Culture

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World crowns winner in epic lip-sync finale

By Sam Damshenas

8th March 2022

Spoilers ahead for the grand finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World. 

RuPaul has just crowned the first ever ‘Queen of the Mothertucking World’ (baby!).

For their sixth and final maxi-challenge, the top four contestants of Drag Race UK vs the World – Baga Chipz, Blu Hydrangea, Jujubee and Mo Heart – sashayed down the runway in their finest drag, before competing in lip-sync smackdowns for the crown.

In front of the eliminated queens – Lemon, Cheryl Hole, Jimbo, Pangina Heals and Janey Jacké – the finalists were critiqued for their performances throughout the entire competition.

The panel praised Baga for her “classy” runway and for being relatable to viewers, as well as Blu’s growth from Drag Race UK season one. Graham Norton commended the Northern Irish queen for her “brutal” tactics, including her highly controversial takedown of Pangina Heals, in front of Pangina Heals, which was slightly awkward.

Although Michelle Visage admitted that Jujubee’s performance was “confusing” in the first half of the competition, as she didn’t win any RuPeter Badges until episode five (undeserved!), RuPaul said it was “satisfying” for her to make the finale for a fourth time – which no other contestant in herstory has achieved.

Mo’s entire performance on UK vs the World was lauded, including her stage presence, impersonation of Billy Porter on Snatch Game and “epic” Butch Queen runway. RuPaul hailed her as “absolutely brilliant”.

After Alan Carr, Billy Porter and the motherfucking Naomi Campbell offered words of advice to the finalists via satellite, Baga, Blu, Juju and Mo sashayed backstage for their final Untucked of the series, where they were joined by the eliminated queens.

Conversation quickly turned to Pangina’s elimination at the hands of Blu, with the Drag Race Thailand co-host questioning why she chose to eliminate her from the race. Shortly after, Jimbo expressed how “devastated” she was when Pangina revealed her lipstick and, although the entertainer behind Casper the Baloney Ghost has practised forgiveness, drama ensued.

The cast soon returned to the stage, where Sir Elton John revealed that the lip-sync format introduced in US season nine would make a comeback, leaving their fates up to – dramatic drum roll please – the wheel. 

After the wheel landed on Mo, the Brown Cow Stunning singer hilariously chose Baga as her lip-sync opponent out of ‘strategy’. To the beat of Jessie J’s pop anthem Domino, Baga served comedy while Mo wiped the mothertucking floor with her self-described “pussy cunt”.

Unsurprisingly, RuPaul announced Mo as the winner of the lip-sync showdown, leaving Jujubee and Blu to battle it out to The Reflex by Duran Duran. Both contestants gave it their all, but ultimately, Blu emerged supreme – relagating Juju to third (slash fourth) place once again.

Following the epic final lip-sync smackdown, in which Blu and Mo competed to Kylie Minogue’s recent disco cut Supernova, RuPaul announced the former as the first ever ‘Queen of the Mothertucking World’.

With her win, Blu makes herstory as the first ever Irish queen to win a season of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Here’s how viewers reacted to the Drag Race UK vs the World finale, including the epic lip-syncs and winner.