After overseeing three seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, which showcases drag talents from Australia and New Zealand, RuPaul is stepping down as host. According to Entertainment Weekly’s Joey Nolfi, Michelle Visage will take over the hosting duties. RuPaul expressed gratitude, stating, “It has been my great honor to bring Drag Race to Australasia,” and voiced excitement for the show’s future under Visage’s leadership. In response, Visage expressed appreciation for the opportunity and emphasized her commitment to supporting the queens and encouraging them to embrace their uniqueness. RuPaul will maintain his role as an executive producer for Drag Race Down Under. Regular judge Rhys Nicholson will join Michelle Visage on the judging panel, with additional Down Under queens and celebrity guest judges rotating throughout the season. Visage has been a consistent judge since Season 3 of the flagship series and has appeared in all RuPaul-hosted spinoffs. While she made a one-episode appearance in Canada’s Drag Race Season 1, this marks her first full season as the main host of a Drag Race series. It is unclear if the show’s title will change to Drag Race Down Under or will remain the same with Visage as the new host. Drag Race fans wonder what this change means, especially against the backdrop of the recent controversies surrounding Mama Ru. Sources close to the story say this is a first reflection of RuPaul making decisions that will begin to limit her travel and time commitments to the huge variety of Drag Race properties across the world.
