Here’s when RuPaul’s Drag Race UK will premiere on the BBC

5th August 2019

Lads, start your engines!

We finally have a premiere date for RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.

Earlier today, it was announced that Michelle Visage will compete in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing alongside stars such as Emma Barton, Chris Ramsey, Saffron Barker, David James, Catherine Tyldesley, Karim Zeroual and Mike Bushell.

Alongside her announcement, the BBC revealed that the upcoming British spin-off of Drag Race will premiere on BBC iPlayer this October. Michelle is set to reprise her role as judge with RuPaul alongside newcomers Alan Carr and Graham Norton.

Alan and Graham will rotate on the panel every episode, like Carson Kressley and Ross Matthews on the American version.

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.

“Oh my goodness, when they see this show, they are going to flip. And I predict that we will be doing this English edition of Drag Race for many years to come,” RuPaul said of the show’s future.

“I think also, audiences around the world are going to start to require the English version, because it’s different, it’s the same but it’s different. There’s a different tone.”

Explaining what makes the new version different from the American original, Michelle added: “There’s an English-ness, a British-ness about it, you can feel it. And I think that’s giving it a different life, and a charm that the American one doesn’t have.”

The October start date for Drag Race UK will coincide with Michelle’s debut on Strictly.

“Getting to do Strictly in my favourite place on Earth is an actual DREAM,” said Michelle. “I’m so excited to show that being 50 doesn’t mean life stops. Things may not work like they did when I was 20, but 50 also means ‘FABULOUS!’”

Read here for everything you need to know about RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.