RuPaul’s Drag Race UK: Michelle Visage confirmed as judge
Carson Kressley (second from right) has been a Drag Race judge since 2015. (World of Wonder/VH1)
Michelle Visage has been confirmed as a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
The veteran Drag Race judge will join longtime co-star and host RuPaul on the UK edition of the reality competition, which is set to launch on BBC Three in 2019.
Visage and RuPaul have previously collaborated on eight seasons of Drag Race in the US and four seasons of its All Stars iteration. All Stars 4 is currently airing on VH1.
“We’ve been working tirelessly to bring the magic of RuPaul’s Drag Race to my favourite city in the world: LONDON!” said Visage.
“I KNOW the UK has a wealth of talent to offer and I’m thrilled beyond belief to see these queens battle it out on the main stage, UK style! GOD SAVE THE QUEENS!”
“Michelle has worked tirelessly to help bring Drag Race to the UK, we are grateful she is part of our family,” said executive producers Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey. “She is a quadruple threat; she sings, she dances, she acts, and boy, can she judge! Queens beware!”
Visage, in fact, first said she’d be part of Drag Race UK on Twitter in December.
She wrote: “guys. yes. of COURSE i am a judge…..i am THE judge!!”
guys. yes. of COURSE i am a judge…..i am THE judge!!
— michelle visage (@michellevisage) December 5, 2018
Drag Race UK is coming
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK will consist of eight one-hour episodes and launch on BBC Three later this year.
RuPaul and Visage will scour Great Britain for the UK’s next drag superstar. The competition will feature a series of challenges until one queen is crowned winner.
BBC announced the UK iteration in December.
“I am beyond excited to celebrate the massive charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent of the Queen’s queens. And before anyone asks, yes, we would be thrilled to have Meghan Markle join us, as we are already preparing a ‘Royal-Mother-To-Be’ runway challenge,” RuPaul said at the time.
Drag Race has increased in popularity in the US with each passing season—although some drag artists have criticised the show for not being inclusive.
Transgender, Latinx drag king Chiyo said they expect the British version of the show to centre around cisgender, white queens—watch their interview below.
In 2018, the RuPaul-fronted show won five Emmy Awards including outstanding reality competition for the first time.
