Fans were confused after watching the premiere episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK earlier this week over why no cash prizes are given out this season. Cue Gia Gunn hilariously saying “Is there no budget this time around?”
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A usual season of RuPaul’s Drag Race domestically gives the season’s winner a lifetime supply of Anastasia Beverly Hills cosmetics and a $100,000 grand prize.
What does the Drag Race UK winner get? She will be “whisked off to Hollywood to star in her very own digital series, produced by the hit-making team that created RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Host (and multiple Emmy winner) RuPaul made that surprising announcement during the series’ debut episode.
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The first maxi-challenge winner of the season (no spoiler alerts here) received a Ru Peter badge, a sparkly pin inspired by the children’s show Blue Peter, which gives badges to special viewers or guests of the program.
Normally the maxi-challenge winners domestically receive a fabulous vacation, products or a small cash prize for their victory. So what gives with all these drastic changes?
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BBC—which airs the series in the U.K.—is publicly funded and therefore does not allow commercial sponsorships. Bugger! Good luck then making those monies outside the show, hunties!
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RuPaul’s Drag Race UK began airing on BBC 3 on Thursday, October 3. It will make its television premiere in the United States on Logo on Friday, October 11, at 8PM ET/PT.