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RuPaul's Drag Race UK: Meet the queens for first UK series


The queens of Drag Race UK

“I’m like Tina Turner meets Lizzo meets Kat Slater,” says Vinegar Strokes.

The drag queen is one of the 10 contestants taking part in the very first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, which will be shown on BBC Three.

The original, US version of the show featured contestants competing for a $100,000 prize – the 12th series was announced this week.

RuPaul said: “Each of the UK queens is so unique, so courageous and so special.

“I can’t wait for the UK – and the world – to fall in love with them the same way I did.”

The series starts later this year, hosted by RuPaul.

Drag queen Cheryl Hole will be judged by her namesake – Cheryl Cole – who’s been announced as one of the celebrity guest judges.

Alan Carr, Graham Norton, Jade Thirlwell from Little Mix, Michaela Coel and Andrew Garfield are among the other famous names already announced to be taking part.

The US series has been a huge success since its debut a decade ago.

Meet The Queens

Baga Chipz, 29, London

“My style is more cabaret, old school, sequin frocks, Shirley Bassey, Danny La Rue, Lily Savage kind of drag.”

Blu Hydrangea, 23, Belfast

“It’s hard sometimes. You’re performing to an empty bar with seven people and it’s very quiet.

“But I’ve built a big social media profile, and I now have a platform that allows me to talk about what it’s like to be gay and a queen in Belfast.”

Divina De Campo, 35, West Yorkshire

Divina says her drag is “old school glamour”.

“As a kid I was dressing up in dresses all the time, but the first time I went out, I went out as Christina Aguilera from the Moulin Rouge video.”

Crystal, 34, London

Originally from Canada, Crystal has been living in the UK for 10 years.

“I do aerial circus, I can crack a whip, put cigarettes out on my tongue – it’s a freak show.”

Sum Ting Wong, 30, Birmingham

“I am a Chinese male who’s overweight and losing his hair.

“When I started doing drag five years ago, I wanted a name that was cheeky but also reflected my British Vietnamese heritage.”

Cheryl Hole, 25, Essex

Cheryl performs as Cheryl Cole in Girls Aloud tribute drag group, Gals Aloud.

“I think my degree in dance will give me an edge because there are several challenges that are thrown at you where you have to use your body.”

Gothy Kendoll, 21, Leicester

Gothy describes her drag as “dark, contemporary, striking and unique”.

“I first did drag on New Year’s Eve 2016 and it was a mess. I was in a leotard with no wig on but I was living my life, having the best night ever.”

Vinegar Strokes, 35, London

Vinegar already has some Drag Race experience, having performed in London’s West End with judge Michelle Visage and former champion Bianca Del Rio.

“Drag is the new black,” she says.

Scaredy Kat, 20, Wiltshire

Scaredy is the youngest drag queen to ever appear on Drag Race and is fairly new to the whole scene.

I really haven’t done it that long. It was probably about a year ago. I was with my girlfriend trying to have a laugh. It was quite embarrassing but it went quite well for a first try.”

The Vivienne, 27, Liverpool

The Vivienne is a comedy queen who says she’ll do impressions “for the right price”.

“Comedy is definitely my trump card. My favourite trick in drag is my vocal impersonations so I do everyone from Kim Woodburn and Cilla Black to Donald Trump,”

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