Drag star Tayce has claimed that a 'negative focus on trans people' cost her a place on Strictly Come Dancing's main series, despite winning last year's Christmas special.
The drag queen, whose real name is Tayce Szura-Radix, made history as the first drag act to appear on the show when she danced with professional Kai Widdrington in the festive edition. However, she was not among the celebrities announced for this year's full series.
Speaking on behalf of WhichBingo, Tayce told The Mirror: "I had the most amazing time. It was such an honour and a privilege to be the first drag queen on that show. I would have loved to have been in the main series, but that didn't happen for me for some reason."
She added: "Because I guess I look the way that I do, where we're in a climate right now where there's so much of an attack and a light and a negative focus on trans people. I mean, I myself, I'm obviously not trans, but I don't look like your standard hokey pokey, artichokey kind of drag queen... I look like Naomi Campbell. And some people can't handle the beauty and the essence."
The former Celebrity Gogglebox star also said she believed she may be "too much for the public" over a full season, but insisted she is "such a fan of the show" and had expected to be called back. "I was honestly really expecting to be called back, especially because there's been a trend of winners coming back from the Christmas season," she said.
