‘It was exceptionally well made, tackling difficult issues in a very entertaining format’
Immaculately produced entertainment with real joy, sass and heart,” is how one judge described RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
As the first international version of the show hosted by RuPaul, expectations for the British remake were high. But it didn’t take long for the World of Wonder production to get UK viewers hooked, with 6.5 million iPlayer requests in its first month and a second series quickly commissioned.
The show ushered in a new era for BBC3, becoming the first non-scripted offering to be given a weekly linear TX on iPlayer, where it played out on Thursdays at 8pm.
With regular US judge Michelle Visage joining RuPaul, alongside Graham Norton and Alan Carr, the series combined the star quality and high visual production of the US version with the contestants’ British sense of humour. The likes of Cheryl Hole and Baga Chipz delivered plenty of playful charm and warmth across the eight episodes.
The judges praised the Drag Race’s originality, inclusivity and celebratory nature, describing the casting as “shockingly good”. One said it was an “amazing adaptation of an American format that felt distinctively British”.
Another added: “It was exceptionally well made, tackling difficult issues in a very entertaining format. It genuinely felt like nothing else on TV.”
SHORTLISTED
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Climategate: Science Of A Scandal
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Vico Films for BBC3
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