A Belfast Queen Is Among The Lineup For Drag Race UK

We have been living for Drag Race UK pretty much since we first heard it was confirmed.

The judge after guest judge announcements only made us more excited.

We’ve got RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Alan Carr and Graham Norton on the panel, while brilliant guests like Jade Thirwall, Geri Horner, Andrew Garfield and Cheryl, among loads more.

Now though, the most important part of the show has been announced as the 10 contestants battling it out have been revealed.

Blu Hydrangea

One very talented Belfast queen is among the hopefuls. Blu Hydrangea has some killer creative looks on her Instagram so we’re so excited to see what’s to come on the show.

The 23-year-old said: “Her greatest strengths are her makeup, which is always flawless.”

On being a queen from Belfast, she said: “The scene is very small – we literally have two gay bars opposite each other and you’re either on one side or the other and that’s it.  It’s hard sometimes you’re performing to an empty bar with seven people and it’s very quiet, but I’ve built a big social media profile, and I now have a platform that allows me to talk about what it’s like to be gay and a queen in Belfast.”

She added: “We can’t even get married. My partner and I have been together for four and a half years. I would love to marry him but it’s not even legal. We don’t even want to get engaged yet until it’s legal and then we can do our thing. So hopefully, I’ll inspire people and hopefully, one day we’ll be able to get married in our own country.”

Baga Chipz

Next up, we’ve got Baga Chipz who describes herself and witty and funny.

Speaking about her brilliant drag name, she said: “I was having a drink in a pub in Birmingham and this fella came up and started flirting with me and my mate. I said: “Look, why do you want burger when you can have me, prime steak on a plate?” And he was like: “Prime steak? more like a bag a chips!”

“I thought you can’t get more British than a bag of chips can you?! You’ve got your Crystals and your Sandras, but I’m unique. I stand out!”

Divina De Campo

The 35-year-old says her act is ‘a bit of everything’. This includes old school glamour, sequins and opera!

She also promises that her ridiculous laugh isn’t fake, so we’re looking forward to hearing that.

“I could not do a death drop if you paid me,” Divina said.  “I can do the splits and I can do tricks. My training is dance and drama. I’ve choreographed and have worked all over the place with international artists.”

Crystal

The 34-year-old queen is originally from Canada but has lived in the UK for 10 years.

“Crystal is a gender-bending, ‘mess with your brain’ kinda drag queen. She stands for tearing down gender constructs using creativity, looks, and fashion and crazy performances. I do aerial circus, I can crack a whip, put cigarettes out on my tongue – it’s a freak show. It’s unexpected. It’s nothing you have ever seen before,” she said.

Crystal studied costume design in university and says: “I’m great behind a sewing machine and I think that will certainly give me an edge, when it comes to finishing looks, putting concepts together and creating costumes.”

Sum Ting Wong 

The 30-year-old explains: “When I started doing drag five years ago, I wanted a name that was cheeky but also reflected my British Vietnamese heritage.”

She started doing drag after his housemate did it first: “I’m watching him as he puts on his makeup and I thought: ‘I could 100 per cent do this better than you’, and so I did!”

Cheryl Hole

Cheryl performs as Cheryl Cole in Girls Aloud tribute drag group, Gals Aloud.

She said: “My style of drag is that Essex glamour with a touch of showgirl. Everything’s got a bling, a touch of vajazzle but a real girl at heart. I like to play up the Essex stereotype and really incorporate that into my drag.”

“With drag, you don’t have to fit any type of box, mould or stereotype. I’m ready to show the world why I do drag, and why I deserve to be the UK’s first Drag Race superstar.”

Gothy Kendoll

The 21-year-old says her act is different because: “My drag is dark, contemporary, striking and unique, and everything that is cool and fresh about UK drag now. The fact that my name is Gothy lets me bring in those darker elements; especially when it comes to wigs and makeup.”

Gothy says that she is confident and competitive but adds she’s nervous because: “I don’t have that much experience in performing. I’m not the strongest dancer and when it comes to lip-syncing; it takes me ages to learn a song. I’m so thick.”

Vinegar Strokes

“I am a straight-up comedy queen, I do stand-up comedy, I sing in my own particular style. I’m like Tina Turner meets Lizzo meets Kat Slater,” she says.

She’s got some Drag Race experience already, having performed in London’s West End with judge Michelle Visage and former champion Bianca Del Rio but she’s been told that won’t do her any favours.

“I did dance with Michelle Visage every single night, but I’ve already been clearly told there’s going to be no favouritism and this will be a level playing field. She won’t be allowing me any airs or graces when it comes to RuPaul’s Drag Race UK – I better come correct!”

Scaredy Kat

The 20-year-old is the youngest drag queen to ever appear on Drag Race!

She hasn’t been in the Drag game all that long either. “I really haven’t done it that long; it was probably about a year ago. I was with my girlfriend trying to have a laugh. It was quite embarrassing but it went quite well for a first try. I did not look that good though, so I was glad the cat was the only audience member that night.”

She’s got no social media channels because she feels it’s a toxic environment.

She adds: “I came up with my drag name because I’m just a bit of a pussy really, and I’m scared of everything from answering the phone to going on Drag Race. It’s all the same to me.” We’re nervous for her tbh!

The Vivienne

The 27-year-old is a comedy queen who got her name from her love of Vivienne Westwood

Comedy is definitely my trump card. My favourite trick in drag is my vocal impersonations so I do everyone from Kim Woodburn, Cilla Black, Donald Trump – you name it, I’ll do it – for the right price!”

She’s also got some previous Drag Queen experience…

“Around four years ago I was crowned by RuPaul himself as the UK ambassador for RuPaul’s Drag Race in the UK. It was like a role to have here in the UK to make some noise about Drag Race.”

May the best queen win!

Drag Race UK will kick off on BBC Three’s iPlayer in October.

 

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• Blu Hydrangea
• Drag Race
• rupaul's drag race