The third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK almost missed out on a Veronica Green comeback.
Speaking with GAY TIMES, the Lancashire-born performer says she considered turning down RuPaul’s open invitation for the season due to expenses.
Upon reflection, however, Veronica decided to return and make herstory as the first British queen to appear on two seasons of Drag Race as a competitor.
“It feels bloody good to be making some herstory! That was the literal driving point to saying yes when I was given the open invitation,” says Veronica.
“There were lots of factors that stacked against going back. Being on Drag Race is very expensive, paying for two seasons during a pandemic was virtually impossible, being in a pandemic…
“I weighed it all up and the negatives far outweighed the positives, but the positives are: it’s an experience of a lifetime and I’m going to be making some herstory as the first queen to do two seasons in a single year.
“It’s only been 30 odd weeks since the last Meet the Queens! Who else will ever get to do that on Drag Race? I just couldn’t turn down the offer.”
Veronica originally sashayed into the werkroom earlier this year for the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK alongside queens such as Lawrence Chaney, Bimini Bon Boulash, Tayce, Ellie Diamond and A’Whora.
She won her first maxi-challenge in the second episode for her performance in Rats: The Rusical, but was forced to withdraw from the competition after contracting COVID in the seven month break.
Although it’s only been six months since we last saw Veronica on our screens, the 35-year-old says “everything has changed” about her.
“I guess the core person inside is still the same, if you will. But, world events and my drag in general have just completely changed. The pandemic changed me as a person and my circumstances in life, and that has affected my current drag as well.”
Veronica also says it was a “completely different dynamic” walking into the werkroom for season three as “everyone knew my name” when compared to season two, “when I was the unknown queen and no one knew who I was going into the competition.”
“Navigating my way through that is something that I hadn’t anticipated,” she explains. “I just didn’t realise, ‘Oh wow okay, I’m the name on everybody’s lips walking into the werkroom,’ which makes you feel good in some aspects, but in others it paints a bit of a target on your back!”
The 11 other contestants competing on the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK are Anubis, Charity Kase, Choriza May, Elektra Fence, Ella Vaday, Kitty Scott-Claus, Krystal Versace, River Medway, Scarlett Harlett, Vanity Milan and Victoria Scone.
The latter makes herstory as Drag Race’s first ever cisgender female contestant.
You can read our cover interview with all 12 incredible queens here.
The third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK premieres 23 September on BBC iPlayer (this Thursday!).
It will see the return of RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Alan Carr and Graham Norton.
Guest stars include Alesha Dixon, Charity Shop Sue, Elton John, Emma Bunton, Jay Revell, Judi Love, Kathy Burke, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Lulu, Matt Lucas, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Coughlan, Oti Mabuse, Russell Tovey and Steps.
Watch the teaser trailer here or below.
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