Whether you’re looking forward to having yet more drag in your life, or you think it’s too soon after Lawrence Chaney’s crowning to open the doors to the werk-room and dust off the runway once again, the third series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is almost upon us.
Just six months after the gripping season two finale, we’re now just weeks away from Drag Race UK’s return to our screens, with new episodes once again debuting on Thursday nights on BBC Three.
To get us in the mood for the brand new series, here’s everything we can tell you about it so far...
When was RuPaul’s Drag Race UK series 3 filmed?
Filming on the third season of Drag Race UK took place in March 2021, while the second run was still being shown on BBC Three.
Interestingly, it’s been reported that producers decided to move the show to Manchester for its third year, after the previous two series were recorded in Stratford, East London.
That’s exciting – but why exactly are we getting two seasons of Drag Race UK in the space of a year?
If you recall, filming on season two ended up being split into two parts because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which meant it was shown much later than planned.
Producers are now hoping to get Drag Race UK back into the autumn timeslot it occupied during its first run, so rather than making us wait a full 18 months for series three, they’re gifting us with two complete seasons in 2021.
Who are the queens competing on the new season of Drag Race UK?
The full cast list was announced in August, with 12 queens vying for the title of the UK’s next Drag Race superstar this time around.
For those hoping to see if their favourite local queen has made the cut, here’s the full cast list:
- Anubis (19, from Brighton)
- Charity Kase (24, from Preston)
- Choriza May (30, from Newcastle)
- Elektra Fence (29, from Burnley)
- Ella Vaday (32, from Dagenham)
- Kitty Scott-Claus (29, from Birmingham)
- Krystal Versace (19, from Royal Tunbridge Wells)
- River Medway (22, from Medway)
- Scarlett Harlett (26, from London)
- Vanity Milan (29, from London)
- Veronica Green (35, from Rochdale)
- Victoria Scone (27, from Cardiff)
What do we know about the cast so far?
Well, you probably recognise Veronica Green, who competed on Drag Race UK’s second season and won the Rats: The Rusical challenge, only to have to bow out early when she contracted Covid-19.
Fortunately, Ru has given Veronica a second chance, and fans can see her back in action alongside 11 other queens in season three.
There’s also a big first on the line-up, with Victoria Scone set to become the first ever cisgender woman to compete on any series of Drag Race.
However, the line-up has also come under fire from many fans due to its lack of diversity, with Vanity Milan the only Black queen of 12 competitors on this year’s series.
These thoughts were echoed by season two finalist Tayce, who said she was “taken aback” by producers’ decision to go with such a predominantly white cast.
Will all of the judges be back?
Yes, RuPaul and Michelle Visage will be judging every week, with Graham Norton and Alan Carr alternating on the panel.
Which celebrities will be appearing as guest judges on season 3 of Drag Race UK?
So far, it’s been revealed that actor Kathy Burke, comedian Matt Lucas and Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse will all be offering their critiques as guests on the panel.
Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Alesha Dixon and Emma Bunton were subsequently announced as guest judges for the new series.
Meanwhile, it’s also been confirmed that Steps and Charity Shop Sue will be making special appearances to help the queens with various challenges, while choreographer Jay Revell will once again put the queens through their paces on the main stage.
Sir Elton John is also tipped to be making an appearance when the show returns.
As if all of that wasn’t exciting enough, the BBC has now confirmed that comedian Judi Love and Girls Aloud legend Nadine Coyle will both be paying a visit to the queens to play the Snatch Game this season.
Alright, we’re sold. So, when does it actually start?
The new season kicks off on 23 September on BBC Three, with brand new episodes debuting every Thursday.