Daring To Change The Image of 50, 60 And 70 Something For The Next Generations
Mr Debonair 2025 Contestants Group Photo (Including Choreographer Reuben P. Joseph (White Hat, Green Jacket) @official_rpj Who Works With Organisers Gloria Griffiths And Richard Halley On Other Pageant Events (Featuring Women).
The Total Number of Contestants For The Debut Mr Debonair Pageant Was 10. That Was Reduced To Five By A Process of Selection And Elimination Based On Catwalk Runway Performance And Personal Presentation. Then There Was A Final Three. There Was A First Prize of £1000.00 For The Winner. The 1st Runner Up Prize Was £500.00. And The 2nd Runner Up Prize Was £250.00. All Mr Debonair Contestants Each Received Participation Certificates.
Due to The Way Members of The Afro-Caribbean Community Generally Often Age So Well And Look Decades Younger Than Their Years Their Wellknown Proud Community Refrain Is ‘Black Don’t Crack’ And Each And Every Contestant Who Took Part In Mr Debonair On Saturday July 5th 2025 Helped Prove That And Should Be Proud of Themselves As They Set A Good Example And Helped Inspire Others.
By All Accounts They Did It By Putting In Alot of Hard Graft, Challenging Rehearsals And Long Hours. And They Survived To Tell The Tale.
Most Importantly, They Worked As A Brotherhood of Men Supporting Each Other And Doing Their Best For The Cause As A Team. That’s Something To Celebrate And Admire Indeed.
Contestant No.2, Lenard Wilson Dances His Way Down The Catwalk To Kool And The Gang’s ‘Celebrate’. He Was A Popular And Flamboyant Contestant Who Ended Up In The Final 5 Finalists
007 Is Possibly The Most Famous Debonair Man (Special Agent, And Brand) On The Planet.
For A Long Time There Was Much Talk About Idris Elba @idriselba Possibly Becoming The First Black James Bond. Despite Being One of The Coolest Guys On The Planet That Didn’t Happen. But He Was Cool About It, Having Always Played It Down.
(Although He May Yet Appear In A Bond Film One Day In The Future In Some Other Capacity. That Would Be Intersting Indeed!).
Meantime Mr Debonair Contestant No.10, K.G. Lester, Ultimately A Final 5 Finalist, Definitely Brought His Bond Game On Saturday July 5th 2025 (As Pictured Here Either Side of Idris). When It Came To Evening Wear In Particular, Winner, Delroy Newland, Contestant No.7 @dapperdroy Did Too. This Made Them Smooth Standouts.
The Judges Asked Insightful Questions To Glean A Sense of Individual Motivations, Personality And Community Commitment. Notable Answers Were An Engaging Combination of Humorous, Deeply Moving, Articulate And Eloquent.
Questions Included:
How Do You Think You Can Distinguish Yourself To Represent Mr Debonair?
One of Mr Debonair’s Community Elements Is Mentoring. What Skills Do You Think You Have To Be A Good Role Model?
What Inspired You To Become A Contestant?
What Charity Do You Support or Would You Consider Supporting?
What Would You Do To Support That Charity?
As Mentioned In The Intro, At The Time of Going To Press No Official Pictures, Nor Bios of Each of The Contestants, Nor Press Statement Was Made Available On The Mr Debonair International Website Nor Instagram. Hopefully That Be Rectified By The Organisers In The Near Future. Meantime Here A Few Observations of Our Own;
Contest No.10, KG Lester (57), (Back Row With Cane Rows), A Writer & Poet From Hackney, Was Another Contestant (As Well Winner Delroy Newland, Above In Photo Gallery One) Who Brought A Notable Touch of ‘James Bond’ Elegance To The Proceedings With His Dress And Demeanour (During The Evening Wear Section of The Competition). He Also Spoke Eloquently About How Blessed The Afro-Caribbean Community Is To Be Melanated And How His Chosen Charity Would Be A Sickle Cell Charity As He Is Living With The Disease. It Was Deeply Moving And His Speech Was Well Received. He Was A Final Five Finalist.
Contestant No.9, Black Cab Driver Soloman Malcom From Stratford (73) (Who Looked Much Younger) Was Second Runner Up (Back Row, Colourful Hat With Matching Suit). He, Like Lenny, Was Very Flamboyant (Wearing Supremely Stylish Outfits And Looking Like He Was Headed For Ascot At One Stage). He Made The House Laugh By Addressing The Crowd As “Friends And Enemies” (As Opposed To Ladies And Gentleman). He Was Eventually Second Runner Up. (First Photo Gallery).
Contestant No.7 Was Winner Delroy Newland, (63), Civil Servant, From Brixton. He, Like Contestant No.10 (KG Lester) Brought A Bit of James Bond Elegance With His Evening Wear. He Is 5ft’10’ And Also Won A Trophy For ‘Best Dressed’ Contestant. @dapperdroy
Contestant No.8 Was James Perkins (Age Unknown) (A Youth Worker, Who’s Kids Were In The House Supporting). He Wore A Stunning Crown of Wrapped Around Dreadlocks (Front Row Gold & Black Tunic). He Travelled All The Way From Bristol To Take Part.
Contestant No.6 Dean Roach (52) From Bromley, (Who Works In Finance) Wore A Fetching Pink Bow Tie And Matching Cumberband, With Impressive Stylish Designer Shoes Which Set His Outfit Off. Supremley During The Evening Wear Section. He Also Wore A Stunning Burgunday Tunic & Trousers Suit For Cultural Dress Element of The Competition. (Back Row, 2nd Left.) At 5ft’ 9′ He Is Used To Modelling And Attending Castings.
Contestant No. 5 Daniel Campbell (55) Is A Receptionist And Fitness Consultant And Also Made His Mark By Addressing The Audience With The Greeting “Kids And Fellow Contestants” In The Room. He Is A Proud British Jamaican And Had Family Support In The House. (Back Row, Last Right, Wearing Blue & Yellow Tunic).
Contestant No. 4, Steven Smith (53), A Very Proud Jamaican, Thanked His Mother ‘Eliza Jane Smith’ For Helping To Make Him The Man He Is Today (Which People Found Moving). He Wore A Beautiful Silver Blue Grey Suit For The Evening Wear Section of The Show, Which Looked Very Elegant. Steven Runs A Mental Health, Welbeing And Empowerment Organisation For Black & Asian Men Over 40. @touch_ingbasenetwork
Contestant No.3, Maxon Boteng (65) (Front Row, Right) Enjoyed The Fact That There Were No Height Restrictions To Entry In The Debut Mr Debonair Pageant (Like There Are In The Modelling Industry) And Although One of The Shorter Contestants, He Looked Very Regal And Majestic In His African Cultural Cloth With Matching Gold African Open Toe Footwear (Front Row, Last Right). He Spoke About The Importance of Helping The Homeless.
Contestant No. 2, Lenny Wilson (60+), (Front Row, Centre) Was Also One of The Shorter Contestants, But Nonetheless Made A Big Impact With His Flamboyant Personality. He Became One of The Final Five Finalists (See Video In Opposite Column).
Contestant No.1, Delroy Albert, (57), (British Grenadian), (DJ), (Local Authority Worker) (Front Row, Centre; And Pictured With Delroy Newland And Lenny Wilson In First Photo Gallery) Was First Runner Up. His Father Was A Pageant Organiser In Grenada So Pageantry And Performance Are In His DNA. @londonhotradio #fadafox
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