There’s a whole lot of Drag Race coming your way over the next year.
Last week, the official cast for the highly-anticipated debut season of the British spin-off was announced, with RuPaul later confirming that season 12 of the US iteration and the fifth instalment of All Stars are on the way.
Not only that, but it’s been confirmed that Drag Race will be opening its werkroom doors and showcasing the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent of drag performers in countries such as Canada and Australia.
Michelle Visage also told us: “I wish we spoke Portuguese because it would be huge in Brazil. It’s just wonderful what Ru has done, all these kids that would’ve been stuck in clubs are getting the chance to strut their stuff on national telly.”
Because there’s a bajillion new seasons and spin-offs on the horizon, we’ve rounded up all the Drag Race content coming your way over the next year, including judges, rumoured contestants and potential start dates – see below.
Drag Race UK (3 October)
Drag Race UK premieres 3 October and will feature ten incredible British queens who will sashay, shantay and compete in a variety of challenges for the title of the UK’s first Drag Race Superstar. It will star Baga Chipz, Blu Hydrangea, Cheryl Hole, Crystal, Divina De Campo, Gothy Kendoll, Scaredy Kat, Sum Ting Wong, Vinegar Strokes and The Vivienne. Mama Ru returns as a main judge alongside best squirrel friend Michelle Visage and newcomers Alan Carr and Graham Norton, who will rotate weekly on the panel. Lorraine Kelly, Stacey Dooley, Cheryl, Maisie Williams, Geri Halliwell, Andrew Garfield, Michaela Coel, Jade Thirwall, Twiggy, MNEK, Curtis Pritchard and AJ Pritchard have all been announced as guest judges for the series. Read our exclusive interviews with all ten fierce queens of the British spin-off here.
Drag Race All Stars 5 (TBA)
The fourth instalment of All Stars only ended its sickening – and controversial – run earlier this year, but RuPaul confirmed that the fifth season will arrive very soon. “Hey squirrel friends! Are you hungry for more RuPaul’s Drag Race? Well good, because your country breakfast is ready!” he announced last week. “I’m serving up a new season of All Stars 5 and a new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race 12, and they’re coming soon to VH1!” If it’ll follow in the footsteps of All Stars 3 and 4, then it’s likely to premiere at the end of the year slash early next year. We recently rounded up the 10 rumoured queens for the season, and it sees the return of several legendary queens, all of which have an equal shot at winning that 100,000 doollahz – see here.
Drag Race season 12 (TBA)
Like we mentioned above, season 12 is “If you are a showgirl, if you are a drag queen, if you are a girl with the cha-cha heels and a pussycat wig honey, you better get up on this show!” the Emmy Award winning host said in a statement earlier this year. We predict it will air after All Stars, just like the previous two seasons, which means we’re looking at a March/April 2020 premiere. We’ve scoured the internet for every possible queen that could appear on season 12, and like our previous lists, it’s completely speculative and based off social media activity, cancelled gigs etc – see here.
Drag Race Canada (TBA)
The queens of the North are officially coming HUUUUUNTY. Earlier this year, Drag Race Canada was confirmed by World of Wonder and Mama Ru. Casting begins this summer and production is scheduled to start in Ontario this fall. The press release for Drag Race Canada describes the show as mixing “elements of the classic fan-favorite, with a healthy serving of Canadian maple shade, and, likely, some Canadian bacon.” The Blue Ant Studios-produced series will have ten one-hour episodes and will debut on Bell Media-owned streaming services Crave and OUTtv. There’s no word so far on who will host, but we have a feeling it won’t be RuPaul… In a statement, she said: “The panel and judges will be from the Great White North, representing Canada’s very best. This new franchise has my whole-hearted blessing. Good luck… and don’t puck it up!”
Drag Race Australia (TBA)
On 26 August, TV Tonight revealed that ITV Studios Australia has landed a deal to air Drag Race down under. Speaking to TV Tonight, David Mott, the CEO of ITV Studios Australia, said: “Yes, ITV Studios Australia have secured the rights to arguably one of the biggest formats globally at the moment. With Drag Race UK about to launch and already a major hit in the US and other territories we are set to shantay onto Australian screens in 2020. Drag Race has moved on to being a show that captures the imagination of everyone, no matter their age or gender and we will commence discussing with potential broadcast and streaming partners shortly.” We don’t have a clue when it’s going to air, but we have a feeeeeeeling it could see the return of Ru and Michelle once again. When we recently spoke to the latter, she admitted: “Canada’s coming, but for me the most important place is the UK. I’d also like Australia, I’d like to do that with Ru because we have such a huge fanbase there.” If not, could Courtney Act take over as the Aussie Ru?
Related: Here’s where you can watch RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in the United States and Australia.
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