Michelle McLean

As a TV presenter, her shows have ranged from magazine and lifestyle to music and e-commerce to show-casing some of South Africa’s most stylish homes in her new DSTV Home Channel “Better Bonds Celebrity Homes”. She is also one of South Africa’s leading voice-over artists, with MTN Cellular as one of her main clients.

In 2019, McLean formed part of the selection committee of the Miss Universe 2018 in the Impact, Muang Thong Thani, Nonthaburi Province, Thailand.

As a master of ceremonies, Michelle McLean has worked in 26 countries, including South America and Asia. Some of her more memorable events have been the hosting of ‘Opera at the Pyramids’; M-Net’s ‘Face of Africa’ competition in Ghana and Egypt and the Loeries Advertising Awards in both 1998 and 2000.

Michelle McLean and former Manchester United goalkeeper Gary Bailey married on 9 March 2013.

McLean hosted Miss World 2009, which was won by Miss Gibraltar, Kaiane Aldorino. Kaiane was crowned by Miss World 2008 Ksenia Sukhinova of Russia.

In 2000 Michelle funded the building of the Michelle McLean Primary School, in the capital of Namibia, Windhoek. It now has just under 1000 students. In 2009 Michelle co-hosted the Miss World pageant held in South Africa.

In 1998 Michelle was recognized by Donald Trump the owner of the Miss Universe Organization and presented with The Lifetime Achievement Award for her philanthropy work.

Michelle was instrumental in bringing the Miss Universe pageant to her country in 1995. Michelle married Neil Bierbaum, they had a son together, Luke McLean Bierbaum in 1999 they then divorced in 2006. Michelle is currently married to Gary Bailey. They had an intimate wedding in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Michelle’s hometown – Windhoek in 2013. Gary is a former Manchester United and England Goalkeeper.

Michelle became a presenter for Mnet from 1995 to 2003 hosting and presenting numerous programmes. Front Row (a magazine show), E-bucks (an e-commerce show), Buy Design (a property make-over show for SABC), Celebrity Homes (showcasing their homes for DSTV), Revlon Supermodels (a reality show for SABC) and most recently Woza Lunchtime (lifestyle show for Super Sport during the FIFA World Cup 2010).

She campaigns tirelessly for many charities and topping this list is The Michelle McLean Children Trust in Namibia, formed in 1992 and still going strong, and the Michelle McLean Primary School, also in Namibia, which has 890 students. She is the current face of Lux Lotion. Michelle is involved in various business ventures, most notably in the property market as a Director of one of the country’s top Estate Agencies and she has just launched a fine jewellery range.

In the 1992 Miss Universe pageant she finished second in the preliminary with a score of 9.147, right behind Carolina Izsak of Venezuela, who won all three preliminary competitions. Nonetheless, McLean's warmth and love for children helped clinch the crown over Izsak, Paola Turbay of Colombia, and Madhushri Sapre of India.

In 1992 Michelle founded the Michelle McLean Children's Trust in Namibia, which focuses on the education and care of under-privileged children.

Michelle McLean is a well known international media personality, entrepreneur and philanthropist. She started her international modeling career at the age of 13 years and won the Miss Universe title in 1992 at the age of 19 years for Namibia. From 1993 to 1994 while living in Los Angeles Michelle did acting with Sal Dano (Tom Selleck and Carrie Otis’s coach). After moving back to South Africa,

Michelle was the face of Lux Lotion in South Africa and has been the official voice of MTN for six years. Close to her heart is the Michelle McLean Children Trust, which she established in 1992. The Trust built a primary school in her name and provides education for 900 children.

At the age of 13, Michelle McLean entered the world of International modelling, being crowned Miss Namibia in 1991 and reaching the all-time high as Miss Universe, crowned in Bangkok, Thailand, in 1992 - at the age of 19.

Before she became Miss Universe, McLean competed in Miss World 1991. In the preliminary competition she was tied in second place with a score of 51 along with Miss South Africa, behind the eventual winner, Venezuela's Ninibeth Leal; McLean eventually finished in the top 5.

Michelle McLean (born 31 July 1972) is a Namibian actress, writer, model, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe 1992. McLean was 19 years old when she was crowned Miss Universe, and became the first Namibian woman to win the title. McLean had been crowned Miss Namibia 1991 prior to Miss Universe, and also placed as the fourth runner-up at Miss World 1991.