International drag icon, RuPaul, is back in Blighty with his cult competitive reality show. Rooted in camp, British pop culture, and famed for its unpredictability, Drag Race UK fans will be delighted with a rambunctious new cast, and a competition with even more twists, more laughs and more sass.
So start your engines, and control your excitement as a fresh new set of amazing drag queens compete to be crowned the UK’s Next Drag Race Superstar in one the world’s most unpredictable, glamorous, and fiercely entertaining races.
About to embark on its sixth season, the multiple award-winning flagship BBC Three show is highly anticipated every Autumn by its huge young and ardent fanbase. The competition sees hopeful drag queens compete across ten weeks in a variety of spicy challenges and iconic games designed to test their drag mettle, with the winner of the week being awarded a coveted RuPeter badge, and the bottoms of the week facing a lip sync for their life and the risk of elimination.
RuPaul, affectionately known as Mama Ru, leads an esteemed judging panel that includes regular judges, Michelle Visage, Alan Carr, Graham Norton and a bevy of celebrity guest judges, who this year range from Mabel to Simon Le Bon!
Together, they deliberate the fate of the queens but it is queen of queens, Mama Ru, who has the final word on who shantays or sashays away from the competition.
Handpicked by RuPaul, this year’s cast of twelve gorgeous drag queens represent a heady mix of charisma, uniqueness, nerve, talent, and accents with queens from across the Nations coming together in a bid to be crowned the UK’s Next Drag Race Superstar.
We caught up with Actavia, 21, from North Wales…
Pronouns out of drag: He/Him
Pronouns in drag: She/Her
Tell us about yourself!
Hello! I’m Actavia, I am 21 years old, and I’m from a tiny little town in North Wales called Bala but I now live in Manchester. Bring on the Welsh!
How does it feel to be a Ru girl?
This is literally like a dream come true. It’s such a cliché thing to say but I just can’t believe it’s real and that I’m here.
How long have you been doing drag?
I quickly became obsessed with all things drag around five years ago when I was 16 years old however, being from such a small town, drag was never something that was around me. After discovering Drag Race, everything just clicked! I’ve always loved performing and being on stage so I knew drag was for me and here I am!
How would you describe your drag?
I would describe myself as a bit of a chameleon, and I always like to add a villainess look to my drag aesthetic but I’m really approachable – I promise!
What can we expect to see at an Actavia show?
I come alive on stage. If you were to come to an Actavia show, you would see a blend of camp, dancing, energy, and a bit of stupidity. My shows are high energy and you would definitely be out of breath just watching me.
What’s the drag scene like in your hometown of Bala?
It’s honestly tiny. I always say the drag scene there is absolutely immaculate – because I AM the drag scene there! There is no other drag queen in my town, as far as I’m aware!
What are you most looking forward to in the competition?
I’m a dancer so I love anything where I can move my legs. I’m so excited to do anything that’s thrown at me in this competition and grab it by the horns!
Would you say you’re competitive?
I wouldn’t say I’m competitive, but I do enter a lot of competitions and I am now on the biggest drag competition now so actually… I guess you could say I am!
What would it mean to you to win it?
To be crowned as the UK’s Next Drag Race Superstar would just be the ultimate validation not only for myself, for all the hard work I’ve put into my drag over the years. It would just mean the world!