Drag

“Finally real telly is back”: Fans go wild over the sickening Drag Race UK season 6 premiere

By Jordan Robledo

27th September 2024

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK S6,26-09-2024,Michelle Visage, RuPaul, Alison Goldfrapp, Alan Carr,World Of Wonder,Guy Levy

Viewers are “living” for the season six premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.

Major spoilers ahead.

The search for ‘Britain’s Next Drag Superstar’ continued on Thursday (26 September) with 12 fierce new queens: Actavia, Chanel O’Conor, Charra Tea, Dita Garbo, Kiki Snatch, Kyran Thrax, La Voix, Lill, Marmalade, Rileasa Slaves, Saki Yew and Zahirah Zapanta. (You can read our digital cover with all 12 queens here.)

Wasting no time to serve their charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent, the premiere episode kicked off with the new batch of contestants strutting into the werkroom, delivering iconic one-liners and jaw-dropping ensembles.

Once everyone arrived, Mama Ru sashayed onto the scene, warmly welcoming the queens and spilling the tea on the competition’s new grand prize.

“Welcome to RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Now, out of all the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent in the land, I chose you,” Ru exclaimed.

“And in the end, the last queen standing will be crowned the UK’s Next Drag Race Superstar. For the first time in Drag Race UK herstory, the winner will take home a cash prize of £25,000.”

Following the exciting announcement, Ru tasked the queens with tapping into their performing bag for the first maxi-challenge of the season.

“You need to pull out all the stops and steal the spotlight at London’s hottest new hideaway, the Tickety Boo Cabaret,” she explained.

“Now, this is your chance to show off an extra special talent that makes you stand out from the crowd.”

Unsurprisingly, the innovative challenge was chock full of dazzling momenta – including showstopping live singing, a campy makeup tutorial, fierce/comedic original lip syncs, an inspirational spoken word performance, sensual burlesque routines, an 80s-inspired fitness dance, and a ‘Happy Birthday’ message for RuPaul.

Following their entertaining cabaret, Ru revealed that they would receive their reviews the following day on the main stage before announcing “Queen Of Your Hometown” as the runway theme.

The ladies then returned to the werkroom to unpack their things and go over their first day in the competition.

On one side of the room, Kiki gagged over the season’s £25,000 cash prize, telling Kyran: “The prize money. Crazy. 25 grand.”

In response, Kyran exclaimed: “Yeah. It changes everything completely. There’s absolutely no way that I can’t win now.”

Elsewhere in the workroom, Rileasa and Kiki bonded over their shared Saint Lucian heritage.

“I still can’t believe Saint Lucia in the house,” Rileasa exclaimed. “Like, the only two Saint Lucian queens I know of in the UK. On the same season.” 

The two talents went on to chat about establishing their drag careers in the London scene since moving from Saint Lucia.

“Historically, we know the Caribbean isn’t very welcoming to the gay queer world, but [I’m] so proud to be Saint Lucian. Small island, but a mighty island at that,” Kiki said in a confessional.

Lastly, Chanel, Actavia, Saki and Charra dished about their cabaret performances, with the former asking how the latter felt about her 80s-inspired act.

“I don’t know. I can’t tell. How do you feel?” Charra said. In response, Chanel revealed that the Northern Irish queen’s choice may have been a bit “too far” for the challenge’s cabaret theme.

“This just comes out of nowhere. I don’t know. I don’t know how to take it. I’m like, ‘Is she trying to get me in my head?’ Because it’s working,” Charra said in a confessional.

“I cannot believe the shade has started. And I just… it’s kinda bursting my bubble a little bit. I’m just a little bit frightened now. I’m freaking out, and it’s only day one.”

The next day, the queens hit the mainstage to share their sickening “Queen of Your Hometown” looks in front of Ru, Michelle Visage, Alan Carr, and guest judge Alison Goldfrapp, before receiving their maxi-challenge critiques.

After Ru graciously revealed that no one would be going home, Kiki, Lill, Kyran, La Voix, Rileasa and Actavia were named the tops of the week.

“And later tonight, I’ll choose two of you to lip-sync for the win,” Ru added.

While the judges praised all the queens, La Voix and Kyran were selected as the top two.

However, it wouldn’t be a Drag Race UK premiere without one final twist.

Before the ladies laid it all on stage to Goldfrapp’s hit single ‘Ooh La La,’ Ru revealed that the winner would receive immunity from next week’s elimination.

Ultimately, Kyran was named the winner after an exhilarating, comedic, dance-filled lip-sync.

Since its release, fans have flocked to social media to praise the premiere episode and the season’s new batch of Ru girls.

One fan wrote: “We are in for a gewddd season.”

Another viewer tweeted: “I thought I was watching uk6, and turns out I’m watching secret celebrity drag race wtf are ke$ha and riri doing here.”

A third fan added: “The RUNWAYS this season are gonna be INSANEEEE!!!”

On next week’s episode of Drag Race UK, the queens will work in teams to create a collection that includes three looks. Weekly eliminations will also kick-off.

Check out the best reactions to the season six premiere below.