Drag Race UK star reveals ‘truth’ of Untucked fight – and why she ‘couldn’t be annoyed’ at her exit
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK has crowned a winner, baby (BBC)
The latest queen to sashay away of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK has revealed the ‘truth’ behind her Untucked spat with Kyran Thrax – and the moment that made her exit worth it.
Warning: Sickening spoilers ahead for episode six of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
Drag Race UK has well and truly crossed its half way mark, leaving six queens left in the fight to succeed Ginger Johnson, and six having sashayed away from Drag Race UK‘s latest season.
To recap, Saki Yew got taken out by a shower, Dita Garbo failed to impress judges in the season’s first acting challenge, Zahirah Zapanta sashayed away in the Hallowe’en Ghoul Group challenge, Kiki Snatch hit the house after a Graham Norton Chat Show challenge and Chanel O’Conor got the chop after Snatch Game.
In episode seven, the remaining queens were challenged with a firm Drag Race UK favourite; a Rusical, this time based on seven iconic pop divas from the UK’s chart history.
While La Voix snatched her third win (in a row!) for her Shirley Bassey number – it was Actavia (as Gerri Halliwell) who landed in the bottom two against Lill, and eventually sashayed away after a lip sync to “Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Speaking to PinkNews following her elimination, Actavia reveals why RuPaul’s critiques meant that she “couldn’t be annoyed” at her elimination, that wig from the season’s design challenge, and the “truth” of her brief spat with frontrunner Kyran Thrax in Untucked
As a brief recap, during critiques after the episode’s challenge, RuPaul told the Welsh queen, in no uncertain terms, that mother was obsessed with her. “I just love you,” she said. “I think you’re the bees knees.”
And though the scene was filmed months ago, Actavia tells PinkNews that it’s still the moment that sticks in her head – and meant that she “couldn’t be annoyed” at her elimination.
“Obviously, with the critiques I got, I knew I was in the bottom, and at that point, I knew we had “Time Warp,” so I knew it was gonna be a fight.
“But I was like, “Do you know what? I got that. I got that. So either way, I couldn’t be annoyed or sad, because RuPaul just told me he bloody loved me… I couldn’t have asked for a better exit.”
It’s not just Actavia that RuPaul had love for, also telling the assembled remaining cast that they were one of “the most charming” groups he’d ever seen – and Actavia agrees that the season six divas have created something special.
“It just means the world. Because, we worked so so hard, especially in that challenge. And for Ru to acknowledge that… can I ask for more?
“Being a part of Drag Race, and this cast and this season, the amount of talent is insane.”
‘Best season ever’ or not, “It wouldn’t be Drag Race without drama,” as Actavia puts it. The drama she’s referring to is, of course, her and Charra telling Kyran Thrax (who at this point has three RuPeter badges) that they wouldn’t have minded her falling into the bottom for just one episode.
It seems a fair sentiment, but the comment comes out fairly left field in the episode – but Actavia says that the “truth” of the matter is more complicated.
“I know nobody prompted me in the moment! Nobody was speaking about Kyran but this is the truth. I’ve been a fan of Kyran prior to the show, and the whole time we were filming, I remember just being up Kyran’s f**king *ss.
“So I was like, she’s gonna watch this back, see me chat s**t to Charra [at the start of the episode] saying want to see her get knocked down a peg, and she’s gonna think I’m a right b**ch [for not saying it to her face].
“So I said I’m gonna tell her now! And I’m glad I did, because honestly, I think she respects me more for it.”
And if Actavia’s going to be remembered for something on Drag Race UK aside from her innate charm, gagworthy performance abilities and hilarious Michael Jackson impression – it’s her *cough* charming collection of wigs.
The Substance #DragRaceUK pic.twitter.com/ezHwA6gQmJ
— ✨kiki (@realhotgirlshz) November 7, 2024
The former is a reference to a poodle/ barrister cross that co-star Marmalade won’t stop posting on her X (as above on the right) – but Actavia has no hard feelings, because the hair is “now iconic”.
“Yes, I looked like a barrister, and Marmalade that episode said to me after critiques that she thought I had it in curlers and was going to let it down, but just didn’t. And I was like, honestly, fair, but do I regret it? No, because it’s f**king funny, and that picture will haunt me forever, in the best way.”
Wig-wise, there’s also Actavia’s ‘Princess Diana’ one from this week – and ‘Princess Diana’ is in inverted commas for a reason. But similarly to the above, she’s happy with the outcome of her choices.
“I will admit it, it was a f**king s**t wig from Amazon! But will I ever wear it again? Will I ever wear that dress again? No, unless it’s to take the piss out myself, so I don’t regret it!
“And honestly, some of the girls spent a lot of money on their wigs and they still got read, whereas I spent 20 quid and got read anyway. So I’d rather be cheap and cheerful and get read than expensive and still have the same outcome.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK airs on BBC iPlayer from 8pm every Thursday.
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