The BBC has confirmed it will stop airing Drag Race UK due to financial pressures, with future seasons moving to the streaming platform Wow Presents Plus.
Key facts
- •The BBC is aiming to make £500 million in savings across its operations.
- •Drag Race UK premiered on the BBC in 2019.
- •The show reached an average of 1.5 million viewers per episode at its peak.
- •Drag Race UK All Stars is scheduled to premiere in Autumn 2027 on Wow Presents Plus.
- •The BBC declined to comment on the future of other international versions of the show on its network.
The BBC announced it will cease broadcasting Drag Race UK following the conclusion of its eighth series. The decision is part of a broader effort by the broadcaster to achieve £500 million in savings. Future installments of the competition, including the spin-off series vs The World and the upcoming Drag Race UK All Stars, will move exclusively to the streaming platform Wow Presents Plus.
By the numbers
Financial pressures and programming changes
A BBC spokesperson stated that the corporation faces significant financial pressures, necessitating difficult choices regarding its programming. While the current series, which launched in September 2026, will continue to air on BBC Three and iPlayer, the show will depart the network thereafter. Existing series of the program will remain available on the BBC's platforms.
Impact and legacy of the series
Since its debut in 2019, Drag Race UK has featured judges including RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Graham Norton, and Alan Carr. The show reached an average of 1.5 million viewers per episode at its peak and is credited with bringing British drag into mainstream entertainment. Wow Presents Plus, the production company behind the show, announced on Instagram that a new era for the series is beginning.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by BBC Entertainment & Arts.
