Here’s everything we know about the new series of Drag Race Down Under

Just as Drag Race season 13 comes to an end this Saturday, we have been blessed with a brand new series: Drag Race Down Under. The new show will feature a group of queens from Australia and New Zealand fighting for the crown of the first ever queen of Down Under.

Unlike Canada’s Drag Race, this new series will be hosted by RuPaul with Michelle alongside. Along with a long list of fun queens and guest judges, this is everything we know about Drag Race Down Under.

The first episode will be available on BBC iPlayer on 2nd May

The first episode of the series airs on May 1st in Australia and is available on 2nd May on BBC iPlayer. The Twitter account for the series posted a teaser video showing a few of the queens, a clip of the mini challenge and a sneak peak at the candy-shop coloured werkroom.

The guest judge line up includes Kylie and Dannii Minogue

The guest judges announced for this series are already top tier. Kylie Minogue and her sister, Dannii, are set to make an appearance along with Jojo Rabbits’s Oscar-winning filmmaker, Taika Waititi.

Dannii Minogue added: “I got to have a cheeky Untucked chat with the girls from season one. They had come straight from the runway challenge so it was exciting and tense all at the same time, not knowing who was going to have to lip sync for their life!”

Unfortunately due to Covid protocols, the guest judges will be making their appearances virtually. However despite it being over a screen, one rumoured guest judge will make it all worth it as Cher recently said she’s “going to have to go on it at some point”, calling RuPaul “the coolest guy ever.”

RuPaul and Michelle will be hosting the show

Although Canada’s Drag Race mixed it up with the show’s alumni Brooke Lynn Hytes as the main presenter, Down Under is sticking to tradition. Michelle and RuPaul will be side by side in this series as the the head presenters.

The series is being filmed in New Zealand

The show was initially meant to be Aussie only but, due to Covid restrictions, the filming was moved to New Zealand and so it became a battle of Down Under’s first Drag Superstar.

There will be eight episodes and 10 queens on the series

Sadly this series isn’t doing a season 13 15-episode marathon, instead there will be eight episodes, one released each week. And, of course, the most important part – the 10 queens starring in this series are Anita Wigl’it, Art Simone, Coco Jumbo, Elektra Shock, Etcetera Etcetera, Jojo Zaho, Karen From Finance, Kita Mean, Maxi Shield and Scarlet Adams. You can stalk the queens’ Instagrams here.

Catch up on UK Drag Race on BBC iPlayer here and all 13 seasons of Drag Race US here.

Featured image credit: RuPaul’s Drag Race (left), Art Simone (right)

Related stories recommended by the writer:

• G’day to the queens of the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under

• 34 moments that prove Drag Race UK is the best thing to come out of this silly little island

• Quiz: Design a RuPaul’s Drag Race runway look and we’ll tell you what to lip sync