HomeEntertainmentRuPaul's Drag Race UK crowns series six queen

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK crowns series six queen

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BBC/World of Wonder/Nick Strasburg RuPaul in a promotional shoot for the sixth series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK. RuPaul wears a metallic purple off-the-shoulder dress, paired with a blonde wig and purple star-shaped earrings. She pouts and poses against a purple backdrop. BBC/World of Wonder/Nick Strasburg

“If you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you gonna love someone else?”

RuPaul has crowned the UK’s next drag superstar.

Queens La Voix, Kyran Thrax, Marmalade and Rileasa Slaves went head to head in a bid to snatch the crown in Thursday’s grand finale.

The sixth series of the UK version of RuPaul’s Drag Race made herstory as the first time queens could win a cash prize – a fixture of the US series – of £25,000.

The winner told BBC Newsbeat they felt “so grateful” to have won the show.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the final below

BBC / World Of Wonder / Kieron McCarron The 12 series six queens from Ru Paul's Drag Race UK pictured together outside the BBC's New Broadcasting House on a sunny day. BBC / World Of Wonder / Kieron McCarron

Twelve queens entered the race, with eight eliminated before the final

After 10 episodes, Kyran Thrax was crowned the winner, describing it as “the ride of my life”.

“There have been highs and lows, and I’m very proud of this season.

“And of every single person that was a part of creating the season, because it’s magic.”

And on a personal level, it was a significant season for Kyran.

BBC/World of Wonder/Guy Levy Kyran Thrax on stage, with a blue background with a pink rectangular square behind Kyran, who is dressed is black with long spiky hair.BBC/World of Wonder/Guy Levy

Meet your winner

At the end of each episode, RuPaul asks the queens: “If you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you gonna love someone else?”

And in episode five Kyran opened up about how they hadn’t always felt that way, and how hard loving themselves had been after being groomed online.

Their abuser, who posed as a teenager and targeted a 13-year-old Kyran shortly after they came out, was sent to prison but Kyran said the ordeal “made me despise myself”.

“I hated myself so much because I saw everything falling apart around me.”

But their confidence started to grow after their mum told them “to look in the mirror and tell myself I loved myself”.

“I did it every day before school… and I didn’t believe it and I hated it and then I slowly started to believe it, and that’s where this confidence comes from

Kyran says the reaction has been “so overwhelming in the most amazing way”.

“I wanted to show people that you can go through something like that and it doesn’t need to destroy you.

“The moment I started talking, I feel like I’m showing everyone I’m human.”

‘I hope I’m an example’

BBC/World Of Wonder/Guy Levy La Voix on stage with her dad Richard Dennis - AKA Voila - in drag. The pair were red wigs piled high, matched with red velvet dresses inspired by theatre curtains and matching red gloves. They're on the runway of RuPaul's Drag Race, with Richard resting his hand on La Voix's arm. BBC/World Of Wonder/Guy Levy

At 44, La Voix was one of the oldest queens to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK

One of the series’ standout moments was when La Voix’s dad Richard joined her for the family resemblance challenge, where the queens are tasked with putting a loved one in drag.

Richard, who’s 78, brought judge Michelle Visage to tears when, transformed into Voila, he described realising “it’s a privilege being gay”.

“Of all the hard work and effort people go through in this world, it’s tremendous, and I give praise to everybody,” he said.

“I hope I’m setting an example to other parents who should equally love their child – irrespective of gender or anything.”

The moment was shared widely online and La Voix, 44, says “that wisdom and guidance was incredible”.

“He’s an absolute legend.

“The love and support he’s had from the community and he just wants to keep giving back.”

Rileasa who?

BBC/World of Wonder/Guy Levy Rileasa Slaves on the runway. She wears a red pirate-style hat, long braids and a red puff-sleeved dress matched with yellow scarf and a cropped waist coat in red, yellow, green and gold stripes.BBC/World of Wonder/Guy Levy

Rileasa Slaves chose her name to draw attention to the historical enslavement of Caribbean people

At the start of the competition, Rileasa Slaves sat down with BBC Newsbeat and said how she wanted to reference historical enslavement of Caribbean people by the British and some other European countries with her drag name.

“I think it’s a very important conversation,” she said at the time.

“It’s about shedding light on a part of history. It’s in my ancestry, it’s all tied in.”

But during the episodes, RuPaul never used her full name, instead calling her Rileasa Lisa.

Rileasa says there was a scene that didn’t air with a discussion on the subject, but says as a drag queen it will always be “Rileasa Slaves”.

“I think the amazing thing about my name is the power behind it.”

But she clarified that as she’s moving into music, she will be known as “Rileasa”.

BBC/World of Wonder/Guy Levy Contestants compete in the Snatch Game. Sitting in two rows from L-R: Marmalade is a beheaded Marie Antoinette; Chanel O'Conor is Coco Peru; Kyran, dressed as Elvis Presley, stands and points at RuPaul; Rileasa is Rihanna; La Voix looks at Kyran while dressed as Liza Minnelli; Charra Tea is Nadine Coyle dressed as Mary Poppins; Lill is Queen Victoria and Actavia is the Welsh dragon. BBC/World of Wonder/Guy Levy

Fans branded this series’ Snatch Game as one of the most iconic moments

Looking ahead, as the first UK winner to get a cash prize, Kyran says the money will be invested “back into my drag”.

“I want to give the biggest and best shows ever.

“I’m not going to disappoint.”

If you’ve been affected by the issues raised in this article, help and support is available via BBC Action Line.

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