RuPaul’s Drag Race UK crowns seventh queen

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK series seven winner has said she will be celebrating by spending some of the prize money on a trip for her and the show’s runner-up.

Elle Vosque, Catrin Feelings, Bones and Silllexa Diction were put through their paces one last time during the series finale.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Drag Race UK’s series seven finale.

The four finalists sat down with judges RuPaul and Michelle Visage to reflect on their time on the reality show and served up some dazzling final looks before Silllexa and Catrin were asked to sashay away.

Bones and Elle later went head-to-head in a lip-sync battle for the crown, performing to You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) by US disco singer Sylvester.

Following a lively performance, Bones was declared the winner and secured the £25,000 cash prize.

The drag superstar told BBC Newsbeat it might take the full year of her reign before she can come up with a word to describe how she is feeling.

“It’s a good type of overwhelming. I think after the season, it feels like the cherry on top. Honestly, I feel very lucky,” she said.

Bones revealed she and fellow finalist Elle, who hails from west Belfast, promised each other that if either of them won they would take the other on a holiday.

She said they haven’t booked anything yet but a trip to Europe, the Caribbean or possibly a cruise have been suggested.

Originally from Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, Bones entered the world of drag seven years ago and is now a popular fixture in London’s Soho scene.

The prize money will also go towards improving their drag, which is notoriously an expensive art form.

“This money, it’s what every drag queen dreams of. It’s almost like a bursary to be creative and produce. So absolutely, I will be stepping up everything that you see, ” she said.

This is the second year the winner of the UK edition has received a cash prize since it launched in 2019.

Bones said now that the UK spin-off is on its seventh series, the art form has become more popular, but also “more saturated”, meaning that its “down to the queens to make (things) happen for themselves now”.

The 25-year-old, known as Paul Greaves out of drag, picked up three “RuPeter” badges throughout the series, which are awarded to the winner of the maxi-challenge each episode.

During her sit-down with RuPaul and Michelle in the finale, Bones was joined by her mother Diane.

She said her parents had been “so supportive” when she was growing up and she has tried to pass on that love to others within her community who didn’t receive the same care.

Drag Race fan Benjy Kusi told BBC Newsbeat that he feels Bones is a “really worthy winner”.

“I thought Bones always devoured the runway, they have such a great presence whenever they hit the stage,” he said.

One of the highlights of the series saw the contestants give makeovers to a line-up of celebrities.

Bones transformed classical singer Charlotte Church into her drag sister, named Blood, and the pair donned co-ordinated cream silk and lace outfits as part of a vampire wedding fantasy.

Benjy said the makeover was “one of the best makeovers out of all the seasons of Drag Race”.

Drag Race remains popular, but fans have complained that various spin-offs, including versions in Europe, Canada and Australia, have over-saturated the brand.

And, after seven years on our screens, there are those who think it could do with a makeover of its own.

Benjy said he thinks the UK version would attract “greater engagement” if the show reflected the “amazing, beautiful diversity of the scene” more.

Drag performer and fan Nick agreed the show reflected only a “tiny slice” of drag culture in the UK.

“People want to see something new, people go: ‘Oh look it’s another bunch of early-mid 20’s, primarily white queens who are skinny doing the same-old, same-old,” they added.

“It’s very flattened and we don’t learn as much.”

Reflecting on this, Bones told Newsbeat: “I don’t think I could ever say it’s tired because baby, if it’s working, it’s working, and it’s been working for a long time.”

However, the drag star said they did enjoy how other versions changed up the format and suggested the UK edition could “mix it up a bit”, but said she “loved” her series.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here.