'RuPaul's Drag Race UK Versus the World' cast photo.
(Picture: World of Wonder )There's no such thing as Drag Race fatigue for the real fans out there. A few months after season three of the reality competition saw 20-year-old Krystal Versace crowned the UK's next drag superstar, more drag is about to land on BBC Three.
For the first time in the show's herstory, Drag Race alumni worldwide make the cast. Former competitors from the franchise’s Canada, Holland, Thailand and USA editions will compete against three of the most-liked UK queens (Baga Chipz, Blu Hydrangea and Cheryl Hole).
This new season should be as unexpected as an American All-Stars season with new challenges and a werkroom full of international queens. It will also be the first time a judge (Pangina Heals from DR Thailand) dares to leave their seat at the table to compete as a contestant.
A panel of celebrities has also been announced to support the regular UK judges (Ru Paul, Michelle Visage, Alan Carr and Graham Norton). Clara Amfo, Daisy May Cooper, Jade Thirlwall, Jonathan Bailey, Johannes Radebe, Katie Price, Mel C and Michelle Keegan will critique the queens.
Our nine queens have entered the #DragRaceUK international arena. 🇬🇧🇨🇦🇳🇱🇺🇸🇹🇭
— RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World (@dragraceukbbc) January 17, 2022
Who will become “Queen of the Mothertucking World?” 👑🌍
RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World premieres 1 Feb 9pm on @bbcthre and @BBCiPlayer. Outside the UK? Check the link in our bio. pic.twitter.com/YjzImFEL4Z
The series will air on British screens exclusively on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer from Tuesday February 1 at 9pm, with new episodes released weekly on Tuesdays.
Find out below who you’ll be rooting for - may the best drag queen win.
Baga Chipz - UK
Best quote: "Last time I was an old scrubber from Soho... but since then you could say I’ve had a glow up. I’ve had me lips done, I’ve had me teeth done... a bit of Botox, a bit of filler."
After finishing third in the first season of Drag Race UK, Baga now self-defines as "not just Drag Race famous" but "tabloid famous." One of the favourites in series one, she is remembered as one of the funniest Ru girls ever and won the iconic Snatch Game. "I don’t normally work with civilian folk. But do you know what... let’s give these girls a run for their money!" she says.
Blu Hydrangea - UK
Best quote: "I am the biggest fan of Drag Race. I watch every single season – subtitled or not. I hope that I get to meet some of my idols... and then get to send them home!"
The "Belfast and furious" grew up since her time on season one of the UK franchise (she finished fifth) and added an album and a tour with the Frock Destroyers to her resume. No longer a GCSE art project but a masterpiece, in her own words, she is ready to paint the world blue. Although she admits: "RuPaul still makes me s**t myself a little bit... so we’ll see."
Cheryl Hole - UK
Best quote: "I’m ready to show that I’m not mediocre anymore! This is the queen of the huns right here. I’m gonna be walking sideways because it’s so heavy because I’ve got all the badges."
The Essex fan-favourite from season one of Drag Race UK is ready to redeem herself and win challenges. Although she finished fourth in her series, Cheryl never managed to win one of the coveted Ru Peter badges. Prepared to do anything to win, she says she knows some of the queens are going to play a dirty game. "But I’m a clean little diva! The only place I’m dirty is the place... well, you know exactly where!" she says.
Janey Jacké - Holland
Best quote: "I’m going to approach it with a lot of fire... they think I’m just a pretty girl. But I want to break the stereotypes of what people think of the Netherlands. I’ve got it all! I’ve got the performances. I got jokes, and I got everything in this package!"
Viewers of Drag Race Holland season one will remember Janey as the runner-up and star of the Rusical. But this time around, she claims to be ready, hungry and feistier than ever. She might even push UK viewers to check DR Holland out finally. "Girl, look at me! I’m always tucked, I’m always cinched, I’m always padded... she got some cute boobs going on," she says.
Jimbo - Canada
Best quote: I can’t wait to take out my sisters. I’m going to crush them with my breasts, stab them with my fingers... And then scream at them! I have a thirst for drag blood. Make sure that you sleep with one eye open!
To say she was iconic in Canada's Drag Race season one would not be enough. The self-defined "big-breasted bimbo of the north" is set to avenge her fourth position and win the international crown this time around. "I was the robbed queen from Canada’s Drag Race season one," she says. "But I’ve moved on... and I’m here to rob someone else now. Let’s do this!"
Jujubee - USA
Best Quote: "People might think I’m crazy for doing this again... But I like torture! I’ve been everywhere, and that’s because of Drag Race."
Will her curse follow her to the UK this time? One can always hope so. The three-times finalist (DR 2, All-Stars 1 and All-Stars 5) is again back in the competition to finally get the crown. "There’s no way that I’m NOT getting to the top every single time," she says. "I am a pro at this competition. These girls can learn something from me! Ru might as well just give me the crown now! I’ll buy a farm, have a whole bunch of chickens and cats - I won’t bother her anymore!"
Lemon - Canada
Best quote: "I look good in a tiara. It’d be really nice to give me one...?"
The "sweet and sour" queen who lives between Canada and New York City takes a British break for this special Drag Race edition. A professional dancer, will she shine in all the challenges designed by Ru Paul and her team? "On my season, I came in as a dancing queen diva, and I ended up dominating in these comedy challenges," says Lemon. "So I don’t know if you’ll remember me as a dancer or a funny gal... but guess what? I’m all of the above."
Mo Heart
Best quote: "I send the minions out to do the dirty work. You never heard of Queen Elizabeth chopping off somebody’s head herself, now did you?!"
Formerly known as Monique Heart, she now wants to give the public "Mo Heart, Mo Love, Mo Everything." A runner-up of All-Stars 4 and a fan favourite from season 10, Mo could easily make the UK fall in love with her looks and hilarious confessionals. "Ok, so I didn’t win season ten," she says. "And I didn’t win All-Stars. But I don’t want to be an All-Star, honey. I want to be QUEEN OF THE WORLD! Ok?"
Pangina Heals - Thailand
Best quote: "I have never competed before! Now I am officially a Ru girl! Oh god, I hope I make my country proud. I’m s**tting my pants a little."
It takes a lot of courage to step away from being a judge in Drag Race Thailand to compete in front of Ru Paul. But self-defined "Drag Master" Pangina isn't afraid of anything. "I can sing, I can dance, I can act! I am an Asian chameleon," she says. "I’m excited to compete with all the queens from the world – but they don’t know who I am. I know what they can do, but they don’t know what I can do."
