Billie JD Porter investigates the Miss Venezuela beauty contest in BBC Three’s ‘Secrets of South America’

Image Credit: BBC Photographer: Grab

Secrets of South America, Episode 1: Extreme Beauty Queens. Picture shows (Left to right) Miss Venezuela contestants Irene Velasquez, Roxana Marruffo and Stefany Perich – Image Credit: BBC. Photographer: Grab

In episode 1 of this new three-part, BBC Three documentary series, Billie JD Porter takes an in depth look into the highly competitive world of the Miss Venezuela beauty contest.

Over the course of her six month stay, Billie exposes just what the shows contestants go through in their quests for fame and fortune.

Using anything from extreme dieting to plastic surgery, these so called beauty boot camps are designed to transform the wannabes into what this South American country see’s as female physical perfection.

We’ll also get a look at how this world of glitz and glamour is set in stark contrast, against the general populations fight with poverty and violence. Despite Venezuela being widely recognized as an oil-rich country, many of its residents still struggle to survive, with food shortages widespread.

Secrets of South America with Billie JD Porter starts Wednesday, 5 February, 2014 at 9:00pm on BBC Three.

Image Credit: BBC/Freddy Vergara

Billie JD Porter with some Miss Venezuela Beauty Queens – Image Credit: BBC/Freddy Vergara