“If you want to see me as a villain, then I shall be the villain,” says yacht-owner Chanel O’Conor. Over the past six weeks, the Scottish seamstress has been labelled as such by the Drag Race UK fandom for her wickedly entertaining sense-of-humour, squabbles with Marmalade and Charra Tea and “evil step-sister” energy. Oh, and for throwing a bus at Lill. What! A! Moment! Sadly, one of the most entertaining queens the franchise has ever seen – yes, it true – lost her place in the competition this week.
For their sixth maxi-challenge, the cast whacked out their best celebrity impersonations for the iconic Snatch Game, with Madonna’s close and personal friend (it’ll make sense later) (I think) choosing to embody one of her icons: drag legend Coco Peru. As Chanel tells GAY TIMES, her “situational” style of comedy and reverence for Coco wasn’t a suitable fit for the challenge, which resulted in a bottom two placement alongside Rileasa Slaves. Sadly, Chanel’s Doctor Who runway prohibited her from putting on the kind of extravaganza that is worthy of Girls Aloud’s iconic hit ‘Something Kinda Ooooh!’, and she sashayed away in eighth place.
“I almost passed out on the runway because of how big this outfit is and how tight I made it for my neck. During the judges’ critiques, I had to get someone to come over and unzip me,” Chanel recalls. “There were people on standby just in case because, listen, a lip-sync is hard and one of those moments where you want to give it your all. […] I fully stood there like, ‘Oh my fucking god, I am going to die. This is it, this is how I die.’”
Read ahead for our full exit interview (or watch below). From her werkroom spats to the queens she would like to cause “carnage” with on a theoretical all-villains’ season, as well as Coco Peru’s ‘hysterical’ reaction to her Snatch Game, Chanel O’Conor continues to prove why she’s reality TV gold and a shoo-in for All Stars. Or Down Under All Stars. (Again, it’ll make sense later.)
Chanel, I’m a bit of a broken record because each week I’m like, ‘I can’t believe you’ve gone!’ but, this week, I’m truly like, ‘What the fuck?’
I know! I believe I’m gone.
You said [off camera] that you were at Heaven last night – did you watch the episode beforehand?
Let me tell you a little tidbit, I have not watched the full episode…
Was that a conscious choice?
No, I’ve just been far too busy, darling. When you’re chartering planes and speaking to celebrities… I was on the phone to Madonna earlier and she wouldn’t shut the fuck up.
That sounds like her.
Yeah, it’s been such a shame, so I haven’t had a chance to watch it all. I’ll say this: I’ve watched the bits with me in it. Everyone else, I truly wasn’t fussed.
Take me back to the Snatch Game: what do you remember from filming?
I do remember that, for me, there were moments I could smell it. They were bringing out a stretcher, building a coffin, someone came over and measured my back, just to double check. At that point in the competition I was very much ready to go. I reached a point where, emotionally, I was exhausted. Physically, I was struggling as well. You’re sitting there doing Snatch Game, and… I knew. Everyone else’s characters, they’re getting [how the game is played] and Ru was laughing. You could feel the energy so I was like, ‘The writing’s on the wall… I’m gonna go!’ Even Actavia’s dragon, I was sitting there going, ‘Maybe this won’t work.’ Nope, everyone’s worked! I was like, ‘Dammit, dammit, dammit.’ It’s so funny, I literally have a photo of Coco Peru ready – I sleep next to her every night just in case.
I know it’s only been around 16 hours, but have you heard from Coco? Do you want to hear from Coco?
Do you want to hear a funny story? I have met Coco Peru. We finished filming and I went to her show in Scotland, as I would, and I waited until the very last person had left the venue for the meet-and-greet and went, ‘Coco, I have something to tell you. I played you on Snatch Game for season six.’ She was like, ‘Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!’ She was so excited and nice about it, and then went, ‘How did it go?’ I went, ‘I got sent home.’ We were in hysterics. She was like, ‘Sorry babe!’ and I was like, ‘Nope, not your fault, it’s mine.’ But, to get to meet Coco Peru was a true pleasure and she’s such an icon, and she has messaged me. It’s a beautiful message of hope… and honour.
What is it actually like to do the Snatch Game?
Listen, I am an individual whose humour is built upon stories and situational things. When you’re there, you have to be really clicked on. My reality with my character choices [is that] Coco is like me, we love to talk a lot. With Snatch Game, you need one word answers and a character you can mock and stick a jab in. My biggest regret is choosing someone I love and adore, because I could never go as far as I would’ve liked.
If you had to redo Snatch Game, which character would you play?
I’d do Lulu because I got to meet her and I was like, ‘You’re actually hysterical?’ So, I would do Lulu. She’d be easy to make fun of and she’s four foot tall of ferocious Scottish energy, and I think I can channel that.
All Stars, then?
Oh no, I’m trying different franchises. I think I’m going to move to Australia and do Australia All Stars. I’m sick of Ru, let me spend more time with Michelle [Visage].
You faced the lip-sync smackdown with Rileasa to Girls Aloud’s ‘Something Kinda Ooh.’ When the song came on I thought, ‘Fuck sake…’ because you were all somewhat restricted with your outfits and, as a result, were less able to put on the kind of show the song deserves.
I was in my Doctor Who [Giant outfit]! Another fun behind-the-scenes with this one is – I haven’t got to that part of the episode, but I have been told it hasn’t been shown – I almost passed out on the runway because of how big this outfit is and how tight I made it for my neck. During the judges’ critiques, I had to get someone to come over and unzip me. When I had to do the lip-sync I said to them, ‘Unzip me.’ There were people on standby just in case because, listen, a lip-sync is hard and one of those moments where you want to give it your all. For what I was in, I could only do what I could do. I remember looking at Rileasa, who was barefoot and had her whole body out, this beautiful hair outfit on… I fully stood there like, ‘Oh my fucking god, I am going to die. This is it, this is how I die.”
And not only is it an iconic Girls Aloud song, it’s so high energy, probably one of the most high energy songs Drag Race UK has ever had for a lip-sync.
Listen, so far. My vibe is, it’s a perfect song that ties off Halloween, Doctor Who, ‘Something Kinda Ooh’. It’s so weird, I listen to that song now and I just enjoy it for what it is. I remember having so much fun performing with Rileasa, I just enjoyed it. There’s some individuals, I know – close personal friend, I can name drop – Gothy [Kendoll] hates listening to Dua Lipa. So, I understand that. Whereas I wouldn’t go and see Girls Aloud [because] Nadine [Coyle] hates me…
Erm, why?
Oh, old drama! She chartered one of my yachts and shit the bed. She never cleaned it.
We have to talk about your “villain” status, because you have been labelled as such by fans. Is this a title that you embrace?
Well… It is the reality that, when you’re given a title, it’s tradition that you wear it with honour and pride. You best believe I do. I do this trick every time I’m on stage, I ask the audience to boo me. It makes me slightly thinner every single time someone hates me, and I love it. My vibes are, whatever that show gives you and whatever it puts out, there’s no point backpedalling or trying to steer the narrative. If you want to see me as a villain, then I shall be the villain.
If you are a villain, then you have been the best and most delicious kind of villain.
I’m a villain that will tell it how it is and speak to you face-to-face if I’m annoyed with you, but I will happily zip you up and fix the back of your hair, no bother at all. There is a difference between being a villain and an evil step-sister, and I’m an evil step-sister through and through.
Okay then, if you have to name an actual “villain” across the Drag Race franchise, who would that be?
Amanda Holden.
Nadine Coyle for shitting on the yacht.
Nadine Coyle for shitting on the yacht, there we go.
You came into conflict this season with Marmalade and…
Shall we get the list out? There’s been quite a few!
Why do you think that you and Marmalade riled each other up?
It’s a very intense atmosphere to be in, and there are certain avenues that you have in the outside world that you don’t have in that space. Sometimes you are allowed time when you finish work or a gig to remove yourself and have a think, let your feelings be processed alone. You’re not allowed that on Drag Race. I was feeling so many emotions after being critiqued, losing out to Lill – I’d made Lill’s outfit. That it is truly a trio that, to me, we worked the best. I have never seen any sort of Drag Race challenge, where it’s been a group challenge in regards to sewing or walking a ball, [where they] killed it [as much as we did]. So, to then lip-sync against them, my head was all over the place. Listen, if it wasn’t Marmalade I was gonna argue with, it was going to be catering! It was going to be someone. I was in that mood to be like, ‘I wanna shout at someone. Who wants it?’ and it just happened to be Marmalade! There we go.
How do you really feel about not getting that badge?
I realised no badge is worth losing a sister. Regardless of what happens, the badges are meaningless, the competition is meaningless if I have upset and destroyed a relationship like mine and Marmalade’s. I’m so glad and happy to say that is not that case. Television is a wonderful thing. We get to have eight months after to be sisters again. I’ll say this: I’m a very different person when I enter the werkroom to when I’m in my day-to-day life, especially as Chanel. I’m head of hospitality as always, but when I’m not on my private trains or private yacht and I’m in the werkroom, it’s a very different kettle of fish. In the werkroom, I’m an ape in a zoo, I’m bound to throw my shit at someone eventually.
I do want to discuss the wobble you had with Charra…
Wobble? You couldn’t toast a piece of bread with the heat that I was putting on her. That was nothing! But Miss Charra, love Charra dearly, but I could throw a twig at her and she’d cry. Point of the story is, with Charra, you learn that sometimes sticks and stones may break my bones, but words do definitely hurt Charra.
The reason I wanted to bring this up is because I watched your YouTube recap where you said the comment affected you because you often felt like the “butt of the joke”. Can you talk to me about that?
I’d given myself a big target on my back, walking in and being so confident, trying to show off a bit. Thusly, I felt like a lot of the comments I’d see from the edit would be negative comments towards me, or it’s always a joke with my emotions. I felt like I never got a break. It was very nice to watch this episode where I could finally show a bit of human emotion, and have that vulnerability that I was lacking the entire season. It’s a moment where I can actually show my real self. Chanel is a force-to-be-reckoned-with. She’s a terror to children and old people everywhere. Sometimes my humour and the way I appear is a bit harsh, or [I come across] a bit cold. It’s all a character, and that’s who Chanel is. You don’t really know who I am underneath and that’s how I like to keep it.
If they ever did a villains’ season, are you in and who do you want to compete with?
If we’re being frank, the villains are A’Whora and Vinegar [Strokes]. With a name like that, it’s perfect. Vinegar the Villain. I’d say we have quite a fabulous cast of individuals who just tell it how it is, and maybe some people can’t handle it, some people can. But the reality is,
I need it more than the next winners’ season, to be honest.
Who’s fussed about the winners when you can get the most evil and wicked individuals in the room together and see which one actually lives?
If you and Plane Jane were in the same werkroom together, I’d lose my shit.
I’ve met Plane and it’s hilarious how she was very [shocked face]. She was like, ‘Don’t look her in the eye. Feed her with an open palm. Never go behind her directly, she’ll buck you.’ I felt that energy. She was very timid, very scared around me, and I enjoyed that. It felt correct!
I’d kill for footage of Chanel O’Conor meeting Plane Jane for the first time.
We took a picture but didn’t film it. At the end of the day, I didn’t know if she was going to attack me or lunge at me or give me a kiss. I was like, ‘Let’s keep it nice and plane, nice and easy.’
What’s next for Chanel O’Conor?
First of all, I’m gonna start poisoning the water in London and introducing modern dance to the youth in Scotland and make sure everyone dances like Chanel. Everyone will be wearing Doctor Who Giant suits. Everyone will be sporting the dog penis hands. It will be a new sensation. No! In all honesty, my life is pretty crazy and hectic. For me, I’m gonna keep riding the wave and enjoy myself, keep working and powering through with my YouTube and own content to show off more of my own personality. We’re going on tour with Dracula’s Child, which is so exciting. I’m also gonna be starting sewing classes because I believe that it’s important for me to make sure that other people look good too. Not just me.
Drag Race UK season 6 is streaming in the UK on BBC iPlayer.
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