SPECIAL THANKS TO JASMINE ALOMA FROM THE BBC

Dakota Schiffer made herstory twice on this season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK as the first-ever openly trans woman to compete on the British spin-off and the first contestant, in all 28 RuPaul-fronted seasons, to be told to sashay away by a former Seduction singer. “They keep throwing all these firsts at me, I don’t know how I was meant to prepare!” she laughs. The makeover made its return on this week’s episode, with Michelle Visage stepping in as host due to “unforeseen circumstances” that prevented RuPaul from joining the panel in person.

Although she received positive feedback and “put the super in supermodel”, Dakota’s reliance on her signature silhouette landed her in the bottom two alongside Pixie Polite, where they lip-synced to The Culture Club’s Miss Me Blind in front of lead vocalist and special guest star Boy George. Dakota ultimately sashayed away, with the star later joking on Twitter that “Michelle Visage’s Drag Race has fucked up drag”.

Speaking with GAY TIMES, Dakota says she’s ‘overwhelmed’ with the outpouring of love on social media, with many fans declaring her as the latest “robbed queen” of the franchise. “Knowing that the reaction has been what it is, and obviously the circumstances of the episode with Ru not being able to be there, there’s been some hilarious Twitter moments because of it and I’m enjoying every single one of them,” she says, adding that she doesn’t “necessarily feel robbed” but is “flattered and grateful” at the title nonetheless.

Read ahead for our full exit interview with Dakota, where the star discusses making herstory as the first-ever trans woman to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, why criticism aimed at her aesthetic came as a “shock” and whether we can expect her twin, Winona, to sashay into the werkroom next season.

Dakota, how are you my babe?

Trying to cure my hangover with a cup of tea. I’m very overwhelmed and just excited for the interview!

Social media isn’t happy, it’s utter bedlam…

My phone is hot. I don’t think my phone has ever been so hot, I had to turn off so many notifications from apps because it was getting a bit overwhelming, but I’m happy with all the love. Of course, no one really wants to be… I don’t know, everyone keeps saying it’s good to be the “robbed” queen. I don’t necessarily feel robbed, but the words are coming up on my social media how many bloody times? I’m just very shocked by the reaction, but flattered and very grateful.

I put your name into Twitter to see the reaction. There’s a couple that made me laugh. One person wrote, “Ofcom are gonna be seriously seriously hearing from me,” while another tweeted: “This episode is Michelle’s Drag Race so Dakota Schiffer’s elimination doesn’t count.” Are you back next week, then? Are you just gonna walk into the werkroom like nothing happened?

You’ll have to wait and see for any twists! My elimination seemed pretty final to me, I don’t know how it seemed to you. Knowing that the reaction has been what it is, and obviously the circumstances of the episode with Ru not being able to be there, there’s been some hilarious Twitter moments because of it and I’m enjoying every single one of them.