Two drag queens with Merseyside connections are set to appear on the upcoming series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK. The BBC competition, which first aired in 2019, has previously crowned winners from the region, including the late The Vivienne and Danny Beard from Halewood.
Naya Thorn's Liverpool roots
Naya Thorn, 24, originally from Dudley, has credited Liverpool with shaping her career. She performed regularly at Heaven on Victoria Street in the city's Pride Quarter. She said: "For the past five years, I've travelled the country establishing myself as a queen of very high standards. Currently, I live in Manchester, but I did start drag in Liverpool, where I saw, I came, and I conquered."
She added: "I am over the moon to be on Drag Race UK, and I'm here to win. I am very in touch with my chakras, and my chakras are telling me that this season's going to be full of talent and thorns."
Thorn described her performances as theatrical, saying: "If you come to a Naya Thorn show, you're going to get a theatre performance that is going to make you feel every emotion. Are you going to feel happy or are you going to feel sad? That depends on the song, but I will always choose a song that means something to me. I just really enjoy connecting with an audience."
She also noted her competitive nature: "I am a very competitive person. So that may get in the way of any potential 'werkroom' friendships. I have my eyes on the prize. I don't mind being a team player, but I'm not looking to split the fee. I need the full fee and attention. You can't get full attention if you're in a team."
Ma Danni x's 28-year career
Ma Danni x, 48, from the Wirral, brings 28 years of experience. She began as a dancer on cruise ships and was inspired by a drag queen cabin mate. She said: "My career started at 21, I was a dancer working on the cruise ships and my cabin mate was a drag queen who made me up one night and so a new drag queen was born."
She landed her first job at Madam JoJo's in Soho, and has since worked with Cliff Richard, Ruby Wax, Lily Savage, George Michael, Samantha Fox, Ant and Dec, Simon Cowell, and Amanda Holden. Her TV credits include The Club for Samantha Fox, Project Catwalk with Kelly Osbourne, and Britain's Got Talent.
She said: "It'll be the ultimate dream to go all the way - I deserve my place in this fabulous competition, I've worked so hard to be here, and I want to prove to the nation that I can be the ultimate winner on this massive platform. Look at her, she's an icon. But if I have to play dirty, to win the competition, I'll play dirty, that said I'm a true professional."
Series details
The eighth series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK premieres on BBC Three on Thursday, September 3. RuPaul returns as host and head judge, with Michelle Visage, Alan Carr, and Graham Norton on the panel. The series began filming in January 2026. Contestants compete in weekly challenges in comedy, acting, and fashion design for a £25,000 cash prize and RuPeter badges.
