Start your engines, because a brand new group of queens is ready to enter the Werk Room. The BBC has officially revealed the 12 contestants competing on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Series 8, with a new mix of performers from across the country preparing to fight for the crown.
RuPaul returns alongside regular judges Michelle Visage, Alan Carr and Graham Norton for ten weeks of challenges, runway looks and Lip Syncs For Your Life. This year’s winner will take home a £25,000 cash prize and the title of the UK’s Next Drag Race Superstar, with the celebrity guest judges still to be revealed.
The new series is set to begin on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer on 3 September, with Meet the Queens already available to watch and giving fans their first proper introduction to the new cast. So, who will follow in the footsteps of the queens who came before them? Meet the 12 competitors hoping to snatch the crown.
Alik – 29, Brighton
Alik has been doing drag for eight years and describes her style as old meets new, mixing goth glamour with punk influences. She also has a background in gymnastics and trampolining, so flips, tricks and dips are very much on the table. There is another Drag Race UK connection too: Alik is in a relationship with Series 1 queen Scaredy Kat.
Anita Piss – 37, Birmingham
Originally from Birmingham and now part of East London’s drag scene, Anita Piss has spent around eight years performing and finally enters the competition after applying five times. Fashion and glamour are a big part of her drag, with Anita drawing from both her Jamaican and British heritage.
Coral-Hole Mandi – 27, Belfast
The self-proclaimed “Bikini Bottom Bimbo from Belfast” brings six years of drag experience and a very distinctive love of the ocean. With a background in marine biology, Coral-Hole Mandi draws inspiration from mermaids, sea creatures and everything from colourful cartoon fantasy to bog-witch glamour.
The Delta Quadrant – 32, Darlington
The Delta Quadrant is bringing businesswoman drag to the Werk Room, complete with tailored suits, shoulder pads and a signature bob. Calling herself the “Deborah Meaden of drag”, her character-led style sees her approach the competition like one very glamorous trip to the boardroom.
Flesh – 25, London
Flesh is the self-described supermodel of Soho, taking inspiration from ’90s supermodels and British fashion. She has also studied English literature at Oxford University and comes with some serious Drag Race UK connections, including best friend and reigning winner Bones, with the pair appropriately known as Flesh and Bones.
KY Kelly – 42, Staffordshire
With almost 16 years in drag, KY Kelly describes herself as a live-singing comedy diva of the cabaret scene. She performs across the country several nights a week and has also appeared in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, bringing plenty of stage experience into the competition.
Lucky Roy Singh – 36, Manchester
Lucky Roy Singh enters the competition as the first South Asian queen on Drag Race UK. The Punjabi performer and award-winning activist has been doing drag for more than ten years, with a style shaped by culture and heritage and plenty of Bollywood glamour.
ma_danni_x – 48, The Wirral
ma_danni_x arrives with an incredible 28 years of drag experience. Her career began after working as a dancer on cruise ships, and over the years she has worked with names including George Michael, Lily Savage and Samantha Fox, as well as making an appearance on Britain’s Got Talent.
Mocha – 26, Essex
Mocha has been doing drag since she was 16 and describes herself as Soho perfection mixed with East London grit. Musical theatre, vintage showgirls and cartoon-inspired looks all influence her style, and after auditioning for every series of Drag Race UK so far, Series 8 has finally opened the Werk Room door.
Naya Thorn – 24, Dudley
Now based in Manchester after beginning drag in Liverpool, Naya Thorn describes herself as a performer with very high standards and has spent the past five years building her career. She loves theatrical performances that connect with an audience and admits she is entering the competition with her eyes firmly on the prize.
Paris Baby – 27, Hastings
Paris Baby arrives as the “British Bajan Barbie” and promises to bring plenty of personality with her. Known as a fierce lip-sync performer, she takes inspiration from her Bajan heritage, female rap and early 2000s pop culture, with TLC, Destiny’s Child, Paris Hilton and even Regina George among her references.
Tequila Thirst – 39, London
Originally from North London and now living in Chester, Tequila Thirst describes herself as a host, singer and dancer with a love of colourful drag. Her influences include cartoons, anime and cosplay, with her Vietnamese heritage also informing her work. She began performing in drag six years ago after winning a lip-sync competition on the very first day she tried it.
For CultureCues, this cast looks so good. We already have our eye on a few of the queens, especially Coral-Hole Mandi, whose fun sense of style and big energy stand out straight away, and Flesh, who quite literally looks like she has stepped off a runway. “She’s perfect, she’s beautiful… she’s a model.” We have also seen Tequila Thirst perform before and know just how good she is live, so we cannot wait to see what she brings to the competition. There is only one complaint: no Scottish queens?! Come on! Scotland has such a ridiculous amount of drag talent deserving of this platform, and after queens like Lawrence Chaney have already shown exactly what Scottish drag can bring to the franchise, we need some representation back in that Werk Room.
That small grievance aside, Series 8 looks ready to serve, and we are very ready to say hello, hello, hello to these queens. We cannot wait for the glitter, the camp and the lip-syncs. May the best drag queen win!
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Series 8 begins on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer on 3 September 2026.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.