Published: 02:00 pm, 11 August 2026
(Image: BBC / World Of Wonder / Nick Strasburg)
Hello, Hello, Hello! Mama’s back with a brand new set of crown hungry queens! RuPaul is returning to BBC iPlayer and BBC Three this Autumn with a fresh batch of twelve sassy, snatched and seriously talented queens ready to race for glory. From jaw-dropping runway looks to unforgettable lip-sync battles, they’ll stop at nothing to snatch the crown, a £25,000 cash prize, and the ultimate title of The UK’s Next Drag Race Superstar.
Over ten dramatic weeks, the sensational cult series sees twelve hopeful queens compete in a variety of spicy and iconic challenges designed to test their drag skillset to the max. It’s a rollercoaster of a journey with the winner of the week being awarded a much-coveted RuPeter badge, and the bottoms of the week facing a deciding Lip Sync For Their Life and the risk of elimination.
RuPaul, affectionately revered around the world as Mama Ru, leads an esteemed judging panel that includes regular judges Michelle Visage, Alan Carr and Graham Norton, and joining the panel throughout the series there will be a dazzling line up of celebrity Drag Race superfans – their identities will be ru-vealed in due course…
As the clock ticks down to the new season, we promise Drag Race fans won’t have long to wait. RuPaul has ru-leased details of the spicy new cast, so get ready to Meet the Queens.
(Image: BBC / World Of Wonder / Nick Strasburg)
From stunning looks to lip-sync prowess, these fabulous queens are ready to serve the competition of a lifetime and may the best drag queen win!
The twelve new queens hoping to sashay to victory are:
Alik
Anita Piss
Coral-Hole Mandi
The Delta Quadrant
Flesh
KY Kelly
Lucky Roy Singh
ma_danni_x
Mocha
Naya Thorn
Paris Baby
Tequila Thirst
Viewers can get a closer look of the brand new cast on BBC iPlayer now with the preview programme Meet the Queens (1×20’) due to air on BBC Three on Tuesday 11 August 2026 at 2pm. The series premiere date and guest judges will be ru-vealed in due course.
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is a World of Wonder production for BBC Three and BBC iPlayer commissioned by Fiona Campbell, Controller, BBC iPlayer and Youth Audiences and Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC. The Executive Producers for World of Wonder are Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, RuPaul Charles, Bruce McCoy, Matt Green, and Johnni Javier and the BBC Commissioning Editor is Ruby Kuraishe.
Meet the series 8 queens
Alik
(Image: BBC / World Of Wonder / Nick Strasburg)
29, Brighton
Pronouns in drag She/Her
Introduce yourself! I’m Alik, I’m 29 years old and I am from outer space, and by outer space, I mean Brighton. I have been doing drag for eight years.
Tell us about your drag? It started going out to club nights looking crazy, and then I found drag and I never looked back. I’m bringing to Drag Race an aesthetic of old meets new with goth glamour and a punk melting pot.
What are your drag superpowers? I am a very well-rounded drag queen – I do a bit of everything! And I can do flips, tricks, cartwheels, dips, anything, you name it. I have done many athletic things in my life; I used to do trampolining and gymnastics and so I am agile and prepared for this show!
Previous Brighton queens have warned of the Brighton curse, are you scared? Judging from the statistics, Brighton girlies have not had the best track record on Drag Race UK, but I’m here to smash that curse. I am infamous in Brighton, regularly performing in Brighton’s biggest gay club, and you know what, I am an icon.
You are a bit of content creator too aren’t you? You could say, I’m a drag journalist as me and my partner, Scaredy Kat – some of you may remember them from season one – accost people on the streets of Brighton and interview them for our socials. We ask them burning questions, for example, when was the last time you Googled yourself?
You mentioned Drag Race OG Scaredy Kat…? Yes, I’m in a relationship with season one icon Scaredy Kat, and we’re very deeply in love. They didn’t do great on their season, but they were young and they have learned a lot since and I’m just excited to do better than them!
Why do you deserve to win? I don’t think anyone like me has been on the show before. Not only am I doing this for myself, but I’m also doing it for my partner Scaredy Kat as they deserve to see the crown at least once in their life, right? This is their redemption living vicariously through me. So, Ru, come on, just put the crown on me now!
Anita Piss
(Image: BBC / World Of Wonder / Nick Strasburg)
37, Birmingham
Pronouns in drag She/Her
Introduce yourself! Alright Bab, I’m Anita Piss! I’m 37 years old, and I’m from Birmingham originally, although Anita hails from the dark, subversive East London drag scene…
How does it feel to be a Ru girl? Entering Drag Race has been a lifelong ambition and I am feeling cool, calm, and collected because that is the Anita Piss way. I have applied for Drag Race UK five times, and so it’s fifth time lucky for me! Anita Piss is ready to piss all over this competition. Season eight, season great!
Why the name, Anita Piss? Anita Piss felt natural to me, because it is natural! We all need to go and it’s the best feeling when you just have!
How long have you been doing Drag? I’ve been doing drag for about seven or eight years, but I only became a full time drag queen recently. With a 9-to-5 day job, my drag was always sidelined to weekends and evenings, but now I’m in all the way.
Who or what are your influences? I grew up in Birmingham, my dad is Jamaican and my mum is British, and so I have a mixed heritage with plenty of cultural reference points to pull from. I love fashion and creating looks. Growing up, I would watch the Oscars red carpet and then draw my favourite outfits. That’s why I love drag – I can bring in all of my creativity together to look glamorous and truly amazing!
How competitive are you? I am incredibly competitive. I like to win, and I only enter things where I have a chance of winning. So, these girls better watch out. Anita has something to say, and she’s ready to slay.
Why do you deserve to win? I deserve to be UK’s next Drag Race superstar because I am bringing something completely different that you all ain’t ever seen before. Like I said, it’s all about being cool, calm, collected but having some poise, and having a good demeanour about you.
Coral-Hole Mandi
(Image: BBC / World Of Wonder / Nick Strasburg)
27, Belfast
Pronouns She/Her
Introduce yourself! I am Coral-Hole Mandi and I’m the 27 year old Bikini Bottom Bimbo from Belfast – originally from Ballymena.
How does it feel to be a Ru girl? I am feeling lit to the tit right now – I never thought in a million years that I’d be here on RuPaul’s stage.
Tell us about your drag? If I had to describe my genre of drag, I would say I’m mer-mazing! My drag is very much inspired by my love of the sea and my background in marine biology. Growing up, I was obsessed by the ocean, sea creatures and mermaids. I always knew I wanted to be a mermaid or a creature from the deep one day. I like to switch it up. Sometimes, I’m a cartoon candy gorgeous mermaid, and other days I look like a bog witch who has just crawled out of the swamp. I like to think of myself as the creature from the Black Dragoon!
How long have you been doing drag? I’ve been doing drag for about six years and I’m ready to snatch the crown by the tentacles and take it home for Belfast.
How competitive are you? I am very competitive. I’m not going to dim my sparkle, and you best believe that like I’m putting my whole puss into this comp and I’m gonna smash it. Give me any category, I’ll smash them all.
What is your most irritating habit? I think that my superpower drag is being very annoying a hundred per cent of the time. My favourite thing to do is yelling obscenities at people on their night out. I can be loud, very loud.
Why do you deserve to win? I’m an all-rounder and I’m gonna be memorable. You’re all gonna love me by the end of this. Come on and dip your toes in the waters of Coral-Hole Mandi.
The Delta Quadrant
(Image: BBC / World Of Wonder / Nick Strasburg)
32, Darlington
Pronouns She/Her
Introduce yourself! I am The Delta Quadrant. I am 32, and I’m the industrial doyenne from Darlington and the Deborah Meaden of drag, and in case you didn’t know, I am your new boss!
Tell us about Delta and her unique style of drag? The Delta Quadrant is a powerhouse. She is a businesswoman who has smashed the drag ceiling and clawed her way to the very top of Darlington’s business world. Delta is a boss girl, and the CEO of everything. I represent a rare type of character led drag. I have one signature distinct look. I love power dressing, shoulder pads, tailored suits and I always sashay into the Boardroom, with my signature bob! I am so excited to be here representing the undisputed financial capital of the UK, Darlington. Let’s get down to business!
What is your competitive spirit like? You don’t get to where I am in the world without being competitive. If I can smell blood in the water, I’ll go for it.
What is your game plan, or should we say business plan? Drag Race is a little different to the world of business in which I excel, but I’ve dealt with business tycoons far bigger than these girls so I’m entering the boardroom, sorry werkroom, with a tight business plan. I will think out of the box, look at the bigger picture, and give Mr RuPaul Charles some long hard stares! I’ve been around long enough to know that it’s not all about the crown and sceptre. It’s about the tax-free cash prize and this business lady can go all the way.
Are you nervous about any of the challenges? I’ve seen people fall apart in the sewing challenge and I feel like I could be one of those people. I’ve never had to turn my hand to a sewing machine before, so I’m a little bit nervous, but excited too.
Why do you deserve to win? There’s not a one size fits all rule to drag and I think that I should win so that I can prove that my kind of comedy character led style of drag is valid, and worthy of being on the world stage of drag.
Flesh
(Image: BBC / World Of Wonder / Nick Strasburg)
25, London
Pronouns She/Her
Introduce yourself! Hello world, my name is Flesh, and I am the supermodel of Soho. I’m 25 years old and I’ve been doing drag for about seven years.
Tell us about your drag? I would say my biggest influences are nineties super models and British fashion. I am super feminine and always perfectly poised. My dad is Spanish, so I have an Español flair – I’m always late, and I’m always very glamorous just like a Pedro Almodovar film. I love the creativity of the fashion industry and that is what inspires me. I love fashion because it gives me the ability to transform – it’s the same with my drag. I am infatuated with colour, silhouette and textiles and communicating with my clothing.
Does impractical matter? Practicality has never been a priority in my drag. Pain is pleasure. Beauty is pain. Being beautiful brings me pleasure. It’s a horrible, vicious cycle that I will never leave. I’m trapped by choice!
Tell us about your Drag Race UK family members. You may know a few of my sisters. My best friend is Bones, winner of last year’s season of Drag Race UK. Together we are Flesh and Bones. My close drag family also includes season three winner, Krystal Versace, and DeDeLicious from Season five.
As Bones is the current reigning Drag Race UK Superstar are you feeling the pressure? Obviously, with my best friend winning the last season I’m feeling the pressure to live up to the high standards that we, Flesh and Bones have set in the Soho drag scene. I can’t predict how I’ll fare with the competition, but I thrive under pressure…
What are the biggest misconceptions about you? You might not be able to tell, but I am a smarty pants. I studied at the University of Oxford and I read English literature. But let it be known, I may be a bit of a nerd, but she’s definitely a party girl too.
Why do you deserve to win? I think I’m the UK’s Next Drag Race Superstar because first of all, look at me. I want to remind people that drag is creative and powerful, but it’s more than dressing up. We can create positive change, and we can do so whilst looking amazing.
Ky Kelly
(Image: BBC / World Of Wonder / Nick Strasburg)
42, Staffordshire
Pronouns She/Her
Introduce yourself! Hi, I’m KY Kelly. I am the live singing comedy diva of the cabaret scene, and I am feeling fully lubricated! I’m 42 years young and I am from Rugeley in Staffordshire.
Tell us about your drag? I’ve been doing drag for nearly 16 years, I perform up and down the country, five nights a week. I’m fully booked and blessed, and I love it. I’ve always described myself as an old school drag queen with a modern twist. I like the glitz, and the glam, and I like to diamante everything within an inch of its life. I’ve performed on cruises, and I’ve done a lot of singing and musical theatre work. My most recent show was ‘Everybody’s Talking about Jamie’ where I played one of the drag queens, it was the best experience of my life.
How are you feeling about the competition? I might be 42, but I can’t wait to live out my pop star fantasy. I’m really excited and a little bit nervous because once you put twelve drag queens in a room with their huge hair and huge egos it could be explosive! I’mbold, I’m brash and I’m sassy and I do not suffer fools gladly. I am not backward in coming forward. If I’ve got something to say, then I’m going to say it. Buckle up!
Why do you deserve to win Drag Race UK? I can bring it. I am the full package. I want to win this competition as a win for the older, more mature divas, and showcase the cabaret scene. I’m going to slide into this competition and make you want a little bit more KY.
Lucky Roy Singh
(Image: BBC / World Of Wonder / Nick Strasburg)
36, Manchester
Pronouns She/Her
Introduce yourself! Wake up United Kingdom, your Maharani has arrived! I’m the first South Asian queen on Drag Race UK, so get into it, baby. I’m Lucky Roy Singh, your Punjabi fantasy from Manchester, the Bollywood Punjabi diva – sweet on the outside, and spicy on the inside. Yes, I am 36 but the spices keep me youthful.
Tell us about your drag? I’ve been doing drag for over ten years now, it’s something that I was drawn to. My aesthetic is culture, heritage, history, It’s very much East meets West. I’m very glamorous and playful, but beware, Lucky is shady but kind.
How lucky are you? I’ve been very lucky in life, but I’ve also been very unlucky so I’m open to being very lucky at this moment because I’m here, baby!
How does it feel to be a Ru gal? I’m so excited to be here as the first Sikh South Asian queen on Drag Race UK. I’m also known for being an award-winning activist. I’ve even got a few awards and they’re on the mantelpiece, but I want more!
What is your game plan? I think you’d be stupid not to play dirty. I always lead with love and kindness, but at the same time, there’s a crown in sight and I’ve got to go for it!
I’m really excited about Snatch Game, the design challenge, the roast, the Rusical. I’m here for it all. I’m a hustler, and I’m willing to do it all to get that crown, I’m going to fight hard for it, baby.
Why do you deserve to win? We need some spice on Drag Race UK, it would mean so much to me and the British South Asian community. Those other girls better step their pussies up!
ma_danni_x
(Image: BBC / World Of Wonder / Nick Strasburg)
The Wirral, 48
Pronouns She/Her
Introduce yourself! Hello, I’m ma_danni_x, and I’m the squirrel from The Wirral with 28 years of drag experience, I’m bringing a lot of zest, a lot of energy, and lot of fire. I’m 48, and I currently live in West London.
Tell us about your drag. I’ve been doing drag for 28 years! My career started at 21, I was a dancer working on the cruise ships and my cabin mate was a drag queen who made me up one night and so a new drag queen was born! When I returned to London, I bought a fabulous little leopard skin dress and tottered down to the famous Madam JoJo’s in Soho and landed my first job as a drag queen.
It was fantastic. Some of the people I’ve worked with are Cliff Richard, Ruby Wax, Lily Savage, George Michael, Samantha Fox, Ant and Dec, Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, I’ve also worked on television shows, like The Club for Samantha Fox, Project Catwalk with Kelly Osbourne and I’ve also appeared on Britain’s Got Talent. ma_danni_x has certainly been around, I’m a very experienced lady!
Tell us about your Britain’s Got Talent experience? I was robbed! The plan was for me to swoop down a wire from the top of the London Palladium, but I got stuck and my poor dancers couldn’t get me off the wire, so there I was dangling on the wire trying to sing my song ‘Highest Star’ with Simon Cowell glaring at me. Everything went tits up and it’s now on the internet for everyone to see!
Who or what are your drag influences? I love great women, like Madonna, Cher, Kylie and of course, RuPaul. To be part of Drag Race UK is a dream come true for me. I’ve tried so hard to get on this show and I can’t wait to be mentored by the ultimate drag icon in my life – RuPaul. It’s absolute heaven! I love that glamourpuss.
Why do you deserve to win? It’ll be the ultimate dream to go all the way – I deserve my place in this fabulous competition, I’ve worked so hard to be here, and I want to prove to the nation that I can be the ultimate winner on this massive platform. Look at her, she’s an icon! But if I have to play dirty, to win the competition, I’ll play dirty, that said I’m a true professional, and I’m a very experienced lady!
Mocha
(Image: BBC / World Of Wonder / Nick Strasburg)
26, Essex
Pronouns She/Her
Introduce yourself! Hello, my name is Mocha, and just like the coffee, I’ll give you the runs. I’m 26 years old, originally from Essex, I now live, breathe, and work the London scene. I’ve been doing drag for ten years now, which is crazy because I’m only 26, so I started super young and I feel like I’m generation Ru.
Tell us about your drag and your influences I’m Soho perfection blended with East London grit. Mocha is a good time girl who’s a little bit kooky. My drag is all about looking cartoonish, and I also love musical theatre – Barbra Streisand is my icon. I lean towards the vintage and the showgirl. I’m both fashionable and funny. I’m so blessed to be both because it means I’m sickening.
How does it feel to be a Ru girl? It feels amazing! I have auditioned every single season, so that’s eight times across eight years. I was begging! I can only imagine that Ru saw my audition tape again and said, ‘girl let’s just do some charity work and let her in’.
What are you most looking forward to about doing drag race? I’m excited about every challenge, and I feel like I’ve got the sewing challenge in the bag. I can sew, and I sew well, but I actually hate sewing and taught myself! Sewing is such a necessity in drag and it gives me the opportunity to ensure that Mocha always serves drag excellence. As well as for myself, I make outfits for other queens. I’ve made looks for Drag Race UK queens Pasty and Tayris and fun fact, every time they wore something of mine on the runway, they were in the bottom, oopsie!
Why do you deserve to be the next UK’s Drag Race Superstar? I feel like it’s so rare to find the full package in someone, but I have the full package. I have studied this show for many years. I have an academic degree in Drag Raceology. I know what it takes to be a winner. This is the Hunger Games of Drag, twelve queens that enter, only one leaves, and I intend to be the Katniss Everdeen of Drag Race UK!
Naya Thorn
(Image: BBC / World Of Wonder / Nick Strasburg)
24, Dudley
Pronouns She/Her
Introduce yourself! Good Thorning United Kingdom, my name is Naya Thorn. I am an Aquarius, fully thorned and prickly. For the past five years I’ve travelled the country establishing myself as a queen of very high standards. Currently, I live in Manchester, but I did start dragging in Liverpool, where I saw, I came, and I conquered.
What does it feel like to be a Ru gal? I am over the moon to be on Drag Race UK and I’m here to win. I am very in touch with my chakras, and my chakras are telling me that this season’s going to be full of talent and thorns.
What’s a Naya Thorn show like? If you come to a Naya Thorn show, you’re going to get a theatre performance that is going to make you feel every emotion. Are you going to feel happy or are you going to feel sad? That depends on the song, but I will always choose a song that means something to me. I just really enjoy connecting with an audience.
How competitive are you? I am a very competitive person. So that may get in the way of any potential werkroom friendships. I have my eyes on the prize. I don’t mind being a team player, but I’m not looking to split the fee. I need the full fee and attention. You can’t get full attention if you’re in a team.
Are there any Drag Race UK challenges you aren’t looking forward to? There is one challenge in Drag Race that I may not be looking forward to and it might be to do with, putting fabrics together and designing a look under time constraints, but I’ve taken a sewing class in preparation. I now know how to use a pattern and a glue gun, but more importantly, I have bags of style.
Why do you deserve to win? I think I should be the UK’s next Drag Race Superstar because I strive to be perfection. I’m giving you everything.
Paris Baby
(Image: BBC / World Of Wonder / Nick Strasburg)
27, Hastings
Pronouns She/Her
Introduce yourself! What’s poppin’ ?! It’s Paris Baby and I’m the UK’s British Bajan Barbie! I’ve been doing drag for seven years, I’m known as a fierce lip syncer, whether it’s a trick, a split, a flip, a whip, a dip, I’ve got it down, and on top of that I’m a minx.
How does it feel to be a Ru gal? I am so excited and it’s about damn time. The world has been waiting for the UK to have a real villain, so here I am! I’m very outspoken, and I’m that person who says the things that everyone’s thinking. There’s no question about it, I am definitely the drama.
What’s the biggest misconception about you? I think the biggest misconception about me is that I’m a nasty, scary person, but I’m actually very fun, playful. I’m a motor mouth, and I don’t always think before I speak, but I think people will be surprised to see that there’s a lot more to me than shady commentary.
Who or what influences your drag? My mum’s side of the family are from Barbados, and I love to represent the Bajan side of my heritage. I like to perform a lot of female rap and I also take a lot of inspiration from TLC, Destiny’s Child and the early 2000s. There is something so beautiful about black culture. I also grew up with Regina George, Paris Hilton, and The Simple Life, so I love all of the female villainous energy.
What challenges are you looking forward to in Drag Race UK? I think that I will do amazing in the girl group challenge because I do music for real and I reckon I’d be great at the roast, because I am shady and rotted!
Why do you deserve to win Drag Race UK? There is nobody else in the UK that can do what I do, I can perform sixty numbers back-to-back, as long as I’ve got my wind machine, and my wig doesn’t come off, I’ll just keep going. I will definitely leave my mark, my impact, and Drag Race UK will forever be changed because of Paris Baby. Period.
Tequila Thirst
(Image: BBC / World Of Wonder / Nick Strasburg)
39, London
Pronouns She/Her
Introduce yourself. The bar is open, and I’m Tequila Thirst! I’m a bubbly, bright, fun queen who is thirsty by name and thirsty by nature! I live in Chester, but I’m originally from North London.
Tell us about your drag? I’m multi-talented. I’m a host, a singer, a dancer, I do it all! At a Tequila Thirst show, you will be up dancing and singing along and I just love fun. Sometimes you just need a bright light. I love colourful, bright, drag dance outfits, cartoons and anime, that’s what I grew up on. I’ve always been creative. I loved doing cosplay, making outfits and going to Comic Con, and six years ago a friend put me in drag. On the first day I was in drag, I entered a competition, won my first ever lip sync and discovered a new power! And so now here I am fulfilling my dreams on Drag Race UK!
Who or what influences your drag? Tequila is a ray of sunshine, who cannot be suppressed. Obviously, with a name like Tequila, I’m the self-confessed queen of limes. I love juicy greens, hot pinks and bright citrus colours. I am a Vietnamese North Londoner, and my identity subtly informs my drag. I’m here on this platform to shine bright, like a tequila glass.
How competitive are you? I can hold my own. My first career was in the corporate dog eat dog business world and since then, I’ve won my fair share of drag competitions. So, get ready for a shot of tequila coming your way, but please remember to drink responsibly!
What challenges are you excited about? I’m super excited about the girl group challenge. I love dancing and singing, so I think I can smash that. I’m a vocalist too, but I’m not going to tell the other girls that!
What would it mean to win Drag Race UK? It would mean so much to me. Tequila is a burst of energy and colour spreading joy and light to the world and winning would validate me and my drag. I want the whole world to know who she is. Tequila for Prime Minister, anybody?
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