RuPaul’s Drag Race UK: Belfast diva ready to take series ‘by the horns’

It’s time to start your engines. The new series of Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK is about to start and contestant Coral-Hole Mandi is ready to “take it by the horns” and “give it everything”.

The 27-year-old calls herself the Bikini Bottom Bimbo from Belfast and she is the only contestant from Northern Ireland in this season.

She is one of 12 contestants hoping to impress Mama Ru and Michelle Visage.

Her plans for doing that?

“I’m going to be the fully realised, colourful cartoon diva that I’ve always dreamed of being.”

Mandi works in Belfast and loves “how alternative the Belfast drag scene is”.

“No performer does the same thing in Belfast. Everyone has their own little niche. There’s a lot of campy showgirly drag. There’s a lot of old school divas. There’s a lot of new age, more alternative drag, club kids and creatures as well.

“Any corner you look, there is every variety of drag in Belfast and it’s amazing.

She thinks that should be celebrated more and that Belfast “probably has one of the most diverse drag scenes in the UK, but not a lot of Belfast drag has been represented”.

Mandi thinks casting two queens from Belfast on the same season would allow them to “bounce off each other”.

“I think that’s the only way that you’re going to get the authentic Northern Irish craic,” she said.