As the UK counts down to finally getting its own version of RuPaul’s Drag Race – though it’s not like we haven’t already binged every episode of the US version on Netflix – more details about the new series are starting to emerge.
Namely the news that, along with RuPaul and Michelle Visage, Graham Norton and Alan Carr will be joining the show as guest judges on the series.
The two comedians and broadcasters will appear as rotating resident judges, as each week a different guest judge will join Ru and Michelle to critique the acts, before both appearing in the grand finale.
The eight-time Bafta award-winner Graham Norton is no stranger to RuPaul’s Drag Race, as he’s already appeared as a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars in the US.
Alan Carr, meanwhile, may not have appeared on the show just yet, but Ru did make an appearance on Alan Carr’s Chatty Man talkshow, so the two go someway back.
Graham Norton told BBC:
Becoming part of the drag race family makes me ridiculously happy! I can’t wait to see what the UK drag queens bring to the party, but they better weeeeerk!!!
While Alan Carr added:
Wow! To be sat next to Michelle Visage and Mama Ru as a guest judge on possibly one of my all-time favourite shows EVER is a dream come true. I can’t wait to see what the UK Queens have got in store – it’s going to be sickening! *does death drop*
An exact release date for Drag Race UK hasn’t been confirmed just yet, but you can expect it to (death) drop sometime this year.
Speaking about bringing Alan and Graham to the show, RuPaul said:
I was both shocked and delighted when Graham and Alan told me they’d be wearing tucking panties when sitting at the judges’ table. I told them it was not necessary, but they insisted. Now that’s what I call dedication!
While Ru also told Digital Spy:
I am beyond excited to celebrate the massive charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent of the Queen’s queens.
The four characteristics I strive to uphold everyday.
As for who else might be on the judging panel, season six winner Bianca Del Rio has hinted that she’d be more than up to heading over to old Blighty, and we’d be lucky to have her.
She said:
If they asked, I would love to. I think it’s great it’s finally coming to the UK. I think it’s brilliant and a great opportunity to the talent that’s here.
Can’t wait!
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Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.