Drag Race UK season seven premiere sets unfortunate record

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season seven’s premiere has set an unfortunate record, becoming the lowest-rated first episode of a season across the franchise.

Though Mama Ru and a staggering array of guest judges are back for the seventh season of Drag Race UK to preside over a new flock of twelve glamazons, it’s been a rough start for the girls.

According to current IMDB rankings, the 27 September premiere of Drag Race UK season seven, named Queens of the Brit Gala after its maxi-challenge, sits at just 5.4 stars out of 10 (from 217 ratings).

That score makes it the lowest-rated Drag Race UK premiere ever – and the second-lowest-rated Drag Race UK episode of all time, with the lowest going to season three’s Snatch Game, which currently sits at 4.6 stars out of 10, from 985 users.

The next lowest premiere belongs to season 5, which scored an 8.1 (532 reviews). Season 6’s Cabaret Talent Show premiere scored a 9.0 out of 726 ratings.

During the episode cast of twelve queens – which includes Sasha Colby’s drag daughter Paige Three and the first ever queen from the Republic of Ireland, Bonnie Ann Clyde – had some customary Werk Room entrances, an intro with Mama Ru, and the Brit Gala, during which they had to present a lewk and converse with a Drag Race alum.

Belfast queen Elle Vosque won the challenge after a Queen of Your Hometown runway, and Nyongbella and Pasty lipsycned for their life.

But lipsync loser Pasty was then declared the winner of the premiere’s twist, the Lucky Cow, meaning she was voted for by her peers to have been saved from elimination.

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season seven starts at 9pm on BBC Three and the BBC iPlayer on Thursday 25 September. All other episodes are currently streaming on BBC iPlayer.

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