The BBC was met with boos from a room full of gay men and drag queens at the Attitude Awards in London over its decision to axe Drag Race UK.
Host criticises BBC savings plan
Host Danny Beard addressed the decision directly, saying: "500 million quid in savings to find, apparently, and somehow it’s the drag queens that have got to go first."
He also suggested an alternative target for cuts, adding: "I never liked Mrs Brown’s Boys. I call it cultural appropriation, to be honest. A straight man in a sh***** wig in a cardigan, and you call it drag."
Show's legacy and future
Drag Race UK has aired eight series since 2019, launching stars such as Danny Beard, La Voix and Tia Kofi. At its peak, it averaged around 1.5 million viewers per episode.
Tia Kofi, winner of RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World series 2 in 2024, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that cutting the show means a "marginalised" audience now has no representation on mainstream TV.
Future series will move to the production company's streaming service, WOW Presents Plus, at £5.99 a month, adding another subscription for viewers.
Broader implications
The BBC needs to find £500 million in savings, and the decision to axe the show has sparked anger among its audience. The debate highlights the challenge of balancing budgets while serving niche audiences who also pay the licence fee.
