Drag Race UK Lairy Poppins

Drag Race UK just aired its most iconic episode since the RuRuvision Song Contest

The fact there was a bottom two this week was homophobic


Season four of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK has been great so far. It’s put a hugely talented cast through their paces, and we’ve watched huge names in the drag scene compete and excel in exciting ways so far. Every week the bunch have gone from strength to strength, but it’s episode five Lairy Poppins: The Musical that pushed the series into legendary status and showcased just how tough the judging is going to be. Simply put, Lairy Poppins the Rusical is the greatest episode of Drag Race UK since The RuRuVision Song Contest.

Here’s why.

Firstly, we got the reading challenge

One of the most essential mini-challenges of Drag Race is the reading challenge, because it is OF COURSE, fundamental. The queens didn’t miss. Pixie’s read for Baby about being pro-choice was savage. What a way to open the episode, and whilst we’re here, let’s hear it for RuPaul turning up in a puffer coat.

Lairy Poppins in rehearsal

I love the red herrings Drag Race shoves out whenever the queens do a rehearsal to make us all feel like they’re gonna slip up. This was no exception, and it’s just a good way to build tension even if we all know exactly what they’re up to. Highlights include the eternally lovable Jonbers Blonde getting laugh after laughs and using her complete lack of vocal ability in the best way possible, and then the biggy…

Danny Beard and Giovanni Pernice wanted to bang. End of. They felt it, I felt it, we all felt it. And I would like to see it.

Lairy Poppins: The Rusical was Drag Race UK at its peak 

I am still in disbelief that this was a live vocal musical, because there was nay a hesitation or a stutter in sight. This was polished and perfected and an absolute seamless joy to watch. I didn’t know where to rest my eyes because everyone was just a joy to watch. If you thought Rats: The Rusical was great, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

Baby slayed her song, argue with your mother. Considering she’s been so open about going through it, you would not know it. If this was a lesser cast, she’d have placed high. Peppa and Dakota had safer roles, but they were a great double act and certainly not a performance worthy of a dragging. Danny Beard was OUTSTANDING as Lairy, and continues their inevitable trajectory to that final. Cheddar was perfectly weird and fun in their role, and Pixie brought a lot of seasoned staginess to her part as well. Le Fil made not a single error and as Alan Carr said in the judging, that is not an easy verse to get your mouth around the lyrics.

The whole Rusical was just a joy from start to finish.

THE RUNWAY?

No one slowed momentum on the runway, besides Pixie and Jonbers, perhaps. I can’t go further without raising how spectacular Danny Beard’s ode to Little Shop of Horrors was. Their Audrey Two was high drag, high camp, pure excess. Arguably the best runway of the whole season so far.

Black Peppa looked majestic in her Lion King look, as did Baby with that sickening beat face in her & Juliet. Cheddar choosing Hedwig made so much sense and I loved the denim carnage – just wonderful. Dakota Schiffer hive stay winning for another week because she looked so breathlessly gorgeous in that look that I’m sure Lea Michele was punching walls.

Le Fil was 10/10 and the fact she was in the bottom was just… pure hell.

Hannah Waddingham? Hannah Wowdingham more like!

Simply put, a perfect guest judge. A joy. The heart and soul of the show is guests like this who are clearly massive fans and want to celebrate drag and talent on the highest level. She could literally be a permanent judge, she was that good. Get rid of the hilarious Ross Mathews in the US and get Hannah on NOW.

One of the best lip syncs ever

Yes, I gay gasped when I heard the gals were lip syncing to Six’s No Way, a Catherine of Aragon anthem. I continued to gasp when I watched Baby and Dakota tear it the hell UP. Dakota’s fake out of her walking off was genius and I can’t believe no queen has done that yet – it was perfect.

I would go as far to say that Baby is one of the greatest lip syncers in franchise herstory. The fact she tore it up like that just after being so transparent about her going through it with her mental health and anxiety is so impressive. I know Baby personally, and seeing her exit was so sad but I respect her so much for doing the right thing for herself. It was hugely emotional.

That would and should have been a double shantay. I choose the believe that it’s canon that it would be, if Baby hadn’t intervened. What an episode. BRING ON SNATCH GAME!

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season four continues on BBC Three and iPlayer Thursdays at 9pm.Watch the full Meet the Queens here.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Just May on what it’s like to be the first Drag Race UK season four queen to sashay away

• Starlet was the second queen to sashay away last night, here’s what she has to say about it

• Pixie Polite from Drag Race UK was in a relationship with season two queen Tia Kofi