Jan 9
'RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World' Season Three Cast Unveiled Ahead of January 27 Premiere
READ TIME: 3 MIN.
The BBC has confirmed that RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World will return for its third season on Monday 27 January at 9pm on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer in the UK, with international streaming on WOW Presents Plus.
In a newsroom‑themed “breaking news” promo released on 8 January, RuPaul and World of Wonder introduced a cast of 10 returning competitors from across the Drag Race franchise. The series continues the UK‑hosted global all‑stars format first launched in 2022, now returning after a second season in 2024 won by British queen Tia Kofi.
The new season’s lineup includes three RuPaul’s Drag Race UK alumni: Kate Butch and Sminty Drop from season five, and Zahirah Zapanta from season six. Kate Butch, remembered for her camp humour and storytelling on Drag Race UK season five, returns after finishing in fifth place on her original run. Sminty Drop, from season four, became known for high‑fashion looks and a memorable girl‑group verse before her mid‑season elimination. Zahirah Zapanta, a Filipino‑born Nottingham queen who placed tenth on Drag Race UK season six, earned attention for design skills and pageant‑inspired aesthetics during her brief time on the series.
From the wider international Drag Race family, the cast features queens from the United States, Sweden, Thailand, Canada, the Philippines and Mexico. Representing the original US franchise is Mariah Paris Balenciaga, who previously competed on RuPaul’s Drag Race season three and All Stars 5 and is now returning for a third time to the wider Drag Race stage.
Gawdland joins from Drag Race Thailand season three, where she reached the finals with multiple challenge wins and no bottom placements. From Scandinavia, Fontana brings experience from Drag Race Sverige, adding Nordic representation to the cast.
The season will also include Canadian queen Melinda Verga from Canada’s Drag Race season four, whose original run was marked by high‑energy performance and outspoken confessionals. The Philippines is represented by Minty Fresh from Drag Race Philippines season one, with Philippine network ABS‑CBN highlighting her casting as a continuation of strong Filipino showings in the UK‑based spinoff.
Rounding out the lineup are Serena Morena from Drag Race México season one and The Only Naomy from Drag Race Germany season one, bringing the total to 10 competitors.
RuPaul will return as host and head judge, joined by regular UK judging panel members Michelle Visage, Alan Carr and Graham Norton. The BBC and LGBTQ+ outlet GCN report that a slate of celebrity guest judges, including Lucy Punch, Will Poulter and singer Anastacia, will appear across the season.
Attitude Magazine notes that the season three winner will receive a £50, 000 cash prize alongside the global title, underscoring the UK vs The World format’s position as one of the franchise’s high‑stakes all‑stars variants. The series continues to position British public broadcaster BBC Three as a platform for international drag talent and LGBTQ+ visibility, with previous seasons featuring champions Blu Hydrangea and Tia Kofi.
LGBTQ+ media outlets such as PinkNews, Attitude and GCN have framed the new cast as a celebration of cross‑border queer artistry, highlighting queens of diverse racial, national and cultural backgrounds, including Filipino, Thai, Mexican, Swedish, Canadian, British and American performers. For many viewers, the UK vs The World format functions as a showcase where drag artists from different local scenes can gain global exposure through BBC platforms and streaming services.
As anti‑LGBTQ+ rhetoric persists in parts of the world, the international scope of season three offers mainstream representation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other gender‑diverse communities via drag as an art form and mode of resistance.
