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RuPaul’s Drag Race UK: Which queens ruled the first ever episode – and who royally messed up?


The girls are ready to snatch the crown (Picture: BBC/ Leigh Keily / Matt Burlem)

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK has officially dropped and we can’t wait to see the best of British representing our drag scene to the world in all its glory.

For the first ever challenge, the gang praised the queen to rule all (Queen Elizabeth, no Rule) with an off with the head mini challenge (which is hilariously bonkers) before a duo look runway – one to represent the town they’re from, and one to represent the queen herself.

It didn’t take long to see the competitors to come rising to the top, while others began to flounder, but seeing as we’re only one week in, it can all change.

Here’s how we thought the queens fared in their first week – from top to bottom.

The Vivienne shows the others how its done this episode (Picture: BBC)

The Vivienne

There’s a reason that The Vivienne was crowned the Drag Race Ambassador for the UK before Drag Race UK was even commissioned.

This queen knows how to werk.

While Ru might not forgive the flats on the runway, we are, with the perfect representation of Pete Burns and then the Queen at Balmoral, with a side order of Michelle Visage putting her foot in it over her nose for good measure.

Seriously, that was awkward and could’ve offended, but The Vivienne took it on her very real chin and her personality shined through.

She’s the one to watch.

Sum Ting Wong was a surprise MVP of the episode (Picture: BBC)

Sum Ting Wong

Sum Ting Wong, after that visible breast plate in her promo shot, had us sceptical, but she was a true highlight this episode.

Poking fun at herself and embracing the challenges, there’s a bit of a way to go but she was far more endearing than we were perhaps ready to give her credit for.

The stamp look was great, but the dress that came with it was basic, which is what shocked when this came in the top three over Blu. But it was campy, messy fun and and it’s certainly the one stand out moment from this week’s runway.

Plus that bull ring look was incredible.

Can’t wait to see what she does next.

Scardey wasn’t half bad for a queen that was only 11 months old (Picture: BBC)

Scardey Cat

Scardey Cat is the weirdo of the season and we’re loving it – and you can already tell that the team are a little bit threatened by her.

(Though Michelle looked less convinced with that Baby Queen look.)

For someone who is so fresh into the world of drag, Scardey seems to be handling it with ease, with a good sense of fun and solid character to keep her above water with her competitors.

However, she’s never been to a drag show and has only been in drag for eleven months, so while she did well in a look challenge for week one, she might be in trouble when it comes to acting or sewing trials.

This isn’t a place to learn, it’s a place to prove you’re already the best.

Divina is an expensive broad but is that enough to keep her safe? (Picture: BBC)

Divina De Campo

There’s no denying that Divina came prepared to slay this season, with a look and a costume set that’s clearly far more expensive than a lot of her competitors.

So let’s hope her experience almost doesn’t work against her, because it seemed she got a bit of a shock when she didn’t walk through the episode to the win with a giggle and six-inch heels.

She wasn’t wrong when she said that her look was the perfect merge of old and new drag, which could be great on the international front.

But Divina might need to up her game in order to get there.

Baga loud and x-rated persona was welcome this episode, but could wear thin quickly (Picture: BBC)

Baga Chipz

Baga definitely set the tone of the competition with witty sayings and jokes about chips coming right out of her tuppence.

She’s vulgar and brassy and ‘unique as f*** mate’, and while we worry that might become a little grating over time, it’s a pretty good way to get into the game.

Her runway looks were unique but definitive, and while she may have not been top of the list thanks to that queen look, we can’t resist a throwback to our dear old Amy Winehouse.

But everything in and out of drag felt like a performance, and so because of that it’s been a little bit hard to like her.

Let’s just hope she’s able to let that persona slip a little so viewers can see what else she’s got going for her apart from vagina gags and soundbites.

Blu Hydrangea had looks to kill but her confessions killed her. (Picture: BBC)

Blu Hydrangea

Blu Hydrangea is a proud member of Generation Ru, and might be the most stunning of the UK squad.

A look queen inspired by the US version of the show, her runway was one of the best on the series – and deserved to be top three with their inspired ideas.

(That coin look…for real though. Incredible.)

However, her confession chats seem rehearsed and you can tell it a mile off, which makes it seem like she’s trying a little too hard.

Now she needs to up her game to keep herself in the running.

Crystal’s got a unique style and a distinct personality (Picture: BBC)

Crystal

Crystal is a little quiet but when she’s switched on to perform all bets are off.

Making jokes about body dysmorphia and using the opportunity to service yourself if you got beheaded, she’s not afraid of some dark humour.

Her looks on the runway were safe but if 10 kilos of pearls is safe, then that’s not a bad place to be at this point in the game.

Now she just needs to fight for some more camera time.

Cheryl Hole’s a stunner but she middled in the first challenges (Picture: BBC)

Cheryl Hole

We’re waiting for Cheryl to emerge as the black horse of this competition, but for week one she seems to skate riiiight in the middle, with enough to keep us enticed, but not enough to stand out among the nine other queens.

With one great look, and one not-so-great look on the runway, there’s definitely room for improvement there, and from what we saw of her there’s makings of a firm favourite.

But in this episode she was a little in the background, and for that, she’s down on the list.

Vinegar Strokes’ London look was not Rimmel worthy (Picture: BBC)

Vinegar Strokes

London lady Vinegar won us over with her Eastenders Kat Slater declaration of being a ‘total sl*g’ in her entrance.

She also took the newer queens under her wing, which is always a nice trait to see (even if she does eyeroll in the confessionals after).

But that weird attempt at the Thames River cut out in cardboard and across the front of a gaudy brown dress on the runway? We. Cannot. Abide. It’s unforgivable.

Let’s hope her looks improve or she makes up for it in personality because otherwise you’re in danger, girl.

Gothy’s entrance was on point but her shyness betrayed her (Picture: BBC)

Gothy Kendoll

Oh Gothy, there’s something about her that’s truly adorable and enticing, but her lack of self-confidence is really getting her nowhere.

While it’s clear even the judges found her endearing, it’s also obvious that compared to the more seasoned queens around her she’s just not ready for this yet.

She’s definitely got her look down though. That’s amazing.

RuPaul’s Drag Race airs Thursdays at 8pm on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer.

MORE: ‘The big difference between the UK and US queens? Foreskin’: RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is ready to snatch the crown

MORE: RuPaul’s Drag Race UK review: Don’t worry huntys, it’s as good as the US version – if not better





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