BBC axes RuPaul’s ‘Drag Race UK’ after eight series due to budget cuts

The BBC have announced that they will axe RuPaul’s Drag Race UK after eight series due to budget cuts. READ MORE: How ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ came to dominate pop culture The UK edition of the beloved drag queen competition will come to an end after this current series, which began last week. A BBC spokesperson said it was facing “significant financial pressures”, but added the broadcaster was “proud […] of this groundbreaking show” and thanked “RuPaul, World of Wonder and everyone involved, both on and off screen”. The show will move from BBC Three and iPlayer to Wow Presents Plus, the company that produces the show. They also confirmed that the UK’s first ‘All Stars’ series would premiere on Wow Presents Plus in Autumn 2027. The UK edition netted 1.5million viewers per episode at its peak, and produced stars like The Vivienne, La Voix, Bimini Bon Boulash, Tia Kofi and Danny Beard. The BBC has cancelled ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’ amid “significant financial pressures.” The show will now stream on WOW Presents Plus, with a confirmation of the UK’s first ‘All Stars’ series set to premiere in Autumn 2027. (https://t.co/J3BLM6PIQq) pic.twitter.com/bGYRtGV7oY — Pop Base (@PopBase) September 10, 2026 Since the show’s inception in 2009, Rupaul’s Drag Race has expanded out of the US into Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and a UK vs The World series. Hosting the UK edition is legendary drag queen RuPaul, along with Michelle Visage, Alan Carr and Graham Norton.Recommended FKA twigs, Years & Years‘ Olly Alexander, and JADE are some of the guest judges to have appeared over the years, with Michelle de Swarte, Cat Burns and Rick Astley to guest judge for the eighth season. Elsewhere, season one winner of Rupaul’s Drag Race UK The Vivienne died in 2025. The star – real name James Lee Williams – who was given their colourful name thanks to their love for wearing clothing designed by the late Vivienne Westwood, passed away due to the effects of ketamine.