, 22, from Eastoft, Lincs., were announced as second and third place runners up.
Jessica's victory comes after she overcame the bullies to regain her self-confidence following her difficult teenage years at secondary school. She was punched, spat at and even burned because of her red locks after being tormented by cruel classmates.
She was also subjected to name-calling, having things thrown at her head and was forced to eat her school dinner in the toilets in a bid to escape the abuse. But after being signed up by a modelling agency after her A-Levels, Jessica's confidence grew as she took to catwalks across the globe.
She went on to enter Miss England and was runner-up in the grand final last year, narrowly losing out to Rehema Muthamia. Now, she has gone one better and silenced the bullies to take the title of Miss England 2022 at the glitzy final held at the Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport.
Jessica, who is studying for an integrated master's degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Liverpool, said she was determined more than ever to win. Jessica said: "Throughout secondary school I was teased for being a redhead.
"I didn’t mention it much during last year’s competition as I’m a big believer in leaving negativity in the past, but with there never having been a red-haired Miss England. I feel it’s important to educate people about what redheads face in school and empower kids who are facing the same things I did.
"I was name-called on the daily, and although I don’t think the kids were being malicious in doing so, there were definitely times they were. I was hit, spat at and had things thrown at my head quite a few times, but worst was when a girl burned me for having ginger hair.
“In Year 7 I used to eat my lunch in the school toilets, because on the occasions I’d try to sit with some of the girls they’d stand up and leave me by myself. I used to get really upset about it all, but I’m determined to show kids who are facing the same thing that it won’t happen forever."
Jessica signed with multiple agencies and started modelling internationally at 18 and will now compete on the world stage representing England. She added: "There has never been a redhead win the title before.
"For me, by competing in Miss England, my campaign last year and this year is to help people get girls into STEM subjects. But after realising there has never been a redhead winner, I looked back and I was thinking there are not many that redheads on TV.
"I think it would be so good if there could be somebody in that kind of position who is a redhead. Even last year there wasn't one redhead in Miss World. I thought if I could win this, I could empower kids who being bullied for the way that they look and the colour of their hair.
"I'm the only redhead in family so I'd always been looking for somebody who kind of understood the bullying through school. It is nice to be able to represent the younger kids and say 'I have been through it and you can use that pain to raise your game'. Make it your superpower."
Alongside modelling, Jessica has helped raise over the £6,000 for local charities and, in 2021, she raised funds for Beauty with a Purpose. She ran 5k in fancy dress every day consecutively for 96 days in Liverpool, and is known locally as Fancy-Dress Jess.
