courtesy of kıvanç tatlıtuğ

Personaly, I have always associated Miss World 2002 Azra Akin with EDSA Shangri-la Hotel.

You see, back in the day when I was still active with Mabuhay Beauties, our leader Boyet Blas started a prediction contest among its members. Whoever can guess the winner of Miss World 2002 will win an overnight stay at EDSA Shangri-la Hotel with breakfast. Actually, both pageant reviewer Joseph Vitug and I submitted Azra Akin as our choice of winner plus the runners-up. If I remember correctly, what made me win was the inclusion of eventual 2nd Runner-Up Marina Mora of Peru in my list of winners.

Back to the beautiful Azra, she was born in the Netherlands to Turkish parents. At 17, she became Elite Model of Turkey and went to Nice, France for the international finals where she landed the Top 15. But it was not until she turned 21 when she took part in the Miss Turkey competition for Miss World. She won that one and booked a trip to London where she also topped the competition in Alexandria Palace. Watch the video below to see her in Australia (as part of her Miss World Tour of Duty ) with the late Steve Irwin.

courtesy of OfficialMissWorld

Prior to returning to Istanbul, Azra jumpstarted a showbiz career in the English capital when she won a Gold Medal in the British Reality TV show “The Games” and soon after, she modelled for the postcards of Eurovision Song Contest 2004. Following this, she became a TV and movie personality in Turkey. She starred in at least four films, appeared in several programs on the small screen, and even joined/won her country’s version of Dancing With The Stars.

At 32, Azra is considered one of the most desirable women in Turkey. But is she still single? Let’s ask Turkish actor Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ (who formerly held the Best Model of the World 2002 title) because based from my research, the two of them were secretly married until the prying eyes of the paparazzis and field reporters let the cat out of the bag. Their long-standing relationship had its share of ups and downs, but they still remain happily together up to now. 😉