You better start those engines, because the BBC has announced the premiere date for the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.

Arriving just seven months after Lawrence Chaney earned the title of the UK’s Next Drag Superstar, season three will debut on BBC iPlayer on – wait for it – Thursday 23 September. Let’s pay tribute to Shangela for just one moment as we scream “HALLELOO!”

The 12 fierce entertainers who will sashay into the werkroom are as follows: Anubis, Charity Kase, Choriza May, Elektra Fence, Ella Vaday, Kitty Scott-Claus, Krystal Versace, River Medway, Scarlett Harlett, Vanity Milan, Veronica Green and Victoria Scone.

The latter makes herstory for the Emmy Award-winning franchise as the first ever cisgender female contestant, while Veronica becomes the first competitor to appear on two separate British seasons.

The Lancashire-born queen memorably exited the second season after testing positive for COVID, with RuPaul granting her an open invitation for season three.

As always, the queens will compete week-after-week in various bonkers maxi-challenges, stomp the runway in high-fashion ensembles and throw down in epic lip-sync smackdowns.

Like the past two critically-acclaimed seasons, which have been streamed over 35 million times on BBC iPlayer, the third season will see the return of RuPaul and Michelle Visage, as well as rotating panellists Alan Carr and Graham Norton.

Season three also boasts a sickening line-up of guest judges including Oti Mabuse, Kathy Burke, Matt Lucas, Steps, Charity Shop Sue and Jay Revell. More will be announced in the coming weeks.

While you wait, check out our exclusive interview with the entire cast here, in which they spill all of the T on this ‘iconic and nuts’ new era of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.

Oh, and if you’re feeling… overwhelmed over all of this incredible Drag Race news (this will be the seventh season of Drag Race this year), check out our 2021 guide to the series here.