RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Series 8 celebrity judges and special guests revealed

Halle-ru-iah! Thursday nights are back with a glitter-filled bang as award-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race UK returns to BBC iPlayer and BBC Three this Autumn on Thursday 3 September. This time the engines will be revving and available from 7pm on BBC iPlayer and 9pm on BBC Three and the season promises to serve appointment viewing and appointment judging.

The internationally runowned RuPaul, will be regaling the fandom with a dazzling array of celebrity guests as they swoon, critique and deliberate over the fate of a fresh batch of crown thirsty queens in their bid to become the UK’s Next Drag Race Superstar.

Resident Drag Race judges Alan Carr, Graham Norton, and Michelle Visage will return alongside a stellar list of guest judges aka Drag Race Superfans:

Thandiwe Newton

Thandiwe Newton brings Hollywood glamour to the judging panel and separates the sashays from the shantays. When asked what her drag queen name would be Thandiwe Newton said: “If I were…well let’s face it, I am a drag queen – my drag name would be Hannibal Trewartha, Hannibal was the name of my first pet, and Trewartha was the name of my first street and that apparently is your drag name”

Anne-Marie

The multi-platinum singer, songwriter Anne-Marie fulfils a lifelong ambition of serving judgement with elegance at Drag Race UK. When asked to describe her Drag Race UK experience, Anne-Marie said: “What a dream to be a part of Ru’s Drag Race. Surrounded by beautiful people all day! I loved it and I can’t wait to watch the whole season.”

Cat Burns

The singer-songwriter Cat Burns reunites with fellow traitor Alan Carr for a very different kind of judging. When asked what her drag name would be Cat said: “If I were on Drag Race UK my drag queen name would be Kitty Kat First Degree Burns.”

Kadiff Kirwan

The Slow Horses actor, Kadiff Kirwan swerves into the Drag Race lane for even more high stakes drama. When asked about his experience on Drag Race UK Kadiff Kirwan said: “Still floating and never want to come down from the queer fever dream that was being a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 8. It was everything one could want and more. RuPaul’s beauty, wicked humour and energy confirmed why SHE is the only queen I bow to.”

Michèle Lamy

Category is: fashion anarchist. Style icon Michèle Lamy arrives ready to celebrate queens who dare to be different. When asked what talent she would show off on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, Michèle Lamy said: “I would dance with all my bracelets, and covered in powder all over, then I’d roll myself on the floor in front of RuPaul.”

Michelle de Swarte

Back by popular demand, comedian, actor, supermodel Michelle de Swarte returns to serve up her trademark unfiltered commentary with a hint of duplicitous charm. When asked what her drag queen name would be Michelle de Swarte said “My drag queen name would be Michelle de Barge.”

Rick Astley

He’s never gonna give up serving, Pop icon Rick Astley sashays onto the mainstage for some Rickroll mischief and camparaderie. When asked what his drag queen name would be Rick Astley said: “If I were a drag queen, my name would be Miss Rickety Splits.”

Erin O’Connor

Supermodel Erin O’Connor arrives with unrivalled fashion credentials and an eye for a killer runway. When asked what she loves about Drag Race UK Erin said: “What I love about Drag Race UK is the design challenge, I love to see all the queens getting stuck in and then putting their creations on a runway and bringing it all to life – it’s the moment!”

Layton Williams

The West End sensation, Layton Williams sashays on to the judging panel ready to turn the spotlight on to the queens. When asked what one of his favourite Drag Race UK moments is he said: “One of my favourite Drag Race UK moments was with La Voix and her dad. It’s a dynamic we don’t see enough on telly. Queen’s and their supportive dads… It was so heartwarming.”

Martin Fry

By ru-yal invitation from Mama Ru, eighties frontman Martin Fry sashays onto the Main Stage. When asked what he would excel in, in Drag Race UK he said: “I’d like to excel in singing, that’s my trade, but if you asked me to tap dance I would bomb, no tap dancing!”

The Drag Race fandom can also look forward to cheeky cameo appearances from: Heartthrob-ing actor, Arian Nik who stars in BBC’s Daddy Issues and The Split Up; popstar superstar from Blue – Duncan James; Supermodel and Drag Race darling, Kristen McMenamy; Musical theatre royalty, Mazz Murray; Dance Pop duo – Booty Luv and beloved queen-whipping choreographer Claudimar Neto!

With a highly ambitious new cast, the brand-new series promises to serve up one of Drag Race UK’s most spicy seasons in recent herstory.

These queens are hungry, and ready to eat, and may the best queen win!

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is a World of Wonder production for BBC Three and BBC iPlayer commissioned by Fiona Campbell, in her capacity as Controller, BBC iPlayer and Youth Audiences and Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC. The Executive Producers for World of Wonder are Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, RuPaul Charles, Bruce McCoy, Matt Green, and Johnni Javier and the BBC Commissioning Editor is Ruby Kuraishe.

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