This article contains spoilers for the most recent epsode of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
We’re now just one week away from finding out whether Baga Chipz, Divina De Campo or The Vivienne has won the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and snatched the title of the UK’s first ever Drag Race superstar.
In order for them to gain their place in the final, though, fans had to say goodbye to one of the series’ most controversial figures, with Cheryl Hole falling at the final hurdle and being sent home by the judges.
We spoke to the all-singing, all-dancing, all-tongue-popping girl band superfan about online abuse, drama with The Vivienne and what it was like living through Baga’s uncomfortable exchange with her mum on the runway...
How are you feeling after seeing this week’s episode?
I’m really good. Everyone’s expecting me to be triggered but I’m chill. I’m a little bit tired but this is life now, isn’t it? I have no regrets after my last episode, I was over the moon, I feel like I delivered the best that I possibly could. My sister looked amazing, she performed amazingly, and I left on a real high.
At the beginning of the episode, you’d just survived the lip sync in front of Cheryl. Were you feeling optimistic for the challenge after that?
I was feeling really good off the back of that lip sync. After the girl band challenge I felt really good, and then after the lip sync, it was like, “wow I’ve just shown everybody what I can do”. So at that point I just felt ’whatever this challenge is, I don’t care anymore – I’m just going to give it my all and absolutely smash it”. And I feel like I did!
How did having the queens’ family members around in the work room change the atmosphere?
Do you know what, it’s so strange... we were entering week seven and we’d been living in this weird Drag Race bubble where all you do is Drag Race, Drag Race, Drag Race, and all of a sudden, your sister walks in, and you’re just like, “what the bloody hell are you doing here?”. So it definitely changed the dynamic. It made me a lot more at ease, even though I was at ease then, but some of the others, it threw them. But if anything, [having her there] gave me the motivation to absolutely destroy the challenge. Because I genuinely thought I could win! [laughs]
So you were still playing to win at that point?
Oh yeah! And even if I’d done an amazing job and been safe, the gag of making it through to the final with no wins under my belt…
You’ve just said you were really pleased with your efforts this week, and I know a lot of people online don’t think you deserved to be in the bottom this week. Some have even suggested you should have won the challenge – what do you make of that?
Well, no. Divina and her sister absolutely smashed that challenge, and were rightfully deserving of their placement. I think when you’re down to the wire and you’re nit-picking, yeah it was two incohesive looks, two incohesive outfits and... Michelle hates a bodysuit. So if it were a points system, I’d be a on a negative three. But you know what? I had a great time, I felt like I did the best that I could do and it was great to see it back, because I remember it was great, and I wasn’t upset at being in the bottom – I got to perform again.
Was there any doubt that you’d be lip syncing this week?
I think by that point, you’ve got to prepare for the worst. I mean, in my mind, lip syncing for my life wasn’t the worst thing, because I love to lip sync, it’s how I earn my bread and butter. So I was looking forward to just putting on the best bloody show I could.
Out of yourself and Baga Chipz, do you think the right queen went home this week?
Yeah. I honestly think those three in the final were rightfully deserving. They each have three wins – how could I rob somebody of their place in the final with no wins? I mean, I felt like I was deserving of being in the top four, but definitely not top three. If I’d won the challenge yeah [I would deserve the top three placement].
Can we talk about the moment between Baga and her mum on the runway – it was quite an uncomfortable moment to watch, was it as uncomfortable in real life?
Now, we don’t know their dynamic. We don’t know the family history and whatnot, so I’m not one to comment on that. All I can say is those two are so lovely, and getting to meet Baga’s mum – she was such a sweetheart. And Baga… it’s a stressful environment, and I don’t think she conveyed exactly what she was trying to in the best possible way. But I feel like nobody should give her a hard time, because people don’t know their dynamic and they’re both lovely people. I have nothing but love for them.
The thing is, you’re competing for yourself, drag is something very personal to me, it’s my artform, it’s my craft, and when you put somebody else [in the mix] – especially somebody as close as your family member – of course your defence mechanisms go up. You just want to look out for them.
You did have a bit of drama with The Vivienne during your time on the show too…
I think the thing was, Viv just didn’t give me the benefit of the doubt. She was seeing me from across the room having fun and having a laugh – because that’s all I was doing, having a laugh, enjoying myself – and she didn’t take the time to get to know me. And it took doing the girl band challenge [for her] to realise, “oh this is what Cheryl’s about, this is what she’s actually really like”. And from then on, it was plain sailing and we had a camp old time.
As a Drag Race fan before going on the show, what was the most surprising aspect for you?
Well, when they say it’s a race, they really mean it. You do not stop. So nothing could prepare you for the speed you go through the challenges. I have to say, it lived up to every idea that I had of it. I was not surprised or shocked by anything, I just had a great experience.
Is there anything you’d do differently?
I’d just have better runways. I learned a lot from the other girls, and it gave me a different outlook on my own personal drag. And also it’s more the financials, I’m able to invest a lot more into my drag now which makes me a lot more confident in my looks and my aesthetic.
I know Drag Race fans can be a little bit over the top sometimes, and that’s something you’ve spoken about on Twitter in the past. What has that been like for you?
Well, I feel like the fans don’t really get to see the full picture. They just see what they want to see. So they’re very quick to go on the attack, and I think they have to remember, we’re human beings, at the end of the day… being attacked online for no reason whatsoever, it’s very hard. I feel like everybody needs to stop putting negativity out into the world, and just focus on the positivity. And just having a camp old time.
Finally, do you know which queen wins, and who would you be backing?
I can’t answer that. But if I was backing one person to win, it’d be… all three of them. You’re not getting anything out of me, darling.
The final episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK will be streaming on BBC Three from 8pm on Thursday.