RuPaul’s Drag Race UK welcomes the “Ru Generation”

Flesh, who has been running a drag show for the past five years, says she has also seen turnout at live performances drop, and feels soaring costs have likely impacted that.

She thinks the TV show still appeals as it provides “the joy and the power of drag from the comfort of your own home”, but says this comes at a price to performers.

“Expectations remain at a Drag Race level and our income and opportunities in the real world do not reflect that,” she says.

The Soho-based queen also says social media has become a “double-edged sword”.

Although it’s vital to advertise live shows, “the more you show… the less inclined people are to go”, she says.

Flesh adds: “If the public aren’t willing to support drag outside of the Drag Race vehicle” then “we won’t be able to sustain Drag Race”.

The queens this year will be hoping to spark more interest into the show and drag, including Paris Baby, who describes herself as “UK’s British Bajan Barbie”.

She has been hailing the new series as the “drag renaissance” as she feels it was a “really strong” year and hopes it will be “very well received” internationally.

“Hopefully we can bring a little ‘je ne sais quoi’ and reignite the interest in drag,” she says.

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK series eight launches at 22:00 BST on BBC Three and is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.