Drag Race star issues health update after being hospitalised while performing at Edinburgh Fringe festival
Drag Race star Maxi Shield was hospitalised following a ‘very scary’ health scare in Edinburgh. (Instagram/@maxishield/World of Wonder)
Drag Race star Maxi Shield was hospitalised following a 'very scary' health scare in Edinburgh. (Instagram/@maxishield/World of Wonder)
Drag Race Down Under star Maxi Shield has been discharged from hospital, almost one week on from being taken by ambulance following a “very scary” health emergency.
Maxi Shield was performing alongside her fellow Drag Race Down Under season one star Art Simone in comedy show Fountain Lakes In Lockdown: A Drag Parody Play at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival when she admitted to hospital on 18 August.
In a video shared on her social media channels on Friday (22 August), filmed from her hospital bed, the 51-year-old drag performer explained that a gland had been pushing against blood vessels in her throat.
“Monday was a surprise. I’ve had an issue with a swollen gland that was pushing on blood vessels in my throat, so that was very dramatic, very scary,” she shared.
She was admitted to St John’s Hospital in Livingston, Scotland, which specialises in ear, nose and throat issues.
“They’re doing lots of tests on me, lots of cameras down the nose, ultrasounds. They’re just trying to work out what’s going on,” she explained. “Hopefully I will be at home in Sydney pretty soon.”
In a caption accompanying her Instagram video, Maxi wrote: “It is very scary but to see [all] the love come through [has been] great.”
She shared a shoutout to her Fountain Lakes In Lockdown cast, who had continued the show with Jarryd Prain stepping in to Maxi’s role as Sharon.
A fundraiser started on behalf of the drag performer, which is raising funds to support her financially while she recovers, has raised almost $15,000 at the time of writing.
“It’s truly overwhelming, I have only been concentrating on getting home, but to have sisters looking out for me, is wonderful. THANK YOU FOR THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. Love Maxi,” she concluded.
In a post on Fountain Lakes In Lockdown’s social media, the cast confirmed that Maxi had been discharged from hospital in time to see the show’s final performance, which took place on Sunday (24 August).
“We could have done without the hospital visit but what’s a drag show without a bit of drama,” they quipped in the caption.
The drag performer has not yet confirmed the outcome of the hospital’s tests.
The show is set to continue on 6 September at the Wyndham Cultural Centre in Werribee in Australia, before stopping for several weeks in Melbourne for a Christmas version. Maxi is not set to appear in the upcoming productions.
Maxi Shield shot to international fame back in 2021 on the inaugural season of Drag Race Down Under, which was previously hosted by RuPaul. She placed sixth in the competition, but became a fan favourite after pulling a microphone from her costume during a lip-sync battle.
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