Shock and disbelief have erupted online after the wrong Miss Universe winner was crowned, the reports.

Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez was announced winner of the 2015 beauty pageant before organisers revealed she was actually the first runner-up.

Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach was later declared the winner.

#MissUniverse2015 also became Twitter’s biggest trend of the night as thousands of social media users began to express disbelief using jokes and memes.

Facebook users also expressed their opinions on a post shared on the pageant’s official page.

Ms Wurtzbach has since told reporters that she wishes Ms Gutierrez well following the incident.

“I’m very sorry, I did not take the crown away from her and I wish her well in whatever she wants to pursue after this pageant,” she said.

Ms Gutierrez also addressed fans in a backstage video that has been shared on the pageant’s official page.

She said: “Everything happens for a reason so I’m happy for all that I did.”

At the end of the night, Ms Gutierrez was named first runner-up followed by Olivia Jordan from the United States.

Host Steve Harvey responded, saying it was “his mistake” and he would take responsibility for not reading the winning card correctly.

“I’d like to apologize wholeheartedly to Miss Colombia & Miss Philippines for my huge mistake. I feel terrible,” he said in a tweet that was re-tweeted more than 51,000 times.

“I don’t want to take away from this amazing night and pageant. As well as the wonderful contestants – they were all amazing.”