YouTubeSteve Harvey can't sleep.
The daytime talk show host is still facing criticism for his flub at the Miss Universe Pageant in December, where he announced—and crowned—the wrong winner. Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez was initially named the victor while Miss Philippines Pia Wurtzbach was given runner-up status. It turned out, however, it should've been the other way around.
Harvey's mistake went viral instantly and he since has had to apologize. Both pageant contestants have spoken out about it and how it has affected them, but now the pageant host is addressing the issue head on by having them both on his show in a two-part series airing Monday and Tuesday. In teasers for the special, Harvey admits he has lost sleep over the ordeal.
"This has caused a lot of sleepless nights for me," Harvey says. "I didn't do any interviews until I could talk to the two people who were affected the most, Pia and Ariadna. No matter how tough it was for me, I can't imagine how it was for these two women. This finally gives me a chance to have a moment of closure."
He further explains that he turned to his wife Marjorie Bridges-Woods for help when he struggled to handle what happened.
In a segment airing Monday, Harvey has to answer questions from the audience, including those tough rumors that claimed he never appeared during rehearsals, which may have contributed to the faux pas during the live show. Wurtzbach says she was listening backstage, so she decides to interject and defend the host.
"I think I can vouch for this one," she says. "Steve was there throughout all the rehearsals. He was there during technical rehearsals, dress rehearsals...he was there all throughout. We rehearsed everything from start to finish and made us feel very comfortable...so I don't know where that rumor came from."
Harvey says he went back out on stage to announce the real winner so she could have her moment, and despite the backlash he still doesn't regret it. "I'd do it again if I had to, to be honest with you," he admits.
Watch the clips to see Harvey get emotional while addressing his error.
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