When Was RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 2 Filmed? What Happened During Lockdown Production Break

11 January 2021, 17:33

RuPaul's Drag Race UK took a break from filming during the lockdown
RuPaul's Drag Race UK took a break from filming during the lockdown. Picture: BBC

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season two was filmed throughout 2020, with the production schedule thrown into chaos when the world went into lockdown. But when was the new series filmed?

By Kathryn Knight

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season two is about to return to screens, with a brand new cast of hopeful drag queens and a bunch of celebrity guest judges to join RuPaul, Graham Norton, Michelle Visage and Alan Carr.

The new series was filmed in 2020 with a break in between when the nation went into the first Covid-19 lockdown, but wrapped up toward the end of the year.

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 2: Meet The Guest Judges

Here’s everything you need to know about when RuPaul’s Drag Race was filmed, and how long the cast and crew had to take a break from filming.

RuPaul's Drag Race is back with new contestants
RuPaul's Drag Race is back with new contestants. Picture: BBC

When was RuPaul’s Drag Race UK filmed?

Drag Race UK season 2 began filming in early 2020, shortly after the first series had aired.

Production was temporarily halted when the government implemented a nationwide lockdown to curb the rise in coronavirus cases in March.

A statement from a BBC spokesperson said at the time: "In light of the spread of Covid-19, after much consideration, production on RuPaul's Drag Race UK will be temporarily pausing filming both in consultation with and supported by the BBC.”

Significant changes were made to the Werk Room in the meantime, so the production crew could be compliant with coronavirus regulations when the contestants returned.

Alan Carr revealed most of the drag queens used the break from filming to work on their looks
Alan Carr revealed most of the drag queens used the break from filming to work on their looks. Picture: BBC

When did RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season two take a break from filming?

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK took a break from filming when the first national lockdown came into force.

Filming was paused for a few months and the series was resumed in a Covid-safe way and finalised toward the end of 2020.

The break gave some of the queens a chance to work harder on their looks, with Alan Carr revealing a number of contestants came back with even better outfits.

RuPaul's Drag Race UK will see some familiar faces in the guest judging spot
RuPaul's Drag Race UK will see some familiar faces in the guest judging spot. Picture: BBC

He said: “You hope that in that break they got to a sewing machine, they got the old needle out and everything.

"Some of them were obviously like 'Wow, ok the standard is that good, right I'm gonna do something about it.' So I was disappointed that some of them hadn't. But wow, the ones that had — oh my god, mind-blowing."

Cameras were still rolling throughout lockdown, so we’ll get to see what the queens got up to during their time at home.

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