Meet Shany Hagan – the York woman with the third best smile in the entire universe.
Shany, 50, from Rawcliffe, came in the top three of the global Smile Of The Universe 2019 competition. Based in Russia, it aims to “strengthen the friendship between different peoples of our planet”.
A single mum, last year she decided she entered the Face of the World photographic competition to add a bit of excitement to her life – and beat 3,000 entrants to become a finalist.
Since then she’s never looked back – and her winning grin is the latest success story.
“It’s been a long process with Smile of the Universe – lots of different stages with a worldwide voting process online,” Shany told YorkMix.
She also had to do a video describing why it’s important to smile.
Shany smashed the public vote and then it went to the Smile of the Universe judging panel. The first and second places went to Russian women, then Shany came in third.
“My family just can’t believe what’s happening! I still laugh every day as I’ve just turned 50,” she said.
Your smile is everything
She said there was a good reason why she had such a winning smile.
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I’ve got my friend Jenny at fresh smile to thank for my smile.
A few years ago I wouldn’t have entered. But I had a brace – it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.
Your smile is everything. It’s changed my life. Anyone who knows me knows I never stop smiling.
Shany has plenty more to beam about. She’s through to seven world beauty competitions, has three television and model agent offers in the USA and UK, and is a regular extra on ITV’s Emmerdale.
She is also very artistic. Her main love is painting, and she recently sent a painting of a horse to the Queen.