KEY POINTS
- Chanel has earned multiple titles, including Miss Philippines Air 2015 and Miss Supranational 2017, solidifying her place in pageant history.
- Growing up in Australia, she struggled to fit in, but it was in the Philippines where she felt fully accepted as both Filipino and Australian embracing her natural self.
- She returned to the Philippines to join the Miss Universe Philippines stage in 2025 as a married woman and the oldest candidate, challenging traditional pageant norms.
Growing up in Queensland, I just wanted blonde hair, fair skin and blue eyes to fit in because that’s all I saw around me. In modeling, I was often told I looked too ‘exotic’, not Australian enough. But coming to the Philippines was my identity awakening, and for the first time, I felt accepted for exactly who I am.Chanel Olive Thomas Nayer – Miss Supranational 2017, Miss Philippines Air 2015, Miss Universe Philippines 2025 Nueva Ecija and Filipino Society of Melbourne representative
📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino
🔊 On Air – Tune in to SBS Filipino on radio stations across Australia and website live stream, and TV Channel 302 from 10 AM to 11 AM AEST daily.
📲 Catch up episodes and stories – Visit sbs.com.au/filipino or stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube Podcasts, and SBS Audio app.
