Are we all over last week’s jaw-dropper of an exit? Unfortunately with a heavy heart, we said goodbye to everyone’s fave glamour nana Ginny Lemon. Social media went into overdrive, spawning hundreds of memes and unasked opinions on whether it was fair or not. Ginny left on their own accord and declared they’re punk, just know we won’t see the last of this little slice. From one shock to another, and that is a never-ending journey with our enemy Covid.
Being reminded of last year’s lockdown, it seems forever ago yet time has ebbed away slowly. Having it crossover into watching drag race kind of takes you out the safe little bubble we all look forward to on the weekly basis. Alas, it’s the queens I feel for, Ginny left at the right time, filming was halted, and as we all knew resumed filming last autumn due to schedule clashing with season 13. Viewers will need a bingo card to tick unlikely things to happen on tonight’s show.
Right, are we ready to get in what is the most exciting episode, even though we thought we’d seen it all? The queens retreat to the werkroom to see beloved Ginny’s goodbye mirror message. Some are upset, some disappointed she left and ‘gave up’ whatever the opinion it’s done and dusted now! Everyone’s a bit pent up with who should’ve been bottom two, getting more heated as each queen doesn’t get to finish a sentence. But then sirens blare, Ru appears and what now feels like a lifetime ago announces due to the pandemic lockdown is commence telling the queens to stay safe and sashay away.
Cut to 7 months later, and we’re greeted with a welcome back party. First to arrive back is Awhora, and followed one by one – in alphabetical order. As stated by Sister Sister it’s normally all-stars we see peoples face change, and some took this break to enhance some facial features. So all queens are reunited, however, no letter V is back… moving swiftly along Ru welcomes them back in a Yellow wig…shady?
We’re then told Veronica won’t be returning due to testing positive for Covid, which is incredibly sad she was one I would’ve seen in the final. With Miss Green gone, we get cheered up with the pit crew here to entertain us in children’s animal costumes, but who’s under the mask?
It’s the eliminated queens, of course, we say hello to Joe Black, Asttina Mandela, and Cherry Valentine, Ginny has taken herself out of the competition so unable to be in the running. In true All-Stars fashion, the returning queens themselves must make the case on why they should be brought back. With the remaining queens deciding who they want back with them competing.
Now we all know who I would bring back, and my wish is granted! With all queens voting Joe besides Bimini and Awhora, we see Joe Black back in the running!
Look how much has happened and I haven’t even got to the maxi challenge or runway and we’re only 16 bloody minutes into the show. This season is just *chefs kiss* maxi challenge time, in true British fashion we get Eurovision, 2020 canceled the chances of it happening so we get RuRuvision and musical entry ‘U K Hun?’ the queens must compete in groups complete with choreography and own lyrics. I hope we get a song as iconic as the Frock Destroyers, they’ve gone on to do tours, release albums and rumor is they will appear on the actual Eurovision this year!
Returning queen Joe is elected team captain alongside last week’s winner Lawrence Chaney, I do think from the jump Lawerence has the stronger team. They are all strong personalities, dancers and done well in previous challenges, whereas Joe’s team has seen them safe or the bottom.
The stakes are high, the claws are out with the insults, and being away 7 months has got them geared up! So we have The United Kingdolls and Bananadrama. The recording process is perhaps a small insight into what team will have that extra edge, Awhora is hilarious in her recording, capitalizing on her inability to sing.
Each team has one or two who seem to be struggling, along with choreography the struggle is real. Having four people in one team trying to organize a dance without any clear direction never boded well in the past, has it? And watching Joe’s team have nothing concrete as me screeching ‘Noooo come on everyone get it together!’
Mirror chat time and they all discuss what they found tough during lockdown, Bimini highlights the biggest worry was job security. We all miss the arts and the drag industry, being at a drag show fuels all of us an audience, as fans and people working in the industry, the pandemic has highlighted how much we probably take them for granted. I think a lot of us have all learned a lot during the last year about what we want in life and job security in particular is a scary thing. Bimini reminds us all to just have a PMA…. A positive mental attitude it’s a wise line and hard to do but we can all give it a tiny try!

Let the music play, opening RuRuvision is The United Kingdolls, from the start this is a group you want to be in. It’s fun, its camp, each member is different yet sticks to their aesthetic no one was a dud.

Of course, all songs in drag race are a little questionable, but this was a number that was high energy, I felt Bimini brought everything to the challenge. Second group Bananadrama, I loved it, their aesthetic all matched and you got individuality from each queen’s lyrics. Also, shout out to Tia and her gorgeous outfit and hair candyfloss dream!
Runway is ‘ A day at the seaside’, coincides nicely with Joe’s return as he hails from the famous seaside Brighton. Each outfit was well thought and had strong concepts, my tops are Bimini, Joe, Awhora, and Sister Sister. To me they all embodied old and new at the seaside, particularly Joes’ windy day at the beach, countless days trying to eat on Brighton pier, and only once did I get attacked by a seagull in a midst of a windy day!

The winning team is The United Kingdolls which is to be exected and each wins a coveted Rupeter badge, Bananadrama is up for elimination. The critiques from the judges seem so much more brutal, Ru is incredibly vocal, I get the impression she wanted more from them especially as they’ve had an additional 7 months to get ready for the competition.
But of course, those were exceptional circumstances and we don’t know how they all coped during that time. Just because there’s extra time to be creative, it wasn’t usual free time, not to mention the industry was closed for months. But alas they are the judges, they completely tear apart Tia and Joe!

The bottom two is Joe Black and Tia Kofi, the lipsync song is one of my favorite 80’s songs by The Communards Don’t Leave Me This Way I grew up on this song, it is such a fun song! Both were great, I feel Joe embodied the song more, whereas Tia chucked herself about replicating what we saw in her previous lip sync against Asstina. However Ru disagrees, and sends Joe Black packing for the second time. It’s sad that Ru didn’t perhaps see what we all love about Joe. I hope what you all saw in those two episodes of Joe Black has made you a fan!
So that was quite the episode, we are being spoilt this week as an extra episode ‘The corona diaries’ will document how the queens coped during the lockdown, etc which will air this Friday!
New episodes of Drag Race UK will debut on the BBC Three iPlayer at 7:00 p.m. BST in the United Kingdom and 1 am PT / 2 pm ET, exclusively on WOW Presents Plus in the US and select territories worldwide.