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BBC Three's RuPaul's Drag Race featuring River Medway and Krystal Versace starts tonight

Two of Kent's best drag queen's will star on this year's RuPaul's Drag race, which starts tonight.

River Medway and Krystal Versace will battle it out in the third season of the hit show.

All of the contestants on this year's drag race. Photographer: Ray Burmiston/BBC Pictures
All of the contestants on this year's drag race. Photographer: Ray Burmiston/BBC Pictures

RuPaul will be back putting the 12 queens through their paces over 10 weeks before crowning the third UK's Next Drag Race Superstar.

The first two series streamed over 35 million times as viewers enjoyed watching the challenges and famous lip sync battles.

They'll be hoping to follow in the footsteps of previous winners The Vivienne and Lawrence Chaney.

Michelle Visage, Graham Norton and Alan Carr will also return as judges for the show.

River Medway first got into drag when she was 15 and has been doing it properly for the past two years.

Read more: Schoolboy drag queen from Broadstairs takes to stage at Canterbury Pride just weeks after his first public appearance as 'Miss Oatie T'.

River Medway. Photographer: Ray Burmiston/BBC Pictures
River Medway. Photographer: Ray Burmiston/BBC Pictures

The 23-year-old said: "The idea that young queer people might be watching this show and I want them to look at me and know they can do this is what I'm most looking forward to. I needed that when I was growing up.

"As much as I want to win – knowing that alone is the best gift.

"This is not what you’d see normally walking down the street in Medway. But – it’s home! I love it.

"Because there’s so little drag in Kent, there’s no specific style. And because of that it’s allowed me to do what I want.

"I grew up doing youth theatre, training for three years at performing arts college doing musical theatre. I graduated in 2019. I love singing. I love dancing, and I’m creative - I love styling wigs.

"I’d love to do a Rusical. That’s really my thing. I’m really competitive – I am in it to win it. I want to strut on that runway and show everyone what I can do.

Krystal Versace. Photographer: Ray Burmiston/BBC Pictures
Krystal Versace. Photographer: Ray Burmiston/BBC Pictures

Krystal Versace hails from Tunbridge Wells and started dabbling with make-up when she was 13 and has been doing drag professionally for the past two years.

She said: "It was all trial and error really. At the time, boys wearing make-up was becoming a big thing.

"I practiced so much, and perfected my art, and drag just felt like the natural next step. My first time in drag was so overwhelming because it was the first time I’d been around other queens, but I just felt like I’d fallen into something so magical.

"I've been watching Drag Race since I was little. I’ve always been inspired by it. It was so different from anything that was on TV.

"I’m different. I’m refreshing. I bring a new fire to drag."

The third season of Ru Paul's Drag Race starts tonight at 7pm.

To find out what’s going on in the county and for all the latest entertainment news click here.

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