Drag Race co-creator Fenton Bailey speaks out after BBC axe – BBC News
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Drag Race co-creator fears for queer representation after BBC drops show
Image source: BBC/World of Wonder/Guy Levy
Image caption: Drag Race UK judges Michelle Visage, RuPaul Charles, Graham Norton and Alan Carr
By Josh Parry
LGBT & Identity Reporter
Published 8 hours ago
The co-creator of Drag Race has expressed concern about "a crisis of representation" on TV following the BBC’s decision to axe the UK edition of the show.
Speaking exclusively to BBC News, Fenton Bailey said he did not suspect a "hidden agenda" behind the move but feared "vulnerable communities are going to be even more vulnerable".
The announcement sparked concerns about the corporation’s on-screen representation after it also cancelled two LGBTQ+ dating shows.
A BBC spokesperson attributed the decision to "significant financial pressures" as part of £500m in savings efforts.
Other shows being axed include Celebrity Mastermind, Blankety Blank, and Live at the Apollo, with over 500 job losses also announced.
World of Wonder (WOW) will continue to broadcast future Drag Race UK series, including a new All Stars version, exclusively on their own streamer, WOW Presents Plus.
BBC News spoke to Bailey, screenwriters, TV critics, and former Drag Race contestants about the impact of this move and its implications for on-screen representation.
"Queer culture is vulnerable"
When Drag Race UK launched in 2019, Bailey, born in Portsmouth but now based in Los Angeles, felt it was a "very special homecoming" to work with the BBC, given his production company, WOW’s, history with the US version of the show.
The US edition, co-created by RuPaul Charles, Bailey, and business partner Randy Barbato, had been on air for over 10 years, amassing numerous Emmys and an international fanbase.
Fans eagerly awaited a UK series to showcase Britain’s unique drag style. Now, eight seasons and three spin-offs later, the show will conclude its run on the BBC after the current season ends.
"Even at the best of times, queer culture is vulnerable and you can’t take anything for granted," Bailey told BBC News. "Just because a door opened yesterday doesn’t mean it won’t be slammed shut the next."
BBC News understands renewal talks lasted several months with producers hopeful an agreement could be reached but ultimately failed due to the scale of savings required by the corporation.
Bailey attributed this to "the horrible financial situations" broadcasters currently face.
He added, "The team at the BBC are amazing and so passionate about the show; this is not an easy thing for any of the people I interacted with, or something they wanted to do."
Drag Race UK was consistently one of BBC Three’s most popular shows, though Barb Audiences data indicates average viewing figures rose between 2022 and 2024, declining around 15% over four years—a trend reflected in overall TV viewing figures.
Bailey noted that while the numbers "haven’t plummeted," they were instead in line with other terrestrial TV shows, with social media viewership increasing as audiences shift their habits.
