RuPaul's Drag Race UK returns for its fifth series this week as 10 new queens enter the werk room hoping the become the UK's next drag superstar.
As usual, RuPaul (aka "Mama Ru"), Michelle Visage, Graham Norton and Alan Carr will be on hand to cast their judgments over the looks and performances each week, joined by a different extra special guest judge each show.
Scroll on to meet the queens of 2023!
Alexis Saint Pete
Age: 28
From: London
Describe your drag in five words: "Silly, sexy, hungry, showstopping and delicious!"
What challenge are you most excited for?: "I'm really excited to do something totally different like play an absurd character and just let my silliness out."
What's one of your shows like?: "If you come to my one of my shows, you'll definitely see a big production! I love to bring a lot of storylines to my shows. You'll see energy, splits, kicks, turns, tricks... I've got it all."
Banksie
Age: 23
From: Manchester
Describe your drag in five words: "Long, big, tall, huge, massive!"
Explain your name?: "My surname is Banks, and so naturally 'Banksie' became my nickname, but I'm also inspired by 'the other Banksy' – the guerrilla artist. Banksy completely threw the art world into a spin with their unique art and I too aspire to do something unique with my art."
What makes you unique?: "I can be silly, I can be funny, I can be gorgeous, I can be serious... I can do it all!"
Cara Melle
Age: 26
From: London
Describe your drag in five words: "Sexual goddess amongst mere mortals!"
What's your gameplan?: "I don't have a game plan! I'm looking forward to the acting challenge, the Rusical and the girl group challenge, because I've been in a few girl groups. I have a bit of a reputation as a lip sync assassin, so my main goal is to send everyone home and stay at the top!"
DeDeLicious
Age: 20
From: Kent
Describe your drag in five words: "Polished, ridiculous, gargantuan, stupid and boobs!"
What challenge are you most excited for?: "All of it! I make most of my own wardrobe. In fact, I made some of Krystal's winning outfits for series 3, and so I'm really looking forward to conquering in the design challenge. DeDe is ready."
Ginger Johnson
Age: 34
From: County Durham
Describe your drag in five words: "Well-seasoned but not salty!"
What challenge are you most excited for?: "Anything that involves making RuPaul laugh - I could eat Ru's laugh for breakfast, lunch and dinner – they're so delicious."
What makes you unique?: "I'm a helium balloon in the shape of a woman - great fun at parties but highly flammable and prone to floating away if left unattended."
Kate Butch
Age: 26
From: Derbyshire
Describe your drag in five words: "Camp, bawdy, silly, quite bonkers!"
When did you get into drag?: "I first did drag at the age of six when I begged to be the pantomime Dame in my school play. It was the first time that I realised I could make people laugh and wear a wig whilst doing it!"
Michael Marouli
Age: 39
From: Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Describe your drag in five words: "Camp, daft, filth, fabulous and iconic!"
When did drag begin for you?: "I was about 22 when I started in drag. I started off with chapstick and mascara. I look back at the pictures and I just cringe, but we've all got to start somewhere and this gorgeousness didn't just happen overnight!"
Miss Naomi Carter
Age: 23
From: Doncaster
Describe your drag in five words: "Beauty, fashion, sassy, gobby and Northern!"
What inspires your drag?: "Well Naomi Campbell and Beyoncé of course, but I love all the icons - Diana Ross and Nina Simone are big inspirations too. I'm really inspired by black music and culture. I'm half Gambian, and half British, and so that's very much part of my drag identity too."
What makes you unique?: "I can DJ. I can rap. I can lip sync. I can dance. I can act. I'm fierce. I'm funny, and I'm really nice as well! I just cannot wait to get into that competition - I'm ready for it baby!"
Tomara Thomas
Age: 25
From: Hartlepool
Describe your drag in five words: "Sexy, fierce, wild, manic and stunning!"
What challenge are you most excited for?: "I'm more than this gorgeous dancing diva. I've got funny bones in my body so I want to win a comedy challenge! I've idolised RuPaul for years so the fact that they'll be standing in front of me in the flesh is amazing – although they probably won't understand a word I say!"
What makes you unique?: "This energy is unmatched. What other lady has an energy like this and looks like this?!"
Vicki Vivacious
Age: 36
From: Cornwall
Describe your drag in five words: "Fun, flirty, fabulous, glamorous, and Cornish."
What challenge are you most excited for?: "I bleed musical theatre and glamour so bring on the Rusical!"
What makes you unique?: "I can sing, I can dance and I can make people laugh. I can whip up a crowd and I can also eat a pasty in less than five seconds! Now that deserves a prize, right?"
RuPaul's Drag Race UK series five kicks off this Thursday, September 28 at 9pm on BBC Three and iPlayer.
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