History
''Format
Like the American version, RuPaul has several roles within the show, acting as host, coach and judge. As the host, RuPaul introduces celebrity guests, announces the challenges the queens will take part in each week, and reveals who will be leaving the competition. For his role as a coach, RuPaul offers guidance to the contestants through each challenge, and as a judge, he critiques the queens on their overall performance of the challenge. The show uses progressive elimination to reduce the number of drag queens in the competition from the initial field of ten contestants (series 1), down until the final three, who compete in the final challenge, and the final two lip-syncing for the crown. Each episode follows a format consisting of a mini-challenge, a main challenge, a runway walk (where the contestants model fashion on a runway, usually with a theme based on the main challenge), the judging panel, a lip sync battle, and the elimination of a contestant. Spin-off series ''RuPaul's Drag Race UK: The Podcast'', presented byMini challenges
In mini-challenges, each contestant is asked to perform a different task with varying requirements and time limitations. Certain mini-challenges are repeated from series to series, or repeated from the original American season. For instance, the first mini-challenge is a photo shoot with a photographer or RuPaul himself, that includes a special twist (such as being doused with water while in full drag, having a high-powered fan turned on during the shoot, or being photographed while jumping on a trampoline): in the UK version, the queens had to do something with their own heads via Green Screen. Another recurring mini-challenge is dedicated to "reading", a drag term for making insulting observations about one's peers for comedic effect, inspired by '' Paris Is Burning''. The winner of a mini-challenge is sometimes rewarded with an advantage in the main challenge. Though most episodes have a mini-challenge, select episodes do not.Maxi challenges and runways
The requirements of the maxi challenge vary across each episode and can be individual or group challenges. The winner of the maxi challenge also receives a special prize for their win, for example, a "RuPeter Badge" a spoof of theJudging panel
A panel of judges cast opinions about the challenge performances and runway looks, first to the contestants onstage, and then again with them offstage.Series overview
Series 1–3 (2019–2021): BBC Three iPlayer
The first series of ''RuPaul's Drag Race UK'' began airing on 3 October 2019 on the BBC Three section of BBC iPlayer in the UK and World of Wonder's WOW Presents Plus streaming service internationally, and ran for 8 episodes. The cast was announced on 21 August on YouTube and Instagram.Series 4– (2022–present): BBC Three
Contestants
There has been a total of 45 contestants featured in four series of ''RuPaul's Drag Race UK'' so far with''RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs the World''
On 21 December 2021, World of Wonder announced that a spin-off series '' RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs the World'' would premiere on 1 February 2022, with theDiscography
International broadcasts
The first series was broadcast on theAwards and nominations
References
External links
* * * {{Portal bar, LGBT, Television, United Kingdom 2010s British LGBT-related television series 2010s British reality television series 2010s LGBT-related reality television series 2019 British television series debuts 2020s British LGBT-related television series 2020s British reality television series 2020s LGBT-related reality television series BBC Television shows British television series based on American television series British LGBT-related web series Television series by World of Wonder (company) Television productions suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic Transgender-related television shows WOW Presents Plus original programming British non-fiction web series