Drag Race UK is leaving the BBC after eight series

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is getting a new home

World of Wonder, the company behind the franchise, will take the programme to its streaming service Wow Presents Plus, which will also become the home of Drag Race UK: Vs The World. 

The platform has described the move as the beginning of a “new era” for the UK version.

The BBC’s decision comes as the corporation looks to cut £500m from its spending. 

Director-general Matt Brittin previously warned staff that “the scale of savings requires tough choices”, with the latest decision forming part of those wider financial pressures.

A BBC spokesperson said, “As the BBC continues to navigate significant financial pressures and deliver the savings required of us, we have had to make some very difficult choices, none of which have been taken lightly.”

Fans will not lose Drag Race UK just yet

The move marks the end of a run that began in 2019, when Drag Race UK helped bring British drag to a much larger mainstream audience. 

Performers such as La Voix, Danny Beard and Tia Kofi became familiar names through the show, which also developed a strong connection with LGBTQ+ culture in the UK.

At its peak, the series averaged around 1.5 million viewers per episode.

The change will not happen immediately, however. The current series, which launched in September 2026, will continue to air on BBC Three and iPlayer as planned. 

Existing episodes will also remain available on the BBC once the programme eventually moves to Wow Presents Plus.

The BBC said it remains “proud [...] of this groundbreaking show” and thanked “RuPaul, World of Wonder and everyone involved, both on and off screen” for their work on the series.