Baga Chipz, the drag queen who starred in the first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK alongside The Vivienne, thinks the best way to pay tribute to the series one winner, who died on January 5 aged just 32, is to just air clips of her going forwards.
Speaking at RuPaul’s DragCon UK at ExCel London, Baga said: “I think we should not have any more drag queens on Drag Race UK anymore and just have re-runs of The Vivienne.
“That would be so much better. We should just watch that.”
During their time on Drag Race UK, Baga won three challenges and finished in third place. During winter 2019, Baga and the cast of series one of RuPauls Drag Race UK embarked on a tour hosted by Drag Race alumna Alyssa Edwards. In January 2020, Baga attended the first ever RuPaul’s DragCon UK.
Remembering The Vivienne, Baga added: “She was so fabulous …
“She was amazing. Incredible. What you saw, she had the look.
“Some people have the look or they have the charisma and all that and the talent.
“I would say I’m quite charismatic, and I’m quite comedic and all that, and I’ve got that side – but she had it all.
“However, on the season, we were both crap at dancing.
“She – because she was tall and statuesque and looked so gorgeous – people would be like, ‘Oh, she’s a bit intimidating,’ but then she would open her gob, and she would do anything for anyone.
“With me, she would be like, ‘Baga, your makeup looks like s***, come here.’
“She would always help me and on ‘Drag Race [UK]’, we always sat next to each other and did our makeup, and we’d always have a fag together.
“You meet people in life, and you just gel.
“I was very lucky on my season because we all got on, but Viv and I were just a bit more – you have your favourites, don’t you?
“I had all the cigarettes and she had none – so she had to be friends with me!”