- Hello, hello, hello.
Previously on "RuPaul's Drag Race UK"--
You need to screen test in one of three dramas.
- [gasps] - Ooh.
[heavy breathing]
- Ah!
- You dirty slapper!
- Yeah, dirty, just how he likes it.
- Watch and learn.
Ooh! Ooh!
- All of your performances were really, really strong.
"Footballers Wags." Michael Marouli.
- I thought there could have been more Tanya things in there.
- Cara Melle.
- You were struggling with the volume.
- I'm sorry, my dears, but you are up for elimination.
Poldark.
- I literally would have paid at the theater to see that.
- This is the most beautiful you've ever looked.
- Thank you.
- Kate Butch, you are the winner
of this week's challenge.
- [mouthing].
- Michael Marouli, shantay, you stay.
Cara Melle, sashay away.
[dramatic music]
- [exhales]
- Oh, my God.
- Oh, no, my neck.
[sighing]
- We're back in the Werk Room after the elimination.
I sent Cara Home.
Oh, bless her.
My heart is breaking for what's just happened.
Oh, God, I'm getting emotional again.
[dramatic music]
- This has just hit me all at once.
I'm just not ready to go, and it was so scary doing that.
I love her so much.
That was unreal.
- I think this is a big wake-up call for Michael,
not that he needed to be woken up, but he's been shaken,
I would say.
- I'm so sad to see Cara go.
That felt like something completely different.
I can't put my finger on it.
- I was just like, what is going on, like?
- I don't even have words.
- I mean, she has words.
Do you want to read them out?
- "Sweet, salty sticky.
You're all nasty.
Love you forever, Cara Melle."
- Oh. - Bless her.
- She's gonna be missed, but she's left her mark massively.
- Oh, God, yeah.
1,000%.
- Oh, Jesus, look at the state of me.
+- I'll see you soon, baby.
I've beat Cara Melle in the competition.
I'm gonna have no clothes.
She's gonna trash me bedroom.
In fact, I'm homeless.
Help.
- Oh.
- We have to give props to Kate Butch here.
- Miss Kate!
- Yes!
- Is the winner of this week.
- Do they do RuPeater badges in grayscale?
[laughter]
- You look phenomenal, and you were so good in the challenge,
the two of ya. - Yes, beyond.
- Oh. - It was epic.
- Dream team.
- While it would have been lovely to share
a win with Ginger, the gal's got enough badges.
Let me tell you something.
Ru couldn't stop looking at you.
- It's like laser focus on you.
- I will say, I'm sorry if this sounds insensitive.
I did think Cara was gonna win it.
- Jesus, DeDe.
Do you not think I haven't just been bawling my eyes
out for the good of my health?
- Seeing both of you up there, of course,
we don't want either of you to go.
You're both powerhouses at drag.
- Unreal.
- So no badges?
[laughter]
- I mean, yeah, I don't, but I think
I proved myself this week.
- Let's see what the people of Yorkshire say about that.
- Right, I hate all of you.
- Come on, girls.
- I love you all.
- Let's get this shit off.
- Bloody hell.
- Ugh.
Oh.
- Oh, my God.
- I feel like Jennifer Coolidge.
- Ooh!
- Cara Melle is gone.
This competition is anyone's game.
- Ha-ha, bom-bom. - [laughs]
[both slurping and spit]
- And now, I've got a badge.
- [whispers] Ginger. - What do you want?
- [whispers] Give Kate two of your badges.
- Maybe I could make it to the final.
[dramatic music]
- Oh, Christ alive!
- You little--
- [singing] RuPaul's Drag Race
The winner crowned the UK's next Drag Race superstar
will create their own digital series with the producers
of RuPaul's Drag Race.
Tonight, with Michelle Visage,
Graham Norton, and extra special guest judge, Daphne Guinness.
[singing] RuPaul's Drag Race
May the best drag queen win
Best drag queen win
[upbeat music]
[laughter]
[cheering]
- It's another week in this pink and orange
bright little room, and I can't wait to sink my veneers
into another challenge.
- First order of the day, congratulations
to Miss Kate Butch. - Little me?
- Badge winner. - Thank you.
- Well done, baby.
- You've looked terrible the last season,
but, bitch, you're giving.
You looked stunning.
- It's scary.
There's nowhere to hide now, is there?
- I mean, it's sunk in now, and I'm like, shit,
it really is a competition.
I mean, we've only been here for how many weeks?
But now it feels really real.
- Mm-hmm. - So real.
- After last week being in the bottom two,
there's no holding me back now.
Hold my earrings.
She's off.
- It just takes one tiny little slip up, and then it's over.
[siren wailing] - Ah!
- Ooh, girl, Her Majesty done already done had herses.
Attention all mothertuckers,
your future here is down to the wire.
Time to set your pussy on fire.
- Oh!
- Be of service to those deserving,
and a baby drag queen you'll be birthing.
- Oh! [screaming]
- Oh, my God! - It's coming!
It's coming!
[screaming] - She's crowning!
- Hello, hello, hello.
- Hi!
- Lovely. - Look at you.
- My queen.
- Hi! - Hey!
- With light, love, and laughter,
Drag Race helps people to remember
that we are not alone.
And that is the mission of Switchboard,
The UK's oldest LGBT hotline.
Now, queens, for this week's Maxi Challenge,
I want you to transform hotline workers
into hot, fine drag queens.
[cheering]
- It's amazing.
I'm so happy to be a part of this
and help people discover the gorgeous thing
that is this charity.
- #DragRaceUK.
Now, to randomly pair you with your makeover partner,
I need the help of last week's winner Kate Butch.
- Oh. - Little me.
- [laughs]
- Our volunteers are standing by
and eagerly awaiting your call.
- [laughs]
- My grandma used to actually be a call center operator.
So it's in my blood.
It's just sticking things in holes, isn't it?
I've been doing that for years.
- So first I want you to connect DedeLicious.
- I'm feeling like Dr. Seuss.
We're gonna go for three-three-Licious.
- Connecting your call.
[phone ringing]
- I need someone gorgeous, someone who's going to look
lovely in the Licious family.
- Say hello to Jamie.
- Hello!
[cheering]
[laughter]
- Ah!
I feel like a little schoolgirl.
He's so handsome.
You're gonna be so gorgeous. [laughter]
- Everybody's talking about Jamie.
[laughter]
- All right, now Ginger Johnson.
- Ginger, you are always number one with me.
- [laughs] - So number five.
- [laughs]
Now, he began volunteering five years ago
after moving here from Brazil.
- Please not a beard.
Please not a beard.
- Say hello to Rodrigo.
- Hi. - It's a fucking beard.
[laughs] It's a beard.
Come on in. Take your shoes off.
[laughter]
Hi, love.
- So let's move on to Michael Marouli.
- In the words of the great poets, N-Dubz, number one.
- Aw.
- He's a retired builder who started
volunteering in the 1980s.
Say hello to Peter.
- Hello. Hi.
- Oh.
- Hey!
- Hello. - You got the DILF.
[laughter]
- Big Daddy energy, what?
- Tomara Thomas, she needs the hookup.
[laughter] - I do.
- She's had enough. - [laughs]
- Number two.
- All right, she's a criminology graduate.
Say hello to Gemma.
- Hi, baby girl.
Come on over, my angel.
[laughter]
Muah!
Ooh, we're gonna have some fun, babe!
[laughter]
Oh, my God, she's stunning.
Yes!
- Last but not least, number four.
- Who's it gonna be?
- Say hello to Xan.
- Hiya!
Gorgeous!
- Hi, Xan. - Hi, Ru.
- Are you a Xan-a-do or a Xan-a-don't?
- Oh, I'm a Xan-a-do.
- Yes, ma'am. [laughter]
- I'm already obsessed with her.
What an icon.
- Welcome to the workroom, everyone.
[cheering, laughter]
Now queens, remember, the judges
will be looking for a strong drag family resemblance.
Y'all ready to get up in drag?
- Yeah! [laughter]
- Racers, start your engines.
And may the best drag queen win.
[cheering]
- I think it's gonna be really fun
making over the volunteers.
- Beautiful.
- I hope it's a nice treat for them, but not a terrible
stressful experience. [laughs]
Rodrigo, you must love drag
to be sitting in this room right now.
- Yes.
- Have you ever done drag before?
- Full disclosure, my dissertation was about
two drag queen contestants--
- No! - Drag Race contestants.
- So he really knows his stuff.
I'm not gonna get away with just slapping
a clown face on Rodrigo and telling him
to strut down the runway.
I think we need to chat about the elephant in the room here,
the big, hairy elephant on your chin.
- Mm-hmm. Oh--
[both laugh]
- Please don't tell me you came to Drag Race
and you're not going to shave your beard off, please.
- Come on.
I've been growing this for 10 years.
- Yeah, and it'll grow back.
I mean, I know lots of bearded drag queens.
And I love bearded drag.
It just doesn't match the House of Johnson fantasy.
And we need a name for you.
What's-- what's "ginger" in Portuguese?
- Ruiva. - That's quite good.
- Ruiva.
- You will actually be the first drag child
that I've ever had. - Mm.
- Yeah, I'm normally-- - First mama.
- Beautiful.
I don't know if I'm ready for the responsibility.
[laughter]
- You're excited? - I'm excited.
I'm super excited. - Yes?
- I'm good to go.
- I'm glad that you already relaxed into it.
Oh, it's gonna come out, baby. It's gonna come out.
- It's out. It's out.
- I start studying, seeing what I can do.
And it's actually gonna work really well.
I do have a very masculine, big arms,
lovely hair, handsome, fit-- I'm getting carried away.
We can turn this handsome man into a gorgeous woman.
- I'm thinking of like northern names, I think, mixed with--
- No, because-- - With Licious.
- I think I like the story line of, like,
we got the northern lass and then we got, you know,
the siren from the south.
- The siren from the south.
Oh, my God. [laughs]
- Yeah, I get that vibe.
And I think from the outfits already, like,
she's a bit more of a boss bitch.
- Yeah.
- I'm gonna do a strong family resemblance,
but I'm gonna do it in a different way.
- Ooh!
- No, I think they are too small.
Oh, oh, oh. - OK.
- Yeah, OK.
- [panting]
- It's all right.
We can get through this. - OK.
- Right, let's try the other one.
- I do have absolute faith in Rodrigo.
Yes, you've got to make them look great.
But the other side of the challenge
is about making them feel good and putting them in a position
where they can carry the drag.
Are you ready?
[laughs]
Here we go. - OK.
- Take a little stride.
Yeah?
Don't lean too far back.
- [grunts] - Oh!
[laughs]
Yeah, great.
- So, Xan, what kind of things
are people contacting you about?
- So we'll talk to anyone about anything related
to sexuality, sexual health.
There are some things that never go away, like coming out.
- Amazing. - Yeah.
- I haven't used the helpline.
But there have been moments where I wish that I had.
It's paramount that people know that it exists.
Have you ever done any kind of drag or performance?
- No, none.
- Have you thought about, like, drag names?
- You know, there's a lot you could do with my name,
with Xan.
- I mean, it's appropriate that Xan, the Xanadu situation.
Because there is a slight Olivia Newton-John connection
to the outfits I have planned.
- [gasps] Oh, my God, the '70s are like my dream era.
- I mean, we could be making dreams come true here.
- Oh, please. - We're gonna be fabulous.
You've already got the cheekbones.
We're halfway there. [laughter]
[upbeat dance music]
- How's it feel?
- Oh, that bunch is coming straight up.
[laughter]
- Welcome to the station.
- Stunning.
- This is where all the magic hides.
- Oh, my God. This is so beautiful.
- It's cute, right?
When you look at me, you just think, that absolute slag.
- [laughs] - Do you know what I mean?
- Yeah.
- We're very body confident in this corner.
- OK, fab.
- We like to get it all out, and we embrace it.
- I'm happy to have it out. - Perfect.
Perfect.
We're all right wearing a heel?
- I've not worn a stiletto in like a long time.
I usually wear slightly more wedge--
- Yeah? We can teach you, bitch.
It's all about the confidence. - [laughs] OK.
- You can just strut the house down.
I'm feeling very confident.
What a gorgeous little angel of life.
[upbeat dance music]
- What I want to get across is, like, the concept
of like chosen family, as well.
- Oh my God.
That is so important to me.
- I'm feeling generic musical teen girl
gang for legal reasons.
But we can play around. We can have some fun.
It attracts fun. - I know.
- We're gonna get every so Greasy.
- Grease. - [laughs]
[upbeat dance music]
- I can't wait to get to dive in.
- I actually feel that you've got the short straw, really.
- No, not at all.
- Because, you know, I'm the older guy.
I've never dragged up before.
I've never done heels.
Because I've always tried to--
- Suppress it.
- Yeah, suppress it and accentuate the so-called
masculinity side of things.
I'm a rubbish gay.
- Well, you're in fantastic hands.
It's just nice for me to have somebody in my age bracket
as well.
[laughter]
It is a massive challenge for me.
He's 65 years of age.
He's never walked in heels before.
I can see it it's within him.
And it's my job to bring it out of him.
- Have you thought of a name?
- I have thought of a name. - OK.
- I'm Michael Marouli.
I'm gonna call you Geezer Minouli.
- OK, oh, as in Liza Minnelli.
- Yes. - Fabulous.
- How do you feel about that? - Yeah, that's great.
- Oh!
Let's do it.
Peter is charismatic.
I can already tell he's lived a life.
Babe, we're gonna make you feel amazing.
- Your first drag strut. Let's do it. Let's do it.
She means business.
- My word.
- Oh!
Girls, you may as well go home now.
- Bye, bitches.
Because we've got the top two right here.
Holy shit, look at this one.
- Yeah! - Oh, blam!
You are wild.
You're gonna turn this out, missy.
- Can I take this home?
[laughter]
[upbeat dance music]
- Ring, ring, calling on the hotline.
- Hi! - Hi!
- Rodrigo and Ginger, have you put people in drag before?
- I haven't put that many people in drag before, no.
But my face is quite graphic, my drag face.
- Yes.
- So I'm hoping that it'll be able to transfer quite well.
- Yeah, so when's the last time you shaved your beard?
- I think a year ago.
- What's underneath there?
[laughter]
- A baby face. - Uh-huh.
- Yeah, I look very different. - A chin, hopefully.
[laughter]
- So what are you planning?
- My inspiration is like 1960s, Carnaby Street--
- Ooh. - Fashion girls.
Yeah, and that's where this is coming from.
So I've got two versions.
I've got a dress version and a bodysuit version
that goes into big flares.
- If it's an A-line, she won't have to tuck, will she?
- Oh, no, no snakes on the plane.
[laughter]
For me, I tuck because I don't feel
like I'm in drag until that's happened, you know?
- That's right.
At the end of the day, you still have to live with yourself.
- [laughs]
- All right, can't wait to see it.
Thank you. - Thanks a lot, Ru.
- Thanks.
- This is gonna be a wild, old ride.
- Hi, Xan. - Hi.
- You won last week.
- I did. - Finally.
- You got your RuPeter Badge.
Is this gonna be a double win with Xan?
- Absolutely.
She's gorgeous already.
So to make the family resemblance,
we have to take away some of the gorgeousness.
- Ah. - [laughs]
- Have you ever done drag before?
- I haven't, no.
- And how did you get involved with the help line?
- I really wanted to do something that was directly
serving the community.
And I'm someone who had a really
difficult childhood myself.
My parents didn't accept my sexuality.
And I was homeless at 17 and legally emancipated
from them, actually.
And without my chosen family, I really wouldn't have survived.
So to be here doing something like this for a cause
that I care so much about is just incredibly
important to me, personally.
- Wow, that's beautiful.
Thank you so much.
- Talking to Xan has made me realize how lucky I am
to have the family that I do have.
I have to get this runway right for Xan.
- Now have you put people in drag before?
- I've dabbled.
- How are you going to win the judges over?
- We're gonna be in a generic, delinquent, teen girl gang.
And we're gonna rule the school.
- All right. Oh, that sounds good.
Do you have a drag name?
- This is a tough one. We're working on it.
- We're still work-shopping.
- Listen, I always say once you get into drag,
the name will appear. - Yeah.
- Because it becomes so obvious who you are,
what you feel like. - Thank you.
- All right, well, I can't wait.
- See you out there. - See you out there.
- [whispering] Rizzo's PG.
- [whispering] Pass it on. - [whispering] Pass it on.
- DeDe and Jamie, what a pair.
- I feel like I've got a good canvas going here.
And we're gonna do a full head-to-toe transformation.
- Do you have the outfits planned?
- So both of the dresses I have made.
- Yeah.
- So that's one thing I'm really excited to show off.
- Now have you ever done drag before?
- Never done drag. - First time?
- Mm-hmm. - It's all the attitude.
- OK.
- Let your attitude carry you through.
What about tucking? - Tucking--
- Is it gonna be a meaty tuck or is it--
- Yeah, 100%, let's go all in.
- A meaty tuck is where it's not tucked very well.
A meaty tuck is, oh, my goodness, there's a lot--
there's a lot of enchilada down here.
- OK. [laughter]
- What are you hiding in there? [laughter]
- DeDe, you haven't won a Maxi Challenge yet.
- No.
- Is this gonna be the one?
- I think this is right up my alley.
And I'm gonna put everything into this.
- OK.
- And hopefully this is my week.
- All right, well, get to work.
- Thank you so much.
- Michael Marouli and Peter.
- Mm-hmm. - Hello.
- Michael, last week you were in the bottom.
Have you recovered? - I'm back.
I'm recharged.
I'm ready.
And this is perfect.
This is the universe aligning
as much as it's gonna be Peter's moment, it's gonna be mine back on top
where I belong.
- What do you want to get from this challenge?
- I want drag to enable me to just release
a little bit of the inner me that I've
suppressed for 65 years.
- Trust me, it will.
That's what's so glorious and wondrous about drag
is that it gives you permission to just go for it.
- I tried the wig on and I did like a hair flick
which came out of nowhere.
- [laughs]
- There's a monster in there, like.
- It came from years of loving Cher, darling.
[laughter]
Yeah, has she given you a drag name yet?
- She has.
It's linked to Liza Minnelli.
Growing up as a young boy, I was
a huge fan of Liza Minnelli.
I bought the cassette of Liza with a "Z"
and I learned to lip sync in my bedroom.
- Brilliant.
- That was something I just kept privately to myself--
- Yeah.
- As my little bit of escapism.
- Wow. - So I'm--
- I'm getting goosebumps.
- I'm Geezer Minouli.
- Michael Marouli, Geezer Minouli.
- That's perfect.
- I feel like the world needs to see Peter and hear
his stories and embrace this fabulous new diva
that lives within.
- You're gonna practice, practice, practice.
We'll see what emerges. - Mm-hmm.
- And you've got a great teacher.
- Yes, thank you.
- Tomara and Gemma.
- Hi, Ru. - Hello.
Why do you think fate has paired you two?
There was a God listening to Tomara Thomas
and miss Gemma walk through them doors.
- I see.
- I'm excited.
- And you're almost engulfed by this wig right here.
- I know.
- It looks very heavy.
- Very heavy. I'm tiny.
I'm 4 foot 11.
So I'm going to be mainly hair, I think.
- Yeah, it's heavier than most wigs that even I would wear.
- Really? - Yeah.
- Help!
- After a while, they become a death wish, right?
- Yeah.
- So I'm just wondering, is this the right choice?
- [laughs]
- You know, we're gonna try the wig on and see
how we both are feeling.
A little paracetamol, babes, we'll be fine.
- It'll be fine.
[both laugh]
- Have you chosen a drag name yet?
- Obviously, I'm very tiny.
But the personality is big.
- It's Giant G and Tomara T.
It's perfect.
- [laughs]
I think you need a dance single, actually.
- Bitch, we're going global.
We're taking over these bitches.
[laughter]
The singles are already getting written.
The choreography is already in my head.
Watch out, bitch. It's over.
- What is it that you do at the help line?
- I mainly do live chat.
So people can message in.
Because of that, I get a lot of young people.
Because much of the time, they don't want to call.
They don't want people in the house to hear them,
particularly people who are from more
isolated places of the UK.
So to be able to message in and know that there's
an LGBTQ+ person, it's great for them.
- We're living in bloody 2023,
and people are still so, so scared and ashamed
of truly just being who they are. Like, it's wild.
- All right, you kids knock 'em dead.
- We will too, baby. - [laughs]
- Thank you, Ru.
[upbeat jazz music]
- Right, how much do you know about anatomy?
- [laughs]
- Rodrigo is game for drag.
But I think he's a little bit surprised by some
of the detail involved.
So it's not that they're going behind.
They're actually going up inside your body.
But it feels a bit weird.
But they kind of go back up--
[laughs]
Would you explain it like that?
- Duck and go... [slurps] Then they're bulging out.
Do you know what I mean? - OK.
- And then they'll pop in.
So a nice squat, really demi-plié on that bitch.
[laughter]
- I mean, it's gonna be a learning curve today.
[laughs]
[upbeat jazz music]
Yeah, that's the face.
That's the face.
- Femily Blunt.
- OK.
- Femma Thompson.
- Uh-huh.
- Femma Collins. - Right.
- Femi Lovato.
We have been umming and ahhing about drag names.
My personal favorite, it's quite niche.
It's out there. - Uh-huh.
- Feminem.
- It doesn't really go with Kate Butch, though.
- No.
- Femily Bronte?
- Kate Butch, Wuthering Heights,
Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronté.
There is a God.
- Oh, Michael, these are lovely.
- They're so nice. - Gorge.
- [laughs]
- Oh my goodness. - They just kind of... [slurps]
- And you got the same one.
- Well, it's slightly different.
- OK. No, it's nice.
Lovely.
Looking around the workroom, my outfits aren't identical.
But I didn't want to play this challenge safe.
- Are you OK? - Yeah.
- Are you sure? - Yeah. [laughs]
- Ooh! Ooh!
A bit too much. - A bit too much.
What about that?
Let's tie it there and see how we get on.
- OK.
- One in front of the other.
[elegant music]
Transfer the weight from one--
- OK.
- To the other.
Oh, Peter's walk.
Couldn't catch a pig in a passage.
[laughs]
We're gonna have to go back to school.
- OK. - Day one.
- You are a petite lady, right?
So if it looks ridiculous and if it's too heavy,
you just tell me-- - OK.
- And we can sort something out.
- OK.
- The giant wig might fall off her poor little head.
[laughs]
It looks calm. - Yeah.
- Is it heavy?
- It's heavy.
- It's just like--
[laughter]
She's like--
I'm gonna superglue that lace to her forehead
so it's never gonna come off, ever.
We'll just strut to the back. - Oh, my gosh.
[laughs] - And we're just swimming.
- I'm gonna lose my wig.
- I am hoping and praying that big-ass wig
doesn't come flying off that tiny little head.
[upbeat dance music]
- Come on.
Oh, let's get back.
I'm excited.
- Here we go.
- It's elimination day today.
And we have to execute our makeovers on our volunteers.
I'm feeling nervous.
You can never tell what someone's
going to look like in drag until it's actually happened.
It's going to be a surprise to everybody.
- I'm excited to do a brow back.
I haven't done one in a while. - [laughs]
- God, you're not going bald anytime soon.
- That feel all right?
- Yeah, feels fine.
[both laugh]
I feel like it's evening out a bit now.
- Yeah, it is.
[laughs]
- [vocalizing]
- Rodrigo, the time has come.
- It's time. - [laughs]
Take your time. We don't want any accidents here.
But also time is ticking.
God knows what is lurking under that beard.
I'm sure he's got a lovely chin.
[laughs]
- OK, that's the midway point.
- Yeah, halfway. Come on, snap, snap.
- OK.
- [laughs] It's going.
It's going.
It's gone.
Well done. I'm so proud of you.
[laughs]
- Ah!
- I was so inspired listening to you yesterday.
And what you were saying especially
about your generation, how you had to hide who you were.
- Yeah, things are different now.
The only role models that I grew up with on television
were made jokes of, really.
But one program that was very important
was called "The Naked Civil Servant."
Quentin Crisp was an unapologetic gay man.
And we were watching that in my front room.
And my father said, what a brave man.
- Really? - Yeah.
- How old were you?
- About 15, 16.
- My God.
- And it kind of stayed with me that I thought,
when I come out, I think my dad won't
be quite as ashamed of me.
- Did you tell your dad? - I did.
I told both my mom and dad when I was about 19.
I think I said, I don't understand why
I don't find girls attractive.
And I just had a good cry.
And they knelt down by me and said, look, we love you.
You're our son.
They didn't understand it.
So they called the doctor.
- No. - Oh, yeah, called the doctor.
And he said put your arms out.
He says, homosexuals, their wrists flop down like this
when they put their arms out.
This is 1972, '73.
He said, you're not a homosexual.
My mom said your dad will be pleased.
[laughs] - That is disgraceful.
- Yeah, I know.
- To think that who you are, who you are born as
would be considered medically wrong,
an illness in effect, is vile.
- I thought, I am gay. I am gay.
And I said to my mom and dad, you know the psychiatrist
I went to see?
Well, he was wrong.
- What did they say to that?
- They supported me.
They said, we'll do whatever you need us to do, really.
A few years later, I plucked up courage
to go to a gay bar in the local city
and met my first boyfriend there.
- That's incredible.
Even though we are generations apart, it's a similar tale.
No representation in the media of queer people
when we were growing up, feeling isolated,
terrified to be who we are.
And I really relate to him on that level.
So personally, what was it like for you
in the '80s like growing up around the AIDS
crisis firsthand?
- It felt like coming out of the closet twice.
We just built up confidence, and then it was knocked back.
People were not having sex anymore.
People were not going out clubbing
and having fun because they were protecting themselves.
My first boyfriend, subsequently, died.
And my second boyfriend, he died.
And I thought, I need to join a help line here.
And the calls we were getting then
were based on AIDS, the panic of AIDS.
- The '80s was such a terrifying time.
I can only imagine what it would have been like
to have been there and the fear these young gay men felt.
- There were hospital wards full
of gay men dying in the '80s, and so I used condoms.
And I think that saved my life.
And that safe sex message was drilled
in all the calls we took.
And I think that's true today, really.
- I'm so honored that you're here.
- [laughs] Thank you.
- Honest to God, you're amazing.
The things he survived through, it's just heartwarming.
I want you to live out that inner diva.
You've got this.
- I'm gonna look back on this as being
one of the best days of my life really.
- Oh, I love that.
- Life in the old girl yet, you know?
- Yeah, this is the start of a new chapter now.
I can already tell there is a little superstar
in there ready to burst out.
He's been waiting 65 years for this moment,
and I'm going to give it to them in spade loads.
[upbeat dance music]
- How are you feeling about everything?
- I feel great.
I haven't painted someone in a while.
So that's my only concern.
[upbeat dance music]
- So have you been to many drag shows then?
- I actually have.
I'd say in the past year since meeting my new girlfriend,
she's gotten very intertwined into the queer community.
- Yeah, we love the girlfriend. - Yeah.
- [laughs]
- We've found our place in queer spaces
where we can represent the Black queer women--
- Yes, bitch. - Out there.
- How lovely. - Interracial sisters.
- Yes, please.
- [laughs]
[upbeat dance music]
- Oh, my--
- Hold it up to the light.
Hold it up to the light.
- That isn't my face.
- How do you feel?
[laughter]
- I'm in shock.
- This week is even harder.
We have to make these heroes of our community
feel the most beautiful that they've felt,
so not only can we fuck it up for ourselves,
but we don't want to fuck it up for them as well.
[RuPaul's "Cover Girl"]
- [laughing]
[singing] Cover girl, put the bass in your walk
Head to toe let your whole body talk
[normal voice] And what?
Welcome to the main stage of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.
It's my work husband Michelle Visage.
- Well, someone's gotta wear the pants around here.
- Do you write your own material?
- Honey, I'm home! - [laughs]
He's the Godfather of chat, Graham Norton.
- Just when I thought I was out, they drag me back in.
- [laughs] - I do impressions now.
- Very good. - Thank you.
- And the fairy Godmother of fashion,
Daphne Guinness is here.
Welcome.
- I'm so delighted to be here.
Everything's tickety-boo, Ru.
- [laughs]
This week we challenged our queens
to share the miracle of drag with a bevy
of beautiful helpline workers.
And tonight on the runway, category
is Drag Family Resemblance.
Racers, start your engines.
And may the best drag queen win.
[upbeat dance music]
[singing] You have the right to be free
Category is Drag Family Resemblance.
Up first DeDeLicious and BebeLicious.
- We're two naughty girls who have crashed the office
Christmas party, very '80s,
giving them all the waves like two girls in the club.
And we're here to tear it up.
- Come on, Baccarat.
- [laughs]
- Yes, sir, I can deep throat.
[laughter]
- I think BeBe looks gorgeous.
The dress is sitting perfectly.
- What happens in Blackpool stays in Blackpool.
- BeBe is absolutely feeling themselves.
And that's what matters the most.
- They're a pair of frill seekers.
- Definitely BeBe would fit in with the Heavenly Bodies family.
I think we have a superstar in the making.
- Up next, Kate Butch and Femily Bronte.
- I'll meet you in the Shake Shack in 10 minutes.
- We are a fabulous teen girl gang who are going to rule
the school and are going to be together
forever like shoo-bop shoo-wop, et cetera, et cetera.
- Beauty school cock-out.
[laughter]
- We are celebrating our trans siblings
with our color scheme.
We're having a camp old time.
- I'm summer loving this look.
- I am hopelessly devoted to Xan.
She is the one that I want.
And I hope that we're not going to be
some beauty school dropouts.
- It's me a-Sandy, I've come home now.
- [laughs]
- We've been on such an emotional journey in just two days.
And this is the fruits of our labor.
Eat them up. - Go queef lightning.
Michael Marouli and Geezer Minouli.
[upbeat dance music]
- I'm over the moon with these looks.
Red hair, he looks absolutely gorgeous.
We've got the titty contour on there.
That's all he wanted was the tits.
He said, oh, am I going to get some cleavage?
- Those boots were made for fucking.
[laughter]
- Peter is serving me Liza Minnelli bricklayer
the house down.
She's feeling flirty. She blows a kiss to the judges.
I have to rein her in.
- The thigh is the limit.
[laughs]
- And then we've got a little touching tribute
to those affected by AIDS and the lives lost.
- Aw.
- They got some good tails.
- I am bursting with pride at Geezer.
You can tell this means a lot.
Peter was born for this.
- Up next, Tiny T and Giant G.
- Oh, it's a Chanel-o-gram.
- Me and Giant G are on this runway.
We're giving chic.
We're giving sexy.
We're giving big hair.
Take it all in.
- I love it. I'll take one in every size.
- [laughs]
- I'm so proud of Gemma.
All I wanted her to do is feel comfortable and feel gorgeous.
And that's exactly what she's doing.
Oh!
- I wonder who their tweed dealer is.
[laughter]
- I couldn't ask for a better partner.
- I think we have the same hairdresser.
[laughter]
- Up next, Ginger Johnson and Ruiva Johnson.
- We are serving stylish young women from the late '60s
who have realized that they are in fact long lost sisters.
- The mother-in-laws.
- Rodrigo is really feeling his transformation.
And it is a joy to see.
- Orange and pink to make the boys wink.
- All I ever try to do on the runway is enjoy myself.
And Rodrigo is really enjoying himself.
- Wrong number.
- He is doing me so proud.
He can join the family whenever he likes.
- Welcome, queens.
Now, don't you all look fabulous?
To our helpline queeroes, for playing with us this week
and for the good work you do all year round,
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Now it's time for the judges' critiques.
Up first, DeDeLicious and BeBeLicious.
Now, this is Jamie before.
And look at her now.
- Mm!
- Wow.
- BeBe, you look like you were having a very good time.
You walked very confidently.
DeDe, she is painted within an inch of her life,
which is what I expect from you.
It's very New Jersey.
It's also got a touch of older Joan Collins.
And when I say older, I mean, younger.
[laughter] You know what I mean.
I think what was missing for me was
the actual family resemblance.
But the transformation is unbelievable.
- I agree with Michelle.
It's more like friendly resemblance.
You look like two women going to a wedding
where the police will be called.
[laughter]
Overall, great job.
- It looks fun. It looks very kind of '80s.
It looks kind of "Dynasty."
It's difficult to find fault. Really, hats off.
- You look like a couple of mob wives, you know?
[laughter]
DeDe, tell me about what you've done here.
- The inspiration behind it was bang on, Joan Collins.
The vibe was like we're crashing a work office party,
here to tear it up.
- What was your first thought when you
saw yourself in the mirror?
- I was like, oh my God, I look amazing. I can't believe it.
[laughter]
It's been so fun.
Like, it really has felt like it's
brought something out of me, so it's been amazing, yeah.
- DeDe, I see that you selflessly
took the smaller breastplate.
- Yes.
I nearly cried when it happened and I had to give it over.
- You are the Mother Teresa of breastplates.
[laughter]
All right, thank you both.
- Thank you.
- Up next, Kate Butch and Femily Bronté.
Now this is Xan before.
And look at her now.
Wow.
- I think your makeup looks really good tonight.
I think you are progressing beautifully with it.
And I think Femily--
look, that could have gone really wrong.
And I think Femily ended up--
it's all right.
- We'll take all right. - I think it's all right.
You kids look like you--
I'm gonna say it-- belong together.
- [laughs] - Thank you, Ru.
Do I see a family resemblance? Mm-mm.
- I really enjoyed this.
And I really like all the detailing in it,
using the skirt material to cuff your jeans.
I thought you did a really good job.
So well done both of you.
- Well, I think you both look great.
But I don't see the family resemblance.
And the makeup I think is mesmerizing.
- [whispers] Oh, thank you. Mesmerizing.
[laughter]
- She's lying.
- I'll slip you a 10'er later.
- No, it's great. I'm not.
- Xan, what emerged when you got into drag?
- I think it brought out the performer in me.
The line that you always have about your inner saboteur,
that always touched me.
Because I knew that what was holding me back was inside.
And that's, like, a gift that is beyond
really what I can express.
- I'm sorry.
I just-- we are family now. [laughs]
- Absolutely. - I've decided.
- Up next, Michael Marouli and Geezer Minouli.
Now this is Peter before.
And look at her now, Mugler!
[laughter]
- Michael, you pared down your makeup all the way tonight.
And you've never looked better.
I was kind of emotional watching you two.
I feel like Geezer gave everything
that they had in their body to, A, walk in those slut boots.
[laughter]
Because I know how hard they are, yeah?
And it's like you were loving it.
And I just felt it. I felt it.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
- Yeah, I loved this partnership.
You're sort of like daughter and mother, you know,
or more like best friends.
[laughter]
Sumptuous and expensive, that hair color is gorgeous.
- Thank you.
- Well, I mean, the fashion--
Mugler meets Jean Paul Gaultier.
Incredible.
It's almost surreal how identical you look,
but really well done.
- This is wo-man-ah.
It is so gorgeous what you've done.
Michael, I agree with Michelle.
You've never looked more beautiful. - Wow.
- And what you've done with your partner
is just really amazing.
Geezer, tell me what was going through your mind
when you walked the runway.
- When does the blood come back down here?
[laughter]
- Never. Say, goodbye.
[laughter]
How does the rest of you feel?
- Amazing.
I'm in my mid 60s now.
So I've never-- - A child.
A child!
- I've never allowed myself to welcome
the kind of feminine side of me.
And I think Michael's allowed drag to just relax me a bit
and just say, hello.
You've been hiding a long time.
There you are. Where have you been?
- Yeah.
What kind of queen are you?
- Kind, I think.
Basically, because growing up in the '80s,
I went through the AIDS pandemic.
And I lost two partners.
We did the little hand on heart thing as a token
to connect with my absent friends.
- To give you this little time to just be who you want to be
is something I'll treasure forever.
And the way he's embraced it, he's just like...
[gasps] I want the thigh highs!
[laughter]
- Lovely.
Up next, Tiny T and Giant G.
Word! Here is Gemma before.
And here she is now.
[laughs]
- This is so cute.
You can tell how much fun you were
having out there, Giant G.
You were living your best moment.
What I'm going to praise you on the most, Tomara,
is some pumped up hair finally.
And I think the drag family resemblance
is very much there.
I enjoyed it.
- Thank you, babe.
- I suppose it could have been almost
too pretty pretty, maybe a bit simple or even bland.
But it was kind of saved by two things--
the hair, which is exceptional,
and the chemistry between the two of you.
So well done on whatever's holding that hair up.
- I was a friend of Karl Lagerfeld's,
who would love this, by the way.
If he was still alive, he would be loving the whole look.
It's insanely sweet and beautiful and so chic.
So congratulations.
- Thank you so much.
- I was sort of pushing you away from this hair
because it is so heavy.
But actually I'm glad you went with your gut
because it's magnificent.
Giant G, how heavy is this hair?
- I've lost all sensation. [laughter]
- Now, Giant G, what emerged once you got into full drag?
- Oh, I feel amazing.
I feel so empowered being, you know, a Black queen on stage,
representing Black queer women up here.
- And so it's worth the pain?
- Oh, for sure.
- Up next, Ginger Johnson and Ruiva Johnson.
This is Rodrigo before.
And look at her now.
- Wow!
[laughter]
- I'm just gonna say it so we can move beyond it.
Trixie and Bianca could never.
[laughter]
I just want to say to you, Ginger,
the first thing I wrote down was how the fuck
did you make these outfits?
- [laughs] - Listen,
Ruiva looks amazing.
This look is just gob smacking.
The transformation for Rodrigo is unbelievable.
Yeah, very impressive.
- You came around the corner and just popped.
I mean, the color combination is stunning.
The detail, the way it's all finished,
it's just perfection.
I still don't really understand
what the phone calls were about.
But that doesn't matter now.
I really have nothing to say apart from wow.
- Thanks.
- It's giving me complete '60s, Cilla Black.
And the transformation is incredible,
absolutely incredible.
- What was difficult about Rodrigo's transformation?
- After I tied him down to the table
and shaved off the beard-- [laughter]
- Yeah. - But to be honest,
we just had an absolute blast.
- And, Ruiva, what's your favorite part
of the whole transformation?
- Taking myself less seriously,
and that's really something I'm going to take home with me.
- What kind of queen emerged?
- Like, a party queen, someone who is
like the cheese of the party.
How do you say that? - The cheese?
Like a fondue party?
- Hmm.
- [speaks French] - Yes.
Ginger, what did you learn about yourself
through this process?
- Getting to share this experience with somebody,
remind myself why I do it and why it's fun
and why I care about it, just the silly business
of dressing up.
- Yes, that's great.
- But please don't come for my gigs.
I need those checks, all right?
- Thank you, queens.
I think we've heard enough.
While you untuck in the workroom,
the judges and I will deliberate.
You may leave the stage.
- Ooh!
Come on, little girl. Let's go--
- Little mini me.
- Have a drink, sweetheart.
This is where the party starts.
- We're back in Untucked.
And Rodrigo and I are on cloud nine.
- Oh, thank you, my love. Look at that.
How kind.
- I can tell I'm not in the bottom.
I mean, all of the makeovers were-- well,
no, that's a blatant lie.
Some of the makeovers on today's runway are brilliant.
And I just hope that I can clinch that fourth badge.
- Cheers, girls.
- Cheers!
- Wow, what an amazing challenge.
- It was so much fun. - Well done, everyone.
- This has been my favorite. - It has.
- Oh, yeah.
- Geezer, cross your legs. You've got your minge out.
[laughter]
- You're flashing your fanny, Geezer.
- I feel so proud of Peter.
She lived her best life.
So babe, how was it walking the main stage?
- It was agony.
- We had amazing critiques.
Michelle, of all people, got emotional.
Have you enjoyed yourselves?
- Oh, yeah. It's been amazing.
- It's been so much fun, yeah.
- Yes, a bit nerve wracking.
- It's really something that I can't even put into words.
And I'm so proud to do it on behalf of the charity.
One of the most fun days of my life.
So thank you so much.
- Thank you.
- Did you ever imagine that one day you would
actually be on the main stage?
- Wow. No, it's incredible.
- And we look bloody gorgeous, if I do say so myself.
- As soon as you showed me that mirror before,
I was so shocked.
I almost dropped it, in a good way.
Oh!
- Honestly, as soon as we stepped on the stage,
any nerves just went.
I thought it was amazing.
I forgot anyone else was in the room.
Yes!
- I mean, look, we've all done well.
But it is a competition, and one person needs to go.
Look, this has been so amazing to have yous in,
but two of us do have to lip sync.
What the fuck?
[laughter]
Who is gonna be?
- Who do you think it is?
- It's pretty bloody obvious.
- Is it?
- Yeah, I do think it's me and I do think it's Kate.
- Yeah.
- We were the only two who got the "we don't see
family resemblance" comment.
I mean, it looks like I'm in the bottom again.
I should have done better and won.
That's just it.
That is just it.
But it's fine.
I think, in hindsight, I could have done some bits here
and there to maybe tie it in a bit more.
But also, you know what?
I kind of don't regret it.
- Well, just don't be shit next time.
[laughter]
- Where's the van?
- Babe, don't say that. You're a fighter.
You know you are. - I know.
I'll do a good lip sync.
- Kate Butch, how are you feeling, babe?
- I'm disappointed.
I'll be honest.
I wanted to think outside of the box.
I did exactly what I wanted to do in this competition,
which was be myself.
If I have to lip sync, I'm in a leather jacket.
It's perfect for the song.
Let's give it a good go.
- Honest to God, I speak on behalf of all of us,
we feel so honored and proud that you came here
and did this and told your stories.
So thank you.
Can we have a little cheers?
- Cheers!
- Knackered. [laughter]
- Now, just between us squirrel friends, what do you think?
Let's start with DeDeLicous and BeBeLicous.
- I love.
That transformation was amazing.
But I was missing a drag family resemblance.
Did she do a great job?
Absolutely.
But that was the brief, and that's what was missing.
- You kind of knew those women.
You know they'd shoplifted together as girls.
- [laughs]
- They had a--
- They looked like they were in "The Sopranos," actually.
- Yes! - Yeah.
- Were they the closest family members?
Probably not. They looked great.
There were some proportion issues here and there.
All right, let's move on down
to Kate Butch and Femily Bronté.
- It's a strong top five here.
- Right. - Kate has come so far.
I cannot compliment her enough.
But I'm sorry, the brief is Drag Family Resemblance.
- I love hearing them talk about what
they've learned from each other,
what they've got from each other.
But it didn't improve the presentation.
- I agree with all of the above.
But their story was so beautiful.
- Yeah, the story was beautiful.
You know, we all love the movie that they were spoofing.
Family resemblance?
Not so much.
They are from the same group. [laughs]
- Same gang. - Same gang.
- They knew each other.
- Yes, yes.
Up next Michael Marouli and Geezer Minouli.
- I didn't expect to feel emotional watching
Geezer Minouli walk across the stage.
And you could see her being transformed
right in front of our eyes.
- This was a really magical moment.
I'm gonna remember this.
It was genuinely moving when Peter talked afterwards.
And you thought about that repressed little boy
then in the '80s becoming a volunteer to now
being on the main stage of this show
that has done so much for visibility
and for sharing stories.
It was really special. I loved it.
- Definitely a family resemblance.
Everything about it, the hair, the story, the clothes,
the makeup, it was all really, really great,
but also incredibly moving.
- You're absolutely right, everything
of that presentation was fantastic.
Michael helping Geezer down the runway,
determined to make it down the runway.
- So cute. - It was so adorable.
I couldn't ask for more.
All right, let's talk about Tiny T and Giant G.
- Energy and fire and fun from the minute they came out here.
I love how big the hair was tonight.
The outfits were adorable, a bit off the rack,
but it worked.
- I always enjoy Tomara on the runway.
She always brings the fun.
It wasn't, you know, the greatest thing in the world,
but it was very enjoyable.
Good job.
- Yeah, I thought that actually the clothes were pretty good
for a kind of Chanel look.
And I thought that it was a lot of fun.
- They had a chemistry between them
that was just irresistible.
And I mean, listen, we always fall
in love with Tomara Thomas.
But to be paired with someone who could match her attitude,
I just love them.
It was enough of a family resemblance
with the hair and the silhouettes.
All right, let's talk about
Ginger Johnson and Ruiva Johnson.
- These two were so fun to watch, silly, cartoony.
Ruiva looked beautiful.
- It looked like we were looking at Ginger and Ruiva
through a filter because it just popped.
But I loved it, absolutely loved it, very fun.
- It was like being transported back to a sort of '60s caper,
which was brilliant.
- It looked great.
And Ginger has had an amazing trajectory
in this competition.
It's just been wonderful to watch.
And she did not disappoint.
All right, silence.
I've made my decision.
Bring back my girls.
Welcome back, queens.
I've made some decisions.
- This is so surreal.
- Kate Butch, you and Femily go together
like rama lama ding dong,
but your family resemblance was missing.
I'm sorry, my dear, but you are up for elimination.
- Oh.
- I'm sorry, Xan.
- Tomara Thomas, heavy is the head that
wears the blond and black wig.
- So heavy.
- You are safe.
- Thank you.
- You may step to the back of the stage.
- Oh, yay!
Oh, I'm so glad.
- Michael Marouli, condragulations,
you are the winner of this week's challenge--
- Oh! - Oh, my God!
- Oh, my goodness me.
- Peter!
- And the recipient of the coveted RuPeter badge.
[choir singing] RuPeter
- Wear it with pride and think of Liza.
- I will.
Liza!
- You may step to the back of the stage.
- Oh, I'm so pleased for her.
She was so kind to me.
- Ginger Johnson, you are safe.
- Thank you. - You may join the other girls.
- Hey, Rodrigo. [laughs]
- DeDeLicous, I'm sorry, my dear,
but you are up for elimination.
- Oh, my God.
- No, I can't believe this is happening.
So here we are again.
Looks like I'm assassinating Kate today.
Bye-bye, Miss Butch.
- You can tell they're gonna be great.
- I know. - [exhales]
- Two queens stand before me.
I've consulted with the judges.
But the final decision is mine to make.
Ladies, this is your last chance to impress me
and save yourself from elimination.
The time has come... [thunder booms]
For you to lip sync for your life.
- To go up against DeDe, I know that she's an
incredible lip-syncher.
I might not be able to move like her,
but my God, can I perform.
- Good luck.
And don't fuck it up.
[upbeat rock music playing]
Let's go, girls
I saw a poster on the corner opposite the motel
Turns out I'm going to hell if I keep on being myself
Don't know what I did, but they
seem pretty mad about it
God hates us?
All right then, buckle up, at dawn we're riding
Walk a mile on these coals, busy cleansing my soul
Getting ready for the night
Damned for eternity, but you're coming with me
Into the afterlife
- Woo!
This hell is better with you
We're burning up together, baby, that makes two
'Cause the devil's wearing Prada and loves
a little drama, ooh-ooh
This hell is better with you
Wow, that's hot - [laughs]
This hell is better with you
We're burning up together, baby, that makes two
'Cause the devil's wearing Prada and loves
a little drama, ooh-ooh
This hell is better when you
This hell is better with you
Got my invitation to eternal damnation
Get in line pass the wine, bitch
We're going straight to hell
- Woo!
This hell is better with you
We're burning up together, baby, that makes two
'Cause the devil's wearing Prada and loves
a little drama, ooh-ooh
This hell is better with you
- [laughs]
[applause, cheering]
- Oh, my God. - That was amazing.
- They were both so good. - Yeah.
- They both did so good. I can't tell.
- Ladies, I've made my decision.
[tense music]
DeDeLicious, Shantay, you stay.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
You may join the other girls.
- Thank you. I love you so much.
- Yeah, I love you so much.
- Aw.
- My dear Kate Butch,
you will always be a part of our drag family.
Now, sashay away.
- You can't fire me. I quit.
Fuck, too slow!
[laughter]
Thank you for allowing a silly little dickhead to compete
with these absolute icons.
Thank you so much.
- Thank you. - Yes, Kate!
- We love you. - We love you.
Muah. - We love you so much.
- Love you, baby.
- Thank you.
In the words of Kate Bush, wow, unbelievable.
[laughter]
See you around! - See you tomorrow
[laughter, applause]
- Oh, here we bloody go.
I am gutted to be eliminated.
I have loved getting to know all of the queens.
They have been so encouraging, helpful.
I've loved every second.
During this competition, I've learned that
I'm actually not too bad at drag.
As a great poet once said, you haven't seen the last of me.
- Condragulations, queens.
And remember, if you can't love yourself,
how the hell are you going to love somebody else?
Can I get an amen up in here?
- Amen!
- All right, now let the music play.
To, to, to, to the moon
To the moon.
To the moon Come on and take me away
To, to, to, to the moon
To the moon
- Next time on "RuPaul's Drag Race UK"...
- You need to go head-to-head in the Dragiators
Comedy Roast.
- Michael, would you be comfortable going last?
- I did ask for first.
What kind of game is she trying to play?
- And you owned that stage.
- Everyone was a zinger.
- As I said to a waiter in a pub,
thank you so much for delivering me that roast.
- I'm gonna, like, lay it on the table.
You're just very sneaky.
- Ooh! Vicky! Vicky! Vicky!
To, to, to, to the moon
To the moon.
Blast off.
To the moon
Come on and take me away
To, to, to, to the moon
To the moon.
Baby.
To the moon
Come on and take me away
To, to, to, to the moon
To the moon.
Blast off
To the moon Come on and take me away
To, to, to, to the moon