RuPaul's Drag Race is an American reality competition television series, the first in the Drag Race franchise, produced by World of Wonder for Logo TV, WOW Presents Plus, VH1 and, beginning with the fifteenth season, MTV. The show documents RuPaul in the search for "America's next drag superstar". RuPaul plays the role of host, mentor, and head judge for this series, as contestants are given different challenges each week. Contestants are judged by a panel that includes RuPaul, Michelle Visage, one of three rotating judges, as well as one or more guest judges, who critique their progress throughout the competition. The title of the show is a play on drag queen and drag racing, and the title sequence and song "Drag Race" both have a drag-racing theme.
RuPaul's Drag Race UK is a British reality competition television series based on the American television series of the same name. The television series, a collaboration between the BBC and World of Wonder, premiered on 3 October 2019. The show is the fourth installment of the Drag Race franchise, and the second fronted by RuPaul. The show documents RuPaul and a panel of judges' search for "the United Kingdom's next drag superstar", the first series title dubbed "UK's First Drag Superstar". RuPaul plays several roles on the show including host, mentor and head judge for the series, as the contestants are given different challenges to participate in each week. The show also employs a panel of judges: RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Alan Carr, and Graham Norton.
"All Stars Supergroup" is the eighth episode of the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. It originally aired on October 13, 2016. Travis Wall is a guest choreographer, and the juding panel includes RuPaul, Carson Kressley, Ross Mathews, and Todrick Hall. The episode has the final four contestants—Alaska, Detox, Katya, and Roxxxy Andrews—write, record, and perform original verses to RuPaul's song "Read U Wrote U" for the main challenge. After winning a three-way lip-sync to "If I Were Your Woman" by Gladys Knight & the Pips, Alaska wins the competition and Detox and Katya are runners-up.
"Break Up (Bye Bye)" is a song recorded by British drag girl group the Frock Destroyers for the Girl Group Battle Royale challenge during their stint on the first series of the reality television competition, RuPaul's Drag Race UK. During the episode the contestants had to create girl groups to participate in the challenge; there were two versions of the song released, the first being by Divina de Campo, Baga Chipz and Blu Hydrangea. The alternate version was released by Filth Harmony, consisting of Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne, Cheryl Hole and Crystal, however the latter did not chart. The song was released on 31 October 2019. The song was also included in the band's debut album, Frock4Life, which was released 11 December 2020. The song was primarily written by Leland and Freddy Scott with De Campo, Chipzs and Hydrangea writing the lyrics for their individual verses.
God Shave the Queens is a documentary television series about the tours following the first two series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK. The show originally premiered internationally on 10 September 2020 on WOW Presents Plus internationally, and BBC iPlayer on 15 November 2020 in the United Kingdom.
The third series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK began airing on 23 September 2021.
Frock4Life is the debut studio album by the Frock Destroyers, released by World of Wonder Records on 11 December 2020. It includes "Break Up Bye Bye", which was performed by group members Baga Chipz, Blu Hydrangea and Divina de Campo as contestants on the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK. The song was a commercial success, peaking at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart and number 44 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, with it leading to the recording of the album. Leland served as executive producer and the main songwriter. "Her Majesty" and "Big Ben" served as singles for Frock4Life in 2020; the former also received a music video.
George Boyle, better known by the stage name A'Whora, is a British drag queen from Worksop, England. He is best known for competing on the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.
Aston Joshua, better known by the stage name Asttina Mandella, is a British drag queen and dancer from East London. She is best known for competing on the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, where she came eleventh on the series.
Thomas George Graeme Hibbitts, better known by the stage name Bimini Bon-Boulash or Bimini, is an English drag queen, author, recording artist and model based in East London, and born in Great Yarmouth, England. They are best known for competing on the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, where they placed as a runner-up.
George Ward, better known by the stage name Cherry Valentine, was an English drag queen and mental health nurse who competed in the second series of the television show RuPaul's Drag Race UK. Raised in a Romanichal community, Ward has been credited as the first contestant on the Drag Race franchise to acknowledge his Romani heritage. In 2022, he addressed his background in the BBC documentary film Cherry Valentine: Gypsy Queen and Proud, and in an episode of the documentary series God Shave the Queens. Following Ward's suicide in 2022, a memorial concert and fundraiser was held at London's Clapham Grand.
Joseph Lewis Black is a British musician and drag queen from Brighton, England. He is best known for competing on the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK and getting eliminated first and fifth, after being voted back on to the show in episode five.
Lawrence Chaney is a Scottish Glasgow-based drag queen. They are best known for winning the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, becoming the first Scottish drag queen and the second Plus Size contestant to win across the franchise. Their role on the series later earned them the 2021 BAFTA Scotland Audience Award. As part of their Drag Race victory, Chaney was awarded their own online television series, later titled Tartan Around, which premiered in 2022.
Philip Doran, better known by the stage name Sister Sister, is a British drag queen from Liverpool, England who is best known for competing on the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.
Tayce Szura-Radix is a Welsh drag queen, rapper and model from Newport, Wales. She is best known for competing in the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, in which she placed joint runner-up.
"UK Hun?" is a song recorded by British drag girl group United Kingdolls for The RuRuvision Song Contest challenge during their stint on the second series of reality television competition, RuPaul's Drag Race UK. The episode has contestants participate in a Eurovision-style performance. The song was released on February 11, 2021. It was primarily written by Leland, with Lawrence Chaney, Bimini Bon-Boulash, A'Whora and Tayce writing the lyrics for their individual verses.
The second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK began airing on 14 January 2021 on the BBC Three section of BBC iPlayer and WOW Presents Plus streaming service. The series was confirmed and casting was closed on 15 November 2019. Production was suspended mid 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed late 2020. The cast of 12 new queens was announced on 16 December 2020 and the series premiered on 14 January 2021. It was also announced a special episode RuPaul's Drag Race UK: Queens on Lockdown would air, following the queens during the first lockdown. This special episode was released on 12 February.
Louis Westwood, better known by his stage name Kitty Scott-Claus, is a British drag performer most known for competing on the third series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK. She is currently competing on RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars.
Girl groups have been featured across the Drag Race franchise. Many Drag Race series have hosted challenges requiring girl groups to compete against one another. The challenge started with the second season of the American spin-off series RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. In 2022, Sam Brooks of The Spinoff said the girl group challenge has become a "classic" and a season highlight because "it tests the contestant's ability to write a verse, choreograph a dance routine, remember that choreography, and most crucially, work with others in a team".
