Drag

“I’m really confused”: Fans are divided over Drag Race UK vs the World elimination

By Jordan Robledo

16th March 2024

BBC

The queens brought their charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and ballroom skills on the latest episode of Drag Race UK vs the World season two. 

Spoilers ahead

For this week’s maxi-challenge, Ru asked the six remaining contestants – Choriza May, Hannah Conda, La Grande Dame, Marina Summers, Scarlet Envy, and Tia Kofi – to dust off their dancing shoes for Drag Race’s take on Strictly Come Dancing. 

“For this week’s maxi-challenge, you’ll be dancing your padded asses off in the BBC’s newest hit, Strictly Come Prancing,” Ru announced. 

“Now you’ll be competing in pairs. But don’t worry; you’ll both get a chance to lead because you’ll be performing in half and half drag. Serving ‘masc meets femme’ realness.” 

Like its BBC counterpart, Ru revealed that the queens would perform different dance styles before giving last week’s challenge winner, Marina, the power to pick the pairs. 

Fortunately, the beloved Filipino queen wasted no time assigning the roles, resulting in Choriza and Scarlet taking on the Tango, La Grande and Tia tasked with Quickstep, and Marina and Hannah landing Samba. 

With their dance partners and styles selected, the contestants got down to business, soaking in their respective songs and expressing excitement over the challenge. 

Even Tia, who initially worried about her partnership with La Grande, was eager to take on the Quickstep. 

“I know I was giving sceptical at the start. It was nothing to do with you. It was all to do with… I mean, everyone wanted to be paired with Marina because she’s the strongest,” the UK queen explained. 

BBC

In response, the French performer pointed out that being paired with the best dancer may not always work out in one’s favour. 

“I’m not sure it’s a good pairing. You don’t want to be dancing next to Beyoncé when you’re Michelle together,” La Grande explained. 

Towards the end of their conversation, the Drag Race France star expressed her happiness over their partnership, stating that they have a lot to offer each other. 

“It’s just really nerve-racking because it’s down to the wire now, and we’ve got five really strong queens and Scarlet. So you never know what could happen,” Tia joked. 

Following their workroom conversations, the queens headed to the main stage to learn the choreography from Strictly Come Dancing pro-Janette Manrara and her husband, Aljaž Škorjanec.  

BBC

Like previous dance challenges, their rehearsal was full of mishaps, but in the end, the queens were able to get a better grasp of their routines.

The next day, the ladies returned to the workroom with their energy recharged, confidence soaring, and chemistry potentially bubbling between Tia and La Grande. 

“Hold me, Le Grande Dame. Paint me like one of your French girls,” Tia joked in a confessional. 

With their half-masc and half-femme drag, the queens headed to the main stage to make their Strictly Come Prancing debut in front of the judges’ panel – which featured Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse.

BBC

Throughout their epic performance, the ladies delivered energy, excitement, chemistry, intricate dance moves and confidence while switching between group choreography and their respective dance styles.

After strutting down the runway in their best “Business in the Front Party in the Back” ensembles, the six contestants gathered on the mainstage for critiques.

While the judges praised Marina, Hannah, Tia and La Grande’s respective Samba and Quickstep routines, Scarlet and Choriza’s performance received mixed reviews, resulting in their bottom two placement. 

Following Marina and Hannah’s STUNNING lip-sync to Agnes’ ‘Release Me,’ Ru named the former the winner, who then sent Choriza home. 

BBC

“I feel a little bit sad because I’m not going to be back next week to share more moments with my sisters. But I have to love the journey I’ve had,” the Spanish queen said in her exit confessional. 

“I do think the right decision was made. I was the queen with the worst track record, and maybe if the queens were a bit shittier, I would have done a little bit better.” 

Following the episode’s release, fans took to social media to express their mixed reactions to this week’s elimination. 

BBC

One fan on X, formerly known as Twitter, wrote: “I’m really confused about the bottom placements. Like, how was Scarlet bottom when she only had good critiques? Like, Tia and Choriza were the only two queens that got at least one bad critique, but Tia wasn’t bottom? Like how? 

Another viewer tweeted: “This elimination was hilarious 💀 oh we love you Choriza. Goodbye sis I’m gonna miss your energy.” 

On next week’s episode of Drag Race UK vs the World, the queens will be tasked with giving “a good old-fashioned” comedy roast. 

Here’s how other Drag Race viewers reacted to the episode:

Drag Race UK vs the World is streaming in the UK on BBC iPlayer.

You can watch our interview with Choriza May here or below.