RuPaul sashays down the Drag Race UK runway and announces first ever challenge

22nd August 2019

“I’ll let you know what gay heaven is in just a few minutes.”

BBC Three have unveiled a teaser of RuPaul sashaying down the Drag Race UK runway for the first time.

After shantaying down the main stage in a sickening green frock, Mama Ru calls Michelle Visage a “royal pain in my arse” and welcomes new main judging panel member, Alan Carr and guest-star Andrew Garfield.

“Ru I am so happy, I feel like a competition winner and the prize is in gay heaven,” says the former Spider-Man star, to which Ru hilariously responds: “I’ll let you know what gay heaven is in just a few minutes.”

RuPaul then announces the first challenge for the queens: to slay the runway in two royal looks – watch below.

This October, ten sickening queens will sashay, shantay and panther down the runway and compete for the title of the UK’s first Drag Race Superstar for eight spectacular episodes on BBC Three.

The queens for the long-awaited debut season of Drag Race UK as follows: Baga Chipz, Blu Hydrangea, Cheryl Hole, Crystal, Divina De Campo, Gothy Kendoll, Scaredy Kat, Sum Ting Wong, Vinegar Strokes and The Vivienne.

(Read our exclusive interviews with all ten fierce queens here.)

RuPaul will return as host and main judge alongside best squirrel friend Michelle Visage, as well as newcomers Alan Carr and Graham Norton, who will rotate every episode like Ross Matthews and Carsson Kressley on the American original.

Lorraine Kelly, Stacey Dooley, Cheryl, Maisie Williams, Geri Halliwell, Andrew Garfield, Michaela Coel, Jade Thirwall, Twiggy, MNEK, Curtis Pritchard and AJ Pritchard have all been announced as guest judges for the series.

“Oh my goodness, when they see this show, they are going to flip. And I predict that we will be doing this English edition of Drag Race for many years to come,” RuPaul said of the show’s future.

“I think also, audiences around the world are going to start to require the English version, because it’s different, it’s the same but it’s different. There’s a different tone.”

Explaining what makes the new version different from the American original, Michelle told us: “The kids are all from the UK and the talent and the things that we do are very British, we’re not there to make it American, otherwise we’d do it in America.

“It’s very American to do the looks, but very British to put performance first, and I celebrate that, being an old school girl myself. I’m really excited for the world to see what they have to offer.

“I think it’s going to be huge and I’m telling you, this show is going to be on for years.”

It will be the first time an iteration of Drag Race, led by RuPaul, will premiere outside of the United States, so naturally, there’s been worry amongst US Drag Race fans as to how they can tune in.

But don’t fret, Drag Race UK will be available to stream in the Unites States and Australia on WOW Presents Plus. The streaming platform allows users across the world to sign up for $3.99 a month after a 30-day free trial.

However, you might want to stick around on the platform because it also has all eleven seasons of Drag Race, four seasons of Untucked, as well as YouTube series from stars such as Trixie Mattel, Katya, Alyssa Edwards and Jinkx Monsoon.

Sign up for your 30-day free trial at WOW Presents Plus here.