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TV Quickfire: Michelle Visage on judging series three of RuPaul's Drag Race UK

Michelle Visage is back on the judging panel for series three of RuPaul's Drag Race UK. We found out why she loves the role so much.

Michelle Visage attending the TRIC Awards 2020 held at the Grosvenor Hotel, London
Michelle Visage attending the TRIC Awards 2020 held at the Grosvenor Hotel, London Michelle Visage attending the TRIC Awards 2020 held at the Grosvenor Hotel, London

HOW WOULD YOU SUM UP THE NEW SERIES OF RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE UK?

IT'S completely different, because it's completely different queens, with completely different stories, completely different trajectories. You don't know where somebody is going to go, and that's the beauty of RuPaul's Drag Race, you go on a ride with these people. It's like life; we judge people by what we see, and then we get fully surprised.

HOW POIGNANT IS THE DECISION TO INCLUDE VICTORIA SCONE IN THE LINE-UP?

Having Victoria on this series is game-changing. I consider myself a cis woman drag queen, AFAB [assigned female at birth] queen, whatever you want to call it – I just call myself a drag queen. And I've been trying to compete behind that judging table for 14 years now. It's just part of the beautiful growth of drag, and what we represent, and we are all-inclusive, so it is important that she's there. And she's wonderful.

WHAT'S THE STRANGEST PLACE YOU'VE BEEN RECOGNISED?

An odd place was at the gynaecologists' office; sitting there waiting to go in and you see somebody looking, and it's like, "Do I have something on my face?" It was one of those moments where I was like, "Well, I'm gonna remember this one!"

There are the people who you wouldn't exactly think would be watching the show, and they come up and they say how much they love it. It's just wonderful. It's a show for everybody, and that's what I love about it.

THE QUEENS GET A LOT OF SUPPORT ON SOCIAL MEDIA TOO. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO SEE DRAG BECOMING MORE ACCEPTED?

I've been a fan of drag since I was a kid, and people thought I was crazy for loving drag. But drag, to me, has always been as viable an art form as painting, as dance. So, it's very rewarding for me to sit back and go, "See, I told you! I knew it". Drag is amazing and expressive and artistic, and it fills my soul and my heart with joy.

No matter what it is, there's going to be haters, whether it's politics, whether it's the arts, whether it's your face, there's always going to be somebody who has something negative to say. You just can't spend too much time soaking in that.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST LESSONS YOU'VE LEARNT THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER?

I've learned to be flexible. A lot of people try to fit into a certain mould to make people happy instead of making themselves happy, and I have been a victim of that as well. If you can stay steadfast to who you are, and true to what you believe, what you feel you represent, you'll be unstoppable. I'm the best Michelle Visage that there can be, and I need to just focus on that.

HAVE YOU KEPT UP BALLROOM DANCING SINCE COMPETING ON STRICTLY?

I left Strictly and had to have knee surgery. Two weeks after knee surgery, I said to my doctor, "When can I dance?" He's like, "You're good! You can go dance". So I take a dance class at least once a week.

I'm still not great, but I love it so much. I found my love of Latin and ballroom through doing Strictly and it's something I always wanted to learn, and I had the best experience of my life.

:: RuPaul's Drag Race UK series three will return to BBC Three and iPlayer on Thursday September 23, with new episodes weekly.