RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season 5 will be back on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer very soon. So it is definitely time for devoted Drag Race fans to meet the Queens!
Among the celebrity guest judges confirmed to appear will be Alexandra Burke, Joel Dommett, Cush Jumbo, Suranne Jones and Sophie-Ellis Bextor.
As usual, Mama Ru will deliver the ultimate verdict on who will be in the running to be crowned the UK’s Next Drag Race Superstar.
And the RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season 5 contenders for that drag accolade will come from these 10 fierce Queens with fierce looks…
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season 5: Meet the Queens!
Alexis Saint Pete, 29, from London
“I’m your favourite Polish Princess living in London – I’m the Polish Billy Elliot!” Alexis said.
“I love my country, but I feel more comfortable and safer here in the UK because in Poland, we don’t have as much LGBTQ+ representation or acceptance. It feels unreal to be the first Polish drag queen on Drag Race. I have dreamed about this moment, but I never thought it would happen and yet here I am! I want to inspire people to dream big, never give up and show that if I can do it, you can do it too! Let’s go!
“If you come to my one of my shows, you’ll definitely see a big production! I love to bring a lot of storylines to my shows. You’ll see energy, splits, kicks, turns, tricks… I’ve got it all.”
Banksie, 23 years old, from Manchester
“I’m the 7ft supermodel of Manchester!” said a modest Banksie.
“My surname is Banks, and so naturally ‘Banksie’ became my nickname, but I’m also inspired by ‘the other Banksy’, the guerrilla artist. Banksy completely threw the art world into a spin with their unique art. And I too aspire to do something unique with my art.
“So, I started dabbling with drag in my bedroom for two years and then once I turned 18, I went out and I just flourished! Drag has opened my mind to a whole new world – I met a whole new group of people who are now basically family to me.
“I can be silly, I can be funny, I can be gorgeous, I can be serious… I can do it all!”
Cara Melle, 26, from Atlanta, Georgia, in the US
“I’ve been living in London for the past seven years. I came to London to study at the London College of Fashion, and then all of a sudden my drag life took over, so I stayed and here I am!” Cara said.
“I was raised by a bunch of UK drag sisters, and so my drag was born and bred in London, where I’m well known as ‘the Beyonce of the drag scene’. I’ve been on TV, billboards, and numerous ad campaigns. The CV is lengthy!
“I serve amazing looks, I perform the hell out of anything and I bring main character energy to the game. I want to show the world who I am. It’s very important to me because when growing up, I never saw any black trans women on TV, and now I get a chance to represent black trans women.”
DeDeLicious, 20, from Kent
“Hello world! My name is DeDeLicious, I’m 20 years old, and I’m from Tunbridge Wells,” DeDe said.
“You can’t keep your eyes off me. I like to be camp and stupid. I’m all about the facial expressions and jumping around. I want to be up in the crowd dancing and having a great time! I’ve done gigs in LA, Ibiza and the iconic London Palladium. I just can’t get enough. The stage is exactly where I belong.
“I’ve been a fully-fledged professional drag queen for about a year and a half. But I’ve been practising since I was 16. At first, I started playing with makeup in my bedroom, and experimenting with padding as I learned how to shape my body. And for the past few years I’ve really honed my drag craft by learning to sew and create my own outfits.
“As DeDe, I now have unshakeable confidence, but I remember my first performance was chaotic. I snapped both of my high heels and I had to do the whole number on my tippy toes!”
Ginger Johnson, 34, from County Durham
“One of my big heroes is Lucille Ball because she can be really glamorous and really silly at the same time and that’s what I strive for with my drag,” Ginger said.
“In my drag, I like to take quite serious subjects and present them in a really ridiculous way because I think that opens up the audience to think and talk about their experience.
“I’ve been doing drag for about 15 years now. I wrote a radio play as part of my university degree that was based on an older woman from the Northeast, and I couldn’t find anyone to play the part so I did it and then my drag career just snowballed from there! The theatre is where I love to be. I write and direct theatre shows too and I absolutely adore it.
“I’m a helium balloon in the shape of a woman – great fun at parties but highly flammable and prone to floating away if left unattended.”
Kate Butch, 26, from Derbyshire
“I am a silly goose from Buxton in Derbyshire, and in homage to my namesake, Kate Bush, I took to the wily, windy moors and landed here on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK!” said Kate.
“I love Kate Bush because just like her, I’m quirky, theatrical and just do my own thing!
“I’m a stand-up comedian, live singer, hostess, compere, and podcast host, to name but a few of my drag roles, but really I am a theatre and performance queen at heart. I would describe my drag style as ‘Hollywood starlet with a migraine’ – I love a bright clashing pattern with an hourglass silhouette.”
Michael Marouli, 39, from Newcastle
“I’m your Geordie tart with a heart!” said Michael.
“I was born and raised in Newcastle, but I’ve lived and performed in Gran Canaria for the past 17 years. Gran Canaria has a huge drag scene. Everybody comes from all over the world. It’s bright, it’s colourful, we party and we celebrate. It’s just fabulous.
“Drag allows me to do whatever I want. There are no rules – I get to be whatever and whoever I want to be. I was about 22 when I started in drag, starting off with chapstick and mascara. I look back at the pictures and I just cringe, but we’ve all got to start somewhere and this gorgeousness didn’t just happen overnight!”
Miss Naomi Carter, 23, from Doncaster
“When it comes to my name, ‘Naomi’ comes from the absolute icon that is supermodel Naomi Campbell. ‘Carter’ for the absolute icon that is Beyoncé Carter. And the ‘Miss’ is to let the boys know that I’m single!” Naomi chuckled.
“I love a good party so you’re going to get all the camp, but also some R&B, Afrobeats, and Bashment, but then it could take a turn in to rap, house or drum and bass. I’m really inspired by black music and culture. I’m half Gambian, and half British, and so that’s very much part of my drag identity too.
“I’ve been doing drag for five years. I first started when I went to Doncaster Pride with my mum and I was in drag. While there, I met another queen, who literally adopted me there and then. Our little house is called ZEHAUS and we’re literally the only house in Doncaster, There are only four of us, but we’re adored by everyone for kickstarting Donny’s non-existent drag scene!”
Tomara Thomas, 25, from Hartlepool
“The time has come for this star is to shine. You’re not ready for me!” Tomara said.
“I’m a dancing diva and you’re going to be buying what I’m selling! There’s going to be high kicks and splits and a lot of dancing. I actually started drag when I was 14 years old at dance school. But I went on to be a professional dancer and more recently I was travelling around the world performing on the cruise ships.
“However, I would watch the girls in my shows and wish that I was wearing their costumes and doing their roles. So during lockdown when I was back home unable to work, I started to do make up transformations on myself. And so Tomara Thomas came out again!”
Vicki Vivacious, 36, from Cornwall
“I would say my drag is 50% new age, 50% old school and a bit Generation Ru. I’ve taken all of these little bits, smashed them all together and made something vivacious,” said Vicki.
“I’ve been doing drag for 15 years. Crazy, because I’m only 18. I fell into drag through my love of musical theatre. I moved from Cornwall to London to go to drama school and this is what happens when you get government funding and a scholarship!
“I’ve worked with Little Mix, toured with Dannii Minogue, sang in the West End and I’ve also been in a girl band! I’ve literally done it all and now it’s my time to shine.
“I am also known as ‘the Forces’ sweetheart’ as I go around the country servicing our armed services. I’m like the Dame Vera Lynn of drag! What happens on the barracks stays on the barracks, but I leave them smiling from ear to ear!”
Read more: All the must-watch TV shows coming this autumn
Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think of this story.