Former Miss Americas are rallying in support of Gretchen Carlson, another former winner brought in to reform the pageant, after state officials pushed for her resignation.

Their move reveals deep divisions over the direction of an organisation that was rocked by a 2017 email scandal and is trying to modernise for the #metoo era.

Ms Carlson, Miss America 1989 and an early figure in the #MeToo movement, announced last month that the pageant was dropping the swimsuit element of the competition.

However, some former directors and state officials said they felt pressured to make the change or risk broadcasters dropping the pageant from television.

Representatives from 22 state pageants signed a petition calling for the resignations of the new Miss America board, including Ms Carlson and Regina Hopper, its chief executive, according to The Press of Atlantic City.