RuPaul's Drag Race UK series 2 start date, news and rumours

RuPaul's Drag Race aired the very first dedicated British spin-off in 2019 - here's everything we know so far about the next series of the show

Last year, the UK got its very own Drag Race spin-off - and the series went down such a treat that it's been renewed for a second season. 

It's still a while until we see Drag Race back on our screens, but we've sashayed our way around the rumour mill to find out everything we can. Read on to see who the queens will be, who the judges are and everything else we know about the show so far. 

When does Drag Race UK start?

As the next series is still a long time away, we don't have an official date. However, we can predict based off of last year that series 2 will likely start in early October 2020.

What channel is it on?

The British Drag Race spin-off is exclusive to BBC Three, which isn't technically a TV channel at all any more - it's online only. That means you'll have to use iPlayer to watch the show, whether that's on your phone, computer, games console, or smart TV.

Is RuPaul hosting?

It wouldn't be Drag Race without its namesake, so naturally RuPaul will return to host the second series of the UK edition. On the renewal of the show RuPaul said: "This season's queens proved that Britain's Got Charisma Uniqueness Nerve and Talent and I want to see more! Here's to another season of love, laughter and light!"

Who are the judges?

As with the first series, we'll likely be seeing RuPaul Charles and Michelle Visage reprising their roles as resident judges. It's not been confirmed yet if previous judges Graham Norton and Alan Carr will continue to rotate on the panel each week - we'll bring you more information as we have it. 

We'll also be seeing some celebrity guest judges getting in on the action. Last year's lineup included Andrew Garfield, Michaela Coel, Maisie Williams, Jade Thirlwall, Geri Horner, Cheryl and Twiggy. 

Who won the first series of Drag Race?

10 queens competed for the title, but in the end it was The Vivienne from Liverpool who took the crown. She was closely followed by Divina de Campo and Baga Chipz.

How to watch Drag Race UK from outside the UK

If you're based in the US, you have a few options for watching Drag Race UK. You can catch up on the latest series with a subscription to WOW Present Plus, which costs $3.99 per month (though you do get a seven-day free trial). 

The other way to catch up is by using a VPN (virtual private network) like NordVPN. This changes your IP address to make it appear as if you're in the UK, which means that you can access BBC iPlayer. For more details see our best VPNs article, or our specific guide to watching BBC iPlayer from abroad.