RuPaul Charles, the queen of drag, is one of the most successful and influential contemporary queer icons. Establishing her brand worldwide, she currently hosts her award-winning reality drag competition, RuPaul’s Drag Race, across five main franchises. With 16 seasons of US Drag Race, nine All-Stars, five in the UK, three Down Under, and two UK vs. The World, the saying ‘the devil works hard, but RuPaul works even harder’ definitely rings true.
RuPaul’s commitment to showcasing the very best of the drag art form worldwide has provided essential visibility for queer excellence on an impressive scale. However, as RuPaul is getting older, and committing herself to more and more seasons, especially with the release of RuPaul’s Drag RaceGlobal All Stars expected later this year, it is only natural to assume she will not continue to host the show forever.
Therefore, it has been a hot discussion topic among fans for many years as to when this inevitable step down might occur. Some predict RuPaul will leave when the show comes to a natural end, whilst others seem to believe the slow transition may have already begun.
RuPaul Isn’t Returning to Drag Race Down Under
RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under may have set off to a rocky start in 2021, but following the release of its second season in 2022, it proved itself among fans. Following this, its third season was released in 2023, but despite being green-lit for a fourth, the show dropped RuPaul’s name from the title. While this sparked instant speculation on the fate of the franchise, earlier this year it was announced that RuPaul’s best friend, Michelle Visage, would be taking over as the main host. Michelle has been a consistent member of the judging panel since Season 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race back in the US since 2011, joining Ru in All Stars, UK, UK vs. The World, and Down Under.
This revelation sent shock waves throughout the fandom, with some predicting RuPaul’s gradual transition out of the franchise altogether. However, they were quickly explained away. It appeared that with his new book, The House of Hidden Meanings, RuPaul was booked on a tightly scheduled book tour which coincided with the filming of the fourth season of Down Under. Not all are convinced that RuPaul will return the following year, however. This is primarily due to the increasing number of seasons she hosts.
Michelle’s role as head judge is not the first time she’s been awarded such a title. Back in 2022, during the filming of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 4, Michelle hosted the makeover episode solo in RuPaul’s mysterious absence. Moreover, this will not be the first Drag Race season not hosted by RuPaul. Famously, Drag Race Thailand launched back in 2018 with great success, co-hosted by Art Arya and Pangina Heels.
Additionally, Canada’s Drag Race is entering its fifth season this year with US Drag Race Season 11 star Brooke Lynn Hytes at the wheel. Franchises in Spain, France, Mexico, and others are also successful without RuPaul in the top job, showing that there is a future where RuPaul’s Drag Race could exist without her.
What Seasons Could Be Dropped Next?
Currently, the most successful are the mainline RuPaul’s Drag Race seasons and All-Stars. This is largely due to being the longest-running, with greater production budgets and an all-around more established name which it has made for itself internationally. It is easy to assume then, that these seasons are not next to be taken over. RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs. The World, as the least popular, would naturally be next. However, it is more likely that with the release of Global All Stars, this season would simply be dropped altogether.
Next in line would therefore be RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Easily enough, there are already some strong contenders for who would take over RuPaul’s job. Likely, first in line is Season 1 winner, The Vivienne. RuPaul crowned The Vivienne as the Drag Ambassador to the UK years prior to her season, and even invited her to compete on Season 7 of All Stars, All Winners, making her the likely pick. Others include the fan favorite Season 2 winner, Lawrence Chaney. However, it is equally likely Michelle would take over.
Who Could Replace RuPaul in the US?
Now, this is the real question and one which fans could and would argue about for hours. Over the span of, currently, 16 seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race, there has been a great selection of contestants who would make a brilliant host. One popular name that frequently pops up is Bob The Drag Queen. Bob won season eight of the show back in 2016 and has already proved herself as quite an adept host on her hugely successful podcast, Sibling Rivalry.
Another great choice would be Season 7 contestant and All Stars 3 winner, Trixie Mattel. Trixie shot to stardom shortly during her original season and rapidly established herself as one of the most well-beloved drag queens. Trixie already has some experience in this area, taking a place on the judging panel for both seasons of Queens of the Universe, a drag queen singing competition.
The case can realistically be made for a handful of previous contestants. RuPaul has some very high heels to fill, and it would be difficult to imagine anyone in them anytime soon. The closest a queen has come to holding a title worthy of replacing RuPaul is Jinkx Monsoon, season five winner, and winner of the All-Winners season of All-Stars. This victory awarded Jinkx the title ‘Queen of All Queens’, which may just be enough to find the hosting job landing in her palm if it ever came to it.