Flesh has been named the RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner for series eight, taking the title in the show’s final season on the BBC. The 26-year-old London queen, who performs in Soho, was crowned by last year’s champion Bones during Thursday night’s finale. Bones is also Flesh’s best friend and drag sister; together they perform as Heavenly Bodies.
The win came after 10 weeks of competition that began with 12 contestants. Flesh defeated fellow finalists Mocha, Naya Thorn and Alik to claim the crown and the £25,000 cash prize. The final maxi challenge saw the last four queens perform a megamix of girl group anthems from past series, a format Flesh described as a fitting way to celebrate the show’s history.
A final victory on the BBC
The broadcaster announced it was axing RuPaul’s Drag Race UK due to budget cuts shortly after the latest series began airing, citing “very difficult choices” amid “significant financial pressures.” The UK edition will move to Wow Presents Plus, a streaming platform owned by the production company behind the show. Flesh is the last queen to be crowned on the BBC.
Reflecting on the shift, Flesh said the move could widen the range of performers and subcultures featured, but she worried that a subscription platform might shrink the audience for drag. She called the departure from the BBC “slightly sadder” because, despite the constraints it imposed, the broadcaster gave drag more exposure than it had ever received. She also expressed concern about the knock-on effect on the UK drag industry, warning that less exposure could lead to less demand and fewer opportunities for events and performers.
Flesh encouraged people to support their local drag community and suggested that performers consider how to evolve their acts to attract new audiences.
How the finale unfolded
Flesh had a strong run through the series, never landing in the bottom two until the final, when she had to lip-sync for the first time. After Alik was eliminated, Flesh, Mocha and Naya Thorn performed David Bowie’s “Modern Love” for the win. Flesh was praised throughout the season as a fashion queen, with RuPaul saying her runway looks would go down in the show’s history.
During the final episode, Flesh told RuPaul and judge Michelle Visage that Drag Race “tells people it’s not only OK to be them but it’s a gift and a dream,” and that being crowned the UK’s next drag race superstar would be hers coming true.
The final group of queens suspected the show’s future was in doubt when they were asked to perform the megamix, Flesh revealed, saying they felt the “writing was on the wall.”
Miss Congeniality surprise
The Miss Congeniality title, awarded to the friendliest and kindest queen by a secret cast vote, went to Paris Baby. The result shocked the queens, with RuPaul announcing that Paris had won by a landslide. Early in the series, Paris said some competitors, including Flesh, had blocked her on social media, but the two were now “besties.” Paris said she hoped the world could now see there was more to her than her dramatic moments, including her spats with Staffordshire queen KY Kelly.
Flesh said the win still felt “surreal” after a night of celebrating, and that she had spent the evening smiling, crying and laughing.
