Drag Race UK fans overjoyed as season five crowns a winner: ‘I’m so happy for her’

Michael Marouli and Ginger Johnson in Drag Race UK season 5 finale.

After ten weeks of serving non-stop drag excellence, Drag Race UK season five has finally crowned a winner – and fans couldn’t be happier with the result.

Drag Race UK season five has been widely received as one of the very best seasons of the British franchise, thanks to its stellar cast of ten talented queens, an abundance of juicy drama, and a roast that will go down in Drag Race herstory.

In Thusday’s (30 November) episode, the final three queens – Ginger Johnson, Michael Marouli, and Tomara Thomas – were tasked with creating a music video to RuPaul’s 2017 single, “Spotlight”.

It’s the first time in Drag Race UK that the queens have had to make a music video as part of the final challenge. The performance then continued on the main stage, as all the eliminated queens ruturned as backing dancers.

However, fans were distraught to learn that one queen would be missing from the final performance.

Where was Cara Melle in the Drag Race UK season five final?

Fan favourite and trans icon Cara Melle was the only season five queen not present for the finale episode, much to the disappointment of fans.

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In last week’s episode, when the eliminated queens returned for the first time to congratulate – and have it out with – the top four queens, Cara Melle was also absent.

Contestant Alexis Saint-Pete revealed that Cara Melle was unwell, and so couldn’t be at the reunion. As the Drag Race UK episodes are filmed within days of each other, it is likely that she was still too unwell to return for the finale.

As well as having to take on one last music challenge, each of the final three queens also had to embark on a sit down “Tic Tac” chat with Ru and Michelle.

Michael and Ginger were both surprised at the end of their chats by their partners, and Tomara was joined by her mother, Sharon, in a surprisingly touching moment.

It was a moving episode overall, with the final three emotionally explaining why it would mean so much for them to be crowned the winner of season five. However, eventually RuPaul decided that this wasn’t Tomara Thomas’s time, leaving Ginger Johnson and Michael Marouli as the final two.

The pair lip-synced to “A Little Respect” by queer duo Erasure, with Ginger Johnson ultimately impressing RuPaul the most and being crowned the UK’s next drag superstar and winner of Drag Race UK season five.

In the weeks leading up to the finale, fans were seemingly split down the middle as to whether they wanted Ginger or Michael to win, with both queens having won three RuPeter badges each.

However, following Ginger’s crowning, it appears that the majority of the fandom believe that the right choice was made. 

“I’m so happy for the winner, they’re a completely different queen to the one who walked into the werk room. Their confidence has grown so much throughout the series,” one fan shared on social media.

“Huge congratulations @GingerJohnson_ who is pure sunshine in human form, who truly lights up the room the second they enter. Such a well deserved win! Way to go Ginger,” a second wrote.

“Ginger Johnson did so well. Genuine soul, talented, creative and all around brilliant queen. What an absolutely amazing winner,” a third added. 

Other fans are simply gushing over what an “incredible” season Drag Race UK season five turned out to be.

Drag Race UK season five is streaming on BBC iPlayer now.