The time has come to prepare yourselves for a new season of Drag Race UK and let us tell your right now that our body, mind and souls are ready.
We sat down with the full cast, yes you read that correct, the entire collection of fresh faced icons, to gather the pre-season gossip and do some totally official research.
Grab yourselves a cup babe, the tea is piping hot and it’s spilling time!
What story did you make up to hide that you were appearing on the show?
Bones: I told my day job that I was on jury duty because it was the only thing I could think of without being like “who died?” and I didn’t really want to talk about that in case I manifested something. People don’t really ask questions and you know what, it’s a good reason that I can pass on to future queens on drag race.
Bonnie Ann Clyde: I think I just said I was going away, the more you talk about it the more obvious it is, so I literally just said I was disappearing.
Catrin Feelings: I didn’t tell anyone really, I just disappeared, I told my Mam and Dad and then two designers (one of them being Marmalade). I had my friend tell the rest of my friends where I was, but stupidly my parents said I was in France, they could have at least said Germany since I speak German. But you know, I said it was great and European, croissants and all that.
Chai T Grande: I just said I was going away, people are going to notice you’re gone and everyone knows I can’t afford to say I’m going on a holiday.
Elle Vosque: It’s actually really funny, I was still in uni when I got the call so I had figure out both how to leave the bar I was working in at the time and to manage uni. They didn’t clock it as I told the bar I needed time off to focus on uni, then told my uni friends I needed some mental space and time off. The friends then started going to the bar and asking for me though and the bar said it was funny cos I’d told them I was doing uni work.
Nyongbella: I said I was doing a humanitarian discursion to help places like Uganda and other third world places to help the children. (Other queens: Instead she fed the children) Yeah so I didn’t lie, I did feed the children.
Paige Three: I gave my socials to my friend for her to run while I was away and said I was in “Miami” as last year I genuinely was in Miami working out there. While I was recording, people on Reddit who were copping what phone case I had last year and didn’t have this year were kicking off that I had my phone with me and it wasn’t fair. But honestly, it was just my friend!
Pasty: I hinted to people that I was going on the Great British Bake Off.
Sally™: So I love strategy and played it like a game. When I got home everyone was asking, so I told them I was in Malta doing a sabbatical with work and people believed me. Even when doing a show with my best friend Sweet Boy I said I was really stressed with having to pack for Malta.
Silllexa Diction: I told everyone that I went to Scarborough for a few days as my Grandma lives there, everyone still believes it
Tayris Mongardi: I don’t think I ever actually answered the question, anybody who knows me in real life knows I do my best to avoid replying to texts anyway. So I just kind of disappeared. It’s only afterwards when people on Reddit ask where you’ve been, so I just avoided answering.
Viola: My grandma has been quite ill over the past year and my parents have been moving home. So for the whole of December I was “helping my parents move out and looking after my Grandma” while I was actually making outfits and then in January I went off to Portugal but you know, I left my phone at home so I couldn’t take any pictures, it was so upsetting, I didn’t even get a tan.
What is the inspiration behind your drag name?
Bones: I would love to say that I have a really gorgeous, witchy back story or something like that but it literally, no pun intended, came to me in the shower. I think that at the time when going out, as my boy name is probably the most boring, it made me very uncool very quickly. So I was just scrambling for something and it just came to me and I thought you know what, it does work. But yeah, you could just say I got a boner in the shower.
Bonnie Ann Clyde: There’s obviously a pun in my name, but I’m not actually named after the two gangsters Bonnie and Clyde from the 1920’s. I’m named after my two dead cats who are named Bonnie and Cyle, I thought how can I make this a pun? I always say that it’s Bonnie Ann Clyde and the D is tucked away.
Catrin Feelings: I always wanted something Welsh and a pun cos I just love it and loads of the Cardiff queens have pun names, so I wanted to join in. I was listening to “Motivate” by Little Mix as I’m a big fan and it goes (Yes she did give us a beautiful rendition) “Oh La La yeah, I’m catching feelings” and I was just like oh my gosh, that sounds like Catrin Feelings. It’s also common for queens to get spam accounts in the DMs saying we’re fit so my pun for a while was “All these men are in the DMs catching feelings for Catrin Feelings”.
Chai T Grande: I didn’t get a boner in the shower unfortunately. I wanted something that was sweet and spicy so that kind of element came very quickly at that start. As you can tell I’m a big Ariana fan so given her name is Grande, it just made sense to put them together. The T is just the letter T so it can stand for whatever you want
Elle Vosque: I didn’t want a name with a pun, I wanted something unique, different and that captured my brand. I’ve always loved the movie Legally Blonde so I went with Elle inspired by Elle boots and then the Voqsue part of my name is a broadway actress called Jessica Vosk. I added the “que” to be more bougee and fancy (it looks better in a signature)
Nyongbella: My inspiration was my birth certificate cos it’s just my actual name, easy.
Paige Three: On the third page of newspapers, there were often glamour and topless models, and that played a big part in shaping my inspiration. Some of my favourite Page 3 girls went on to work for Playboy (which I adore) – which then links up to my love for Pamela Anderson – connecting my admiration for both. For me, it’s all about female empowerment, something many people didn’t believe Page 3 represented. I’ve spoken with several women involved in Page 3, and many described it as one of the most empowering experiences of their lives, allowing them to embrace and own their womanhood. I often present myself in a more feminine way simply because I love and worship women as an entity, and it feels like a tribute to some of the strongest women—those who boldly embraced their sex appeal and sexuality, showing just how glamorous they could be.
Pasty: Mine is literally cos I’m from Cornwall and I wanted something you could you know, quickly relate to Cornwall and was also a bit stupid and dumb. I thought of it one day and I was like, perfect, job done.
Sally™: I used to play the Sims 3 with modded content and Sally Trademark was an NPC who because of the mods, used to set fire to bins, shag sims and move on. I added her to my active household, and became obsessed with her tyranny.
Silllexa Diction: So my first drag name was “Silly Girl”, that was like my teenage eera. Sillexa was like, she’s mummy, she’s got her big tits and she’s here to feed the children. She’s all about sex empowerment, being confident and gorgeous.
Tayris Mongardi: Tayris is half Taystee from Orange is the New Black and half Iris from Pokémon Black and White, because they’re both franchises that I had such a love for! Mongardi is actually just a surname of a good-looking gentleman, and I’ll leave it at that.
Viola: I think everyone can answer for me now given the amount of times I’ve mentioned I play the violin hahaha. Why not make the violin my namesake? Branded? Yes babes. The other reason was for my love of theatre and Shakespeare – in ‘Twelfth Night’ the character viola has to disguise herself as her brother Sebastian, but obviously back in Shakespearean times female roles were played by men, so the character Viola would be a man playing a woman playing a man. 15th century drag? Oh absolutely! Viola became the perfect name for representing both my musicality and gender-bendy roots in drag.
If you could swap drag wardrobes with a fellow cast member, who would it be?
Bones: I would swap with Chai, everyday I would be in Chai’s station being like “oohhhh that’s nice, that’s nice, what size are you again?”
Bonnie Ann Clyde: Oh I’ll just wear my own wardrobe apparently, they can all wear their own clothes and I’ll wear mine
Catrin Feelings: I actually don’t know cos all the outfits are shit! No, for real I don’t know which one I would wear, not being shady, I just don’t know who’s I’d look good in. I’ll go with Tyris as she has some great outfits that I could wear, maybe not the Jamaican catsuit, but if there was a Welsh version, I would wear it.
Chai T Grande: Bones. (No further explanation needed)
Elle Vosque: I’d swap with Sally, people wouldn’t expect it, but I think I could wear her things differently to how she does, but a lot of her wardrobe could fit the Elle Vosque look in a different way, she always looks so cool so yeah, there’s that.
Nyongbella: Probably Sally as it would be fun and I wouldn’t feel so out of body. I’d consider Sellexa but I couldn’t hold up the boobs
Paige Three: Sticking with the theme of sex appeal, I’d choose Sillexa Diction – but our proportions don’t quite match! I’d either need to pad things out or have the outfit taken in, since she has the most fabulously large tits and arse – one of the wildest silhouettes I’ve ever seen on Drag Race. I also love her vinyl-and-leather aesthetic, which aligns closely with mine, so I could stay on brand. And honestly, I just know she’d let me borrow some of her looks—she’s my ultimate Diva!
Pasty: Sillexa, not much would fit the waist , I mean look at her
Sally™: I feel like someone who had an underrated package filled with fashionably camp outfits is Pasty, when you see some of the things she brought – holy shit
Silllexa Diction: I wouldn’t swap, they’re all rotted. No, if I had to pick, I’d probably pick Bones, but I’d rather keep my own if I’m not at knife point
Tayris Mongardi: I’d have to say Silllexa! The way she plays with scale, ideas and proportions is honestly major, and she makes it herself? Incredible
Viola: Am I allowed to say none of them?! * insert laugh here * In all seriousness, I would have to say Bonnie, lots of sophistication and gorgeousity in her outfits and I think that fits my vibe well At the end of the day we’re both giving old-lady-drag (don’t tell her I said that).
For the nerdy folks out there, if you were a Pokémon, which one would you be?
Bones: Has to be mudkip cos I’m obsessed and I think it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen
Bonnie Ann Clyde: Rosealia cos she’s got body, great eye shadow and a great wig. The whole line up of flower Pokémon are totally cunty.
Catrin Feelings: Turtwig, I friggin love Turtwig, not enough people talk about him. I also go for a grass type, he’s an ugly little cunt but he’s so powerful in his own way and I can relate to that.
Chai T Grande: My meet the queens promo look was a little inspired by it, Gardevior is my absolute favourite Pokémon, I’m always attracted to fairy/psychic types. She’s like a humanoid bitch, a drag queen herself.
Elle Vosque: I don’t really know Pokemon but I know I’d be something cute! (We went with Sylveon and fun fact: Elle though we asked what kind of golf ball she would be…..neon green btw.)
Nyongbella: From the promo I think everyone would assume Jigglypuff, but in reality I’m more of a Lopbunny as she’s naked and covered in fur. She’s a bit naughty, so it’s kinda my vibe.
Paige Three: I’d be one with their tits out, I’m not sure that’s okay for the television…. (Jynx!)
Pasty: I always used to love Squirtle and he’s really cute, he also turns into Blastoise who is really strong
Sally™: A ditto, cos I’m a bit of a shapeshifter, I can adapt and survive via transformation.
Silllexa Diction: I don’t know many, so I’m going to jump in and say Pikachu.
(Other queens: Cos you’re an electrifying diva!)
Tayris Mongardi: I’ve always loved the seal Pokémon, I wanted to be a marine biologist before I did drag, so Seal and Dewgong from first generation, then the Spheal evolutions, Sealeo was my babe. Now though, I really love Primarina as when I’m in drag I feel like I also get my male to female transformation.
Viola: I’d have to be a singing type, but I don’t really know any, there’s a card game right?
(We went with Meloetta)
Now that your thirst is quenched (yeah right, we know you all want more) be sure to show each an every one of these hard-working queens show love and keep yours eyes on all the amazing things they have coming up.
Along with following the gorgeous divas on social media, you can also support them by buying their fabulous merch, simply give their name a click below
Bones I Bonnie Anne Clyde I Catrin Feelins I Chai T Grande I Elle Vosque I
Nyongbella I Paige Three I Pasty I Sally I Sillexa Diction I Tayris Mongardi I Viola
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Catch all new episodes of Drag Race UK starting Thursday 25th of September of BBC Three and BBC iPlayer and pop off using #DragRaceUK all season long!
