Video and pictures: Meet the new Mr and Miss Black Country
It was an evening of glitz and glamour, but not just for a female bevy of beauties – men were also in on the act at the Miss and Mr Black Country contest.
After months of preparation, the Miss and Mr Black Country pageant final was held at Dudley's Village Hotel, with the top 12 hopefuls strutting their stuff in the hope of winning the title.
West Bromwich's James Machin was crowned Mr Black Country – as well as being named Mr Sports, an area he says is his strength in the competition.
Wombourne's Jade Secker, aged 23, was crowned Miss Black Country, and the pair will now go on to the Miss England and Mr England pageant in August.
Raven Dixon-Biggs was named first runner-up.
With boot camps, charity events, and interviews to get through before the glittering final, Sunday night was the end of months of hard work for most.
But for Mr Machin and Miss Secker, it is the beginning of a year as ambassadors for the Black Country, and the first step to the national – and maybe even world – final.
It was the third pageant in as many months for James, aged 23,who competed in Mr Birmingham and Mr Nottingham before his success in the Black Country.
And while the pageants are great for self confidence, overcoming the fear of failure was the biggest challenge for him, he said.
"I had just gone through two already and not claimed the top prize, so I think the toughest challenge was actually facing rejection again.
"It was a really good final and I was over the moon that I won, I was ecstatic," said James.
Among the judges on this year's panel was Darlaston's own TV and radio star Mark Rhodes.
