'Drag Race U.K.' Series 2: Judges, Pandemic Changes, Teasers and More

Here is everything we know about the show so far. 

It is the race that never ends, and it goes on and on my friends!

2020 hosted the most Drag Race ever. There was *deep breath*: RuPaul's Drag Race, RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars, RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race, RuPaul's Drag Race: Vegas Revue, Canada's Drag Race, and Drag Race Holland. While some might think the franchise might possibly ease up for 2021, that doesn't seem to be the case at all. 2021 is already promising Drag Race and All Stars as well as two seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race U.K, in part to make up for the season we didn't get for 2020.

But given that we have so many updates, here's all the RuPaul's Drag Race U.K. series two news you need.

*Note: This is a living document and will be updated as news comes in. 

Who is judging?

If you've been watching, you've caught on by now that any show titled RuPaul's Drag Race has RuPaul and Michelle Visage involved as the permanent hosts. When they start varying up the name — and more importantly dropping RuPaul from it — that means we can expect someone else as host. So that's that. In the first season of the show (or series as they call it in the U.K.) Alan Carr and Graham Norton came in as recurring judges, swapping out for one another week for week and will fill those roles again. 

Though this was filmed partially during the pandemic and partially before it, there will certainly be a selection of guest judges. The season's celebrity dress judges include Elizabeth Hurley, Sheridan Smith, Lorraine Kelly, MNEK, Jourdan Dunn, Jessie Ware, Maya Jama, and The Vicar of Dibley's Dawn French. Ware notably said she filmed on Christmas Eve while Hurley said she filmed the first episode.

How will the pandemic impact the show?

Well! As we all know, there's been an ongoing global pandemic for almost a year now. The show reportedly filmed the first few episodes, then had to halt production as a result of lockdown, then months later finished the season. When they came back there were plexiglass dividers on the judging panel — we are already seeing those on the U.S. based Drag Race — and some tighter restrictions. But will it change the show?

According to some of the permanent judges, it did. Some of the queens used the months off to re-up their skills and came back from the break at a higher level. In addition, the series will air a special episode about the time off.

When and where will it air?

Though the first season of U.K. aired in fall, the second is kicking off in winter.

"The first episode of Drag Race U.K. series two lands on BBC iPlayer on January 14th at 7 p.m." the Drag Race UK official account tweeted. This means that things will kick off in Europe only two weeks after season 13 begins to air. It will be available on WOW Presents Plus internationally.

The show likely kicks off so early in order for season three, which is expected to air in 2021 as well, to begin on the typical fall schedule.

Who is competing?

For the second series, according to Michelle Visage, there twere twice as many applicants as from the first. The queens: Tayce, Joe Black, A'Whora, Tia Kofi, Ellie Diamond, Sister Sister, Veronica Green, Bimini Bon Boulash, Ginny Lemon, Asttina Mandella, Cherry Valentine, and Lawrence Cheney. The grouping includes the show's first Scottish queens in Lawrence Cheney and Ellie Diamond. See all of the queens (in and out of drag) here. 

One of these performers will take on the title of The U.K.'s Next Drag Superstar from The Vivienne who won season one.

Is the Brit Crew returning?

We are two episodes into season 13 on Drag Race and we haven't seen a member of the Pit Crew yet. Thankfully though, we have spotted at least two members of the Brit Crew in the background of promotions for Drag Race U.K. series two. But while there were seven members of the crew for series one, the second seems to have only three.

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