RuPaul's Drag Race UK
RuPaul's Drag Race UK is a British reality competition web television series based on the American television series of the same name. The television series is produced by World of Wonder for the BBC and WOW Presents Plus. The show is the fourth installment of the Drag Race franchise, and the second fronted by RuPaul. The show documents RuPaul and a panel of judges search for "Great Britain's next drag superstar", series 1 dubbed "UK's First Drag Superstar". RuPaul plays several roles on the show including host, mentor and head judge for the series, as the contestants are given different challenges to participate in each week. The show also employs panel of judges: RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Alan Carr and Graham Norton. The series, a collaboration between the BBC and World of Wonder, premiered on 3 October 2019. In November 2019, RuPaul's Drag Race UK was renewed for a second series. To date there has been one winner of the show: The Vivienne.
The show was renewed for a second season in 2019, however filming was indefinitely suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic. After the first series aired, the show received numerous award nominations from the twenty-fifth National Television Awards including: "The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award" and "Best TV Judge" which both Visage and RuPaul received a nomination.
History
It originated in the United States, where it was devised as a replacement for , and has been adapted in various countries. The show's aim to find the next "Drag Superstar", which the winner should occupy the traits of "charisma", "uniqueness", "nerve" and "talent". RuPaul has stated that the show looks for an entertainer who can stand out from the rest. In 2014, it was speculated that Jonathan Ross was in talks to host a UK version of Drag Race. Where he had stated that he was working on the version with UK drag queen, Jodie Harsh, along with Katie Price as one of the judges. However, production took a halt in April 2014, due to Ross having to work on family issues. A year later in 2015, Ross and Price assisted RuPaul in a one-off search of the "UK Drag Race Ambassador", which series one winner, The Vivienne won in 2015. The Vivienne won a trip to the set of the American version of the show. Production of the show continued, however again came to a stand still because TV show producers didn't think anyone would watch it. During Michelle Visage's time on Celebrity Big Brother, she said; "I tell you what, I could cast RuPaul's Drag Race the British invasion or the UK version in five minutes because there's so much talent over there. It's so different, the Liverpool queens, to the Blackpool queens, to the Mancunian queens, to the London queens. I'm not going to stop until gets made. Trust me." Channel 5 expressed interest in broadcasting the show in 2018. However, in June 2018, the producers of the American version hinted that a British version of the show was in the works. Fenton Bailey then confirmed that he, Randy Barbato and RuPaul had a meeting with the BBC and that “something is coming, be afraid – be very afraid. Nothing’s impossible.” Michelle Visage said about her driving force to get a UK version made: "Let me tell you I'm a big driving force behind it happening because I came over here like six or seven years ago and started performing in the gay bars. And I saw the love and the passion for Drag Race and that's the reason I did Celebrity Big Brother five years ago, was to bring attention to it. I knew that the LGBTQIA+ community in the UK needed their own version. These kids craved it, they deserved it. So I fought really hard for this British version to happen. It took five years, but it ended up where it belonged at the BBC of all places. And it was a huge hit because there's so much heart and so much love in the UK for the art of drag.Format
Like the American version, RuPaul has several roles within the show including: host, coach and judge. During his role as host, RuPaul introduced celebrity guests, announce what week challenges the queens will take part in and reveal who will be leaving the competition. During his role as a coach, RuPaul offered guidance to the contestants through each challenge, as his role as judge will critique the queens on their overall performance of the challenge. The show uses progressive elimination to reduce the number of drag queens in the competition from the initial field of ten contestants, down until the final three, who will compete in the final challenge, and the final two lip-syncing for the crown. Each episode follows a format consisting of a mini challenge, a main challenge, a runway walk, the judging panel, a lip sync battle, and the elimination of a contestant.Mini challenges
In mini challenges, each contestant is asked to perform a different task with varying requirements and time limitations. Certain mini challenges are repeated from season to season, or repeated from the original American season. For instance, the first mini challenge is a photo shoot with a photographer or RuPaul himself, that includes a special twist, in the UK version, the queens had to do something with their own heads via Green Screen. Another recurring mini challenge is dedicated to "reading," a drag term for making insulting observations about one's peers for comedic effect. The winner of a mini challenge is sometimes rewarded with an advantage in the main challenge. Though most episodes have a mini challenge, select episodes do not.Maxi challenges and runways
The requirements of the maxi challenge vary across each episode, and can be individual or group challenges. The winner of the maxi challenge also receives a special prize for their win, for example, a "RuPeter Badge" a spoof of the CBBC's famous Blue Peter badge, which would be received for doing something well. The final maxi challenge consisted of the queens taken part in an all singing and all dancing routine to one of RuPaul's songs.The goal of each maxi challenge involves a new theme and outcome. Contestants are often asked to design and construct a custom outfit, sometimes incorporating unconventional materials. Other challenges focus on the contestants' ability to present themselves on camera, perform with music, or perform humorously. Some challenges became a tradition across seasons, such as the "Snatch Game" (The Vivienne portraying Donald Trump and Baga Chipz portraying Margaret Thatcher in series one, a ball or a makeover, in which the contestants create drag personas for other people. The contestants walk down a runway presenting outfits. If the maxi challenge involves the creation of an outfit, that outfit is presented to the judges in the runway. Otherwise, a theme is assigned and the contestants must put together a look that fits the theme, which is presented to the judges. The runway looks and presentation are judged along with the maxi challenge performance.
Judging panel
A panel of judges cast opinions about the challenge performances and runway looks, first to the contestants onstage, and then again with them offstage.RuPaul acted as both the host and main judge, with Michelle Visage, Graham Norton and Alan Carr as supporting judges. Guest judges in Series 1 included Maisie Williams, Geri Halliwell, Jade Thirlwall, Andrew Garfield, Michaela Coel, Cheryl, and Twiggy. MNEK and AJ & Curtis Pritchard served as guest vocalists and choreographers to the contestants during themed tasks.
International broadcasts
The first series was broadcast on the Logo TV network in the USA, on Vitaya in Belgium, on DR TV in Denmark and on Yes Drama in Israel.Series overview
| Series | Premiere Date | Finale Date | Winner | Runner-up | Winner's Prizes |
| 1 |
|