Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi!
After hosting three seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under — a series that features drag performers from Australia and New Zealand — Mama Ru is stepping down from the position of host and will be replaced by Michelle Visage, Entertainment Weekly’s Joey Nolfi reports.
“It has been my great honor to bring Drag Race to Australasia,” RuPaul told the publication. “I can’t wait to see the franchise continue to flourish under the leadership of the incredible Michelle Visage.”
Visage wrote in a statement also published on EW:
“Thank you, RuPaul, for entrusting me with one of your beloved shows. The color, humor, and outrageousness of Down Under drag holds a special place in my heart. I’m ready to do everything in my power to encourage these beautiful queens to believe in themselves and let their inner light shine through.”
RuPaul will still serve as an executive producer of Down Under. In the judging panel, regular judge Rhys Nicholson will continue to appear alongside Visage, as well as “additional seats being occupied by a rotating roster of Down Under queens throughout the season in addition to regular celebrity guest judges,” according to the report.
Visage has been a regular Drag Race judge since season 3 of the flagship series. She’s also been a judge in every single season of RuPaul-hosted spinoffs like All Stars and Drag Race UK. In the first season of Canada’s Drag Race, hosted by Brooke Lynn Hytes, Visage made a one-episode appearance as well.
Nonetheless, this will be the first full season featuring Visage as the main host of a Drag Race series. An immediate question that pops up pertains to whether or not the show will be rebranded as Drag Race Down Under — dropping the RuPaul’s prefix from the title — or if the series will continue to be known as RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under with Visage as its new host.
Condragulations to Michelle Visage on this major new gig!
The first three seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under are available for streaming on WOW Presents Plus.