Graham Norton ru-veals how he got Drag Race UK judging job
"I must’ve been a bit drunk because I emailed the producers"
Words: Jamie Tabberer; pictures: Coronet
Graham Norton has discussed his role as a RuPaul’s Drag Race UK judge, saying it’s one of the only jobs he actively lobbied for.
(What’s more, he thinks he might have been drunk when he first made contact with producers!)
The TV veteran – known for his self-titled chat show, sitcom Father Ted and Eurovision voiceover work – has judged on two seasons of Drag Race UK thus far, alongside Alan Carr, Michelle Visage, and RuPaul [pictured below with Graham].
“They claim I was on their list anyway”
Asked in a recent interview with The Guardian if he was proud to be a part of the show, Graham replied: “Pathetically proud. I’d been a fan for years and it’s the only job I ever went a-looking for. When I heard the show was coming over here, I must’ve been a bit drunk because I emailed the producers. They claim I was on their list anyway.”
The star continued: “What the queens do is awe-inspiring. As a judge, you only ever see them on the runway, so it’s not until the series airs that I see them as boys. It’s such a shock: ‘Wait, that’s Bimini?'”
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Graham – whose new novel Home Stretch is out in paperback on 29 April – also discussed Drag Race UK in an interview with The Mirror last week.
The 58-year-old said: “The drag fans are really lovely. But I am aware there is this toxic cabal – and if they don’t like one of the drag queens, they go for them in a horrible way.
“If you’re in bed at night reading horrible comments about yourself, who knows what damage that does to you?
“I feel for young people who think they have to engage on those platforms.”
Graham’s comments follow Drag Race UK SE2 stars including Sister, Sister, A’Whora, and Lawrence Chaney taking steps back from social media over abuse from viewers while the show was airing.
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