RuPaul’s Drag Race UK axed after 8 series as fans hit out at BBC’s LGBTQ+ cuts

RuPaul’s Drag Race is set to exit BBC due to ‘financial pressure’ facing the broadcaster (Picture: BBC/ Leigh Keily / Matt Burlem) RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is sashaying away from the BBC after eight series, and fans are devastated. Viewers have expressed their deep concern about what its departure from the broadcaster means for LGBTQ+ representation on British television. The BBC has confirmed it will no longer broadcast future series of the hit competition after its current run, with Drag Race UK instead moving to production company World of Wonder’s streaming service, WOW Presents Plus. Its spin-off UK vs The World will make the move too, while a new Drag Race UK All Stars series has already been announced for autumn 2027. The decision means Drag Race UK does have a future, but it will no longer have the same freely accessible home that helped turn British queens into household names and brought drag into millions of living rooms. That difference hasn’t been lost on former contestant Bimini, who shared an emotional response to the news. ‘Drag Race UK is leaving the BBC. I’m actually so sad about this,’ they wrote on X, reflecting on filming the second series more than six years ago. Many fans think the move reflects a larger issue in LGBTQ+ representation (Picture: BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston) ‘I was skint, I had no clue what I was doing, and I was locked in a room with eleven of the most talented people I’ve ever met.’ Bimini credited the programme with transforming their life and career, but also highlighted its importance beyond its impact on the lives of those who competed on it. ‘That show was on in living rooms where drag was not welcome, and it changed something in those living rooms,’ they wrote. ‘At a time when queer and trans people in this country are being legislated about and shouted about more than ever, that matters. It still does.’ They concluded: ‘Drag was here before the telly. It’ll be here after.’ Former contestant La Voix, who became a huge name in entertainment after her appearance on the show, wrote on Instagram: ‘I know the show will live on, on WOW presents uk, but it’s a loss to not have this represented on main terrestrial tv! ‘So, to everyone who has been part of the BBC Drag Race UK family — queens, crew, producers, judges and everyone behind the scenes — thank you for the memories, the opportunities and the friendships.’ Drag Race UK is leaving the BBC. I'm actually so sad about this 😭🥹We filmed that show over six years ago. Six. I've blinked and it's gone. I was skint, I had no clue what I was doing, and I was locked in a room with eleven of the most talented people i’ve ever met.… pic.twitter.com/d1EyPzfb47— BÎмÎηÎ (@biminibabes) September 9, 2026 The BBC has attributed the decision to its financial situation rather than the nature of the programme, as it works towards making £500million in savings. A spokesperson told Metro: ‘As the BBC continues to navigate significant financial pressures and deliver the savings required of us, we have had to make some very difficult choices, none of which have been taken lightly. We can therefore confirm together with World of Wonder, that RuPaul’s Drag Race UK will be leaving the BBC and moving to WOW Presents Plus. ‘The BBC is incredibly proud of all eleven series of this groundbreaking show and we would like to thank RuPaul, World of Wonder and everyone involved, both on and off screen. We are certain that viewers will enjoy the eighth series, which is currently airing on BBC iPlayer and BBC Three.’ Drag Race UK launched in 2019, bringing RuPaul’s wildly successful US format across the pond with a distinctly British spin. RuPaul and Michelle Visage have judged contestants alongside Graham Norton and Alan Carr, while its eight series have introduced audiences to stars including Danny Beard, Tia Kofi, La Voix and Bimini. At its peak, the programme reportedly averaged around 1.5million viewers per episode. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video For some fans, however, the news feels particularly significant because it comes in the same year the BBC axed I Kissed A Boy and I Kissed A Girl. The Dannii Minogue-fronted shows made history by putting gay and lesbian dating at the centre of a mainstream UK reality franchise, but the corporation confirmed earlier this year that they would end amid its funding challenges. Now, three of the BBC’s most prominent LGBTQ+ entertainment shows have either ended or are leaving the broadcaster in 2026. ‘I Kissed a Boy / Girl AND Drag Race UK cancelled by the BBC in 2026 🙃,’ one person wrote on X. ‘Representation is soooo important and we are seeing less and less.’ Another said they found it ‘very upsetting’ to see the BBC cutting LGBTQ+ programming, while others questioned why Drag Race UK had been chosen given its apparent continued popularity. The current series will finish broadcasting on the BBC (Picture: Simon Ackerman/WireImage) One viewer claimed it had been the BBC’s third most-streamed programme only last week, describing the decision as a ‘lack of vision’. Others were more optimistic about the move to World of Wonder, particularly given one longstanding gripe with the British edition. ‘BBC couldn’t properly fund this show. And that small prize package??? The queens will do better without BBC,’ one fan argued. ‘Finally. Give the girls a proper cash prize,’ another joked. There has been no announcement that the move will result in a bigger prize fund. The current eighth series, which launched in September, will continue to air normally on BBC Three and iPlayer, while existing episodes are expected to remain available after the switch. World of Wonder, meanwhile, has promised a ‘new era’ for the franchise, with future Drag Race UK and UK vs The World series heading to WOW Presents Plus alongside the newly announced All Stars edition. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The BBC has not suggested that its decision has anything to do with Drag Race UK’s LGBTQ+ content, and has explicitly cited the financial pressures it is under. Still, for viewers who have watched I Kissed A Boy, I Kissed A Girl and now Drag Race UK disappear from the BBC’s future schedules in a matter of months, the optics have inevitably become part of the story. As one fan put it, while sharing an emotional clip from Drag Race UK showing a father accepting his drag queen son: ‘This is why a show like this was so vital to so many queer individuals who found home in the show.’ Drag Race UK may have found somewhere else to sashay to. For some fans, though, losing its place on public television is the part that hurts. 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