Drag Race season 13 trailer leaks, confirming a big premiere twist when RuPaul returns next month
The Drag Race season 13 premiere date is a closely-tucked secret no more. (WOW)
Update: VH1 has confirmed the Drag Race season 13 cast and release date.
The first Drag Race season 13 trailer has leaked online, and to quote a famous philosopher, somebody’s getting fired.
Season 13 of RuPaul’s Drag Race will premiere in just a few weeks with a major twist for the new cast of queens, a leaked trailer has revealed.
The dramatic pastel-themed 12-second clip sees RuPaul announcing: “We’re kicking off the season with six-lip syncs for your lives.” Cue facecracks.
The leaked trailer also confirms what fans have been desperately waiting for: the Drag Race season 13 premiere date.
Fittingly, the new season will begin on New Year’s Day (1 January), at 8/7C on VH1 in the US.
The network is yet to officially confirm these details, and there is no sign of a Netflix release date for UK fans (though we’d be willing to bet on 2 January, given that the streamer has had next-day access in recent years).
New Year’s Day is the start of a new Drag Race marathon.
Incredibly, not even a global pandemic could stop the Drag Race machine from pumping out new seasons.
Season 13 was reportedly completed in September, with a series of changes made to ensure the set was COVID-secure.
According to Variety, the queens, Pit Crew and other on-air talent were tested for COVID-19 three times a week, along with any crew members who interacted with them. Other crew members were tested weekly.
The outlet reported that there will be few visible changes, the off-camera crew members the only ones to wear masks, the queens effectively forming a bubble for the season.
RuPaul appeared to be on the set of Drag Race UK season two in a recent YouTube video. (YouTube)
The mainstage, however, will look different. Variety reported that the judges’ table has been extended and glass panels placed in between each seat. It hasn’t yet been confirmed whether guest judges will appear on Drag Race season 13.
One of the biggest issues for the television industry has been hair and make-up, however this has been less of a sticking point on Drag Race, as the contestants are responsible for their own. How RuPaul coped isn’t clear – he famously relies on the talents of Drag Race alum Raven for his make-up.
The same report stated that production on “other Drag Race spin-off series” was still in production, lining up with rumours RuPaul went straight into filming for All Stars 6 following season 13. In recent years, All Stars and the regular edition of Drag Race have aired as one uninterrupted run.
It’s also been confirmed by the BBC that RuPaul and Michelle flew to London to resume filming on Drag Race UK season two, which will air in early 2021 – presumably overlapping with season 13.
