Miss Philippines was named Miss Universe in a drama-filled turn worthy of a telenovela.

The pageant’s host, comedian Steve Harvey, misread his cue card which he initially said had Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez, as the winner.

She was briefly, very fleetingly, crowned in Las Vegas and started the customary smiling and waving.

But not for long.

As she blew kisses, Harvey awkwardly said “I have to apologize. The first runner up is Colombia.”

“Miss Universe 2015 is Philippines,” he added, with the Colombian contestant left like a deer in headlights and the actual winner, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, looking stunned.

And all on live television with millions watching from Manila to Manchester.

“It was my fault,” Harvey stammered as a perplexed audience held its breath.

“Please don’t hold it against the ladies,” added the talk show host.

The contest, held in Las Vegas this year, is wildly popular in Latin America and much of Asia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBMgBUzH-O4