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RuPaul's Drag Race UK S8: Meet the Queens Date Announced

The BBC has announced that RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 8 will kick off with a Meet the Queens special on 11 August 2026, following a teaser that dropped on Instagram. The announcement also sets up RuPaul's new comedy film Stop! That! Train!, arriving in UK cinemas on 21 August.

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RuPaul's Drag Race UK S8: Meet the Queens Date Announced

RuPaul's Drag Race UK S8: Meet the Queens Date Announced

The short answer

RuPaul's Drag Race UK is returning for an eighth season, and the BBC has confirmed when fans will meet the new cast. The season will begin with a 'Meet the Queens' episode on 11 August 2026, featuring 12 new queens competing over 10 weeks for the title of the UK's Next Drag Race Superstar. The news was revealed through a rapid montage posted on Instagram, with the caption 'Racers, start your engines…' and the hashtag #MeetTheQueens. The show will air on BBC Three and stream on BBC iPlayer, with global availability on WOW Presents Plus. This announcement follows season 7, which concluded in November 2025 with Bones crowned as the winner. Meanwhile, RuPaul is also promoting her comedy film Stop! That! Train!, in which she plays US President Judy Gagwell. The movie, which features numerous Drag Race alumni, hits UK and Irish cinemas on 21 August and has earned an 85% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Why it's trending

The sudden interest in RuPaul is triggered by the BBC's release of a teaser montage for Drag Race UK season 8, which confirmed that the 'Meet the Queens' episode will air on 11 August 2026. This announcement, shared via Instagram with the caption 'Racers, start your engines…', marks the first official look at the upcoming season and signals that the new line-up of 12 queens will be revealed imminently. Additionally, RuPaul's comedy film Stop! That! Train! is set to debut in UK cinemas on 21 August, adding to the surge of RuPaul-related searches.

RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 8 is officially on the horizon, with the BBC announcing that the 'Meet the Queens' episode will air on 11 August 2026. According to Attitude, the episode will introduce 12 queens who will compete over 10 weeks for the crown. Digital Spy reported the release of a rapid montage on Instagram with the caption 'Racers, start your engines…', confirming the date and adding that the series will stream on BBC iPlayer. The show is expected to return in autumn, consistent with previous seasons.

The two sources align on the key details: 12 queens, 10 weeks, and the 11 August premiere. However, they differ in some post-season 7 details. Digital Spy lists Catrin Feelings and Silllexa Diction as third placers, while Attitude names Chai T Grande as Miss Congeniality, voted by fellow queens. Both confirm Bones as the season 7 winner and Elle Vosque as runner-up. Bones told Attitude after her 27 November 2025 win that the experience was 'insane' and that she didn't know when it would sink in.

The announcement comes after Drag Race UK has been a staple on the BBC since its debut, with seasons 1-7 currently available on iPlayer. The new season will run alongside the first-ever Drag Race Down Under vs. The World, which features drag legend Raven returning after 14 years and UK representative Michael Marouli (runner-up of season 5) already winning the first maxi challenge. RuPaul is also reprising her hosting duties alongside Michelle Visage, with Alan Carr and Graham Norton returning as guest judges.

Beyond the show, RuPaul's expanding media presence includes the comedy film Stop! That! Train!, releasing in UK and Irish cinemas on 21 August. The film follows two stewardesses aboard the Glamazonian Express and features an extensive Drag Race alumni cast, including Michelle Visage, Ginger Minj, Jujubee, and Latrice Royale, alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It has been praised by Loud and Clear Reviews as the 'funniest movie you will see this year' and holds an 85% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans can look forward to the season 8 premiere and the film's release in quick succession.

Timeline

  1. Season 7 finale airs

    Bones wins RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 7, with Elle Vosque as runner-up. Bones later described the win as 'insane' in an interview with Attitude.

  2. Season 8 teaser released

    Digital Spy reports a rapid montage on Instagram announcing the new line-up and the #MeetTheQueens date of 11 August.

  3. Season 8 'Meet the Queens' airs

    The first episode introduces 12 queens competing over 10 weeks, airing on BBC Three and iPlayer, and globally on WOW Presents Plus per Attitude.

  4. Stop! That! Train! release

    RuPaul's comedy film, featuring RuPaul as US President Judy Gagwell, releases in UK and Ireland cinemas with an 85% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Questions people ask

When does RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 8 start?

The season begins with a 'Meet the Queens' episode on 11 August 2026, according to both Attitude and Digital Spy. It airs on BBC Three and streams on BBC iPlayer, plus WOW Presents Plus globally.

Who won RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 7?

Bones won season 7, with Elle Vosque as runner-up. Attitude also reports that Chai T Grande was voted Miss Congeniality, while Digital Spy lists Catrin Feelings and Silllexa Diction as third placers.

What is RuPaul's new movie?

RuPaul stars in the comedy film 'Stop! That! Train!' as US President Judy Gagwell. It releases in UK and Irish cinemas on 21 August and has an 85% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, per Digital Spy.

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