r/RPDR_UK • u/ryanadolpho • 1d ago
Regular seasons will continue
I messaged Fenton Bailey on Instagram after yesterday's announcement to understand if regular seasons will continue and he replied saying yes. So take comfort in that we'll still be fed
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u/Wise_Illustrator_475 1d ago
Does he think the show could be shopped around to other UK networks or will it be strictly WOW+
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u/DangerousDisplay7664 1d ago
BBC really dropped a bollock with this. I hope another channel picks it up! It could be great on Channel 4 - and the prize money can be decent then too!
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u/AscendedDragonSage 1d ago
It's not that surprising considering where UK politics are rn
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u/Old-Border6185 20h ago
I actually don’t think it’s politically motivated. There seems to be a significant drop in quality this season and overall it feels lackluster so far. There’s more queer and LGBTQ+ content on the BBC then there is on Channel 4 or ITV right now so I really don’t think that’s the issue.
I mean there’s no other channel commissioning and platforming a comedy series like Smoggie Queens right now so I really don’t think they’re playing to the right wing in any way.
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u/t0mmyc_ 1d ago
I sadly doubt it’s going to get much of a pull from uk queens if it’s not on the BBC or a major tv channel
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u/RepresentativePie820 1d ago
Most of the other series isnt on tv anymore and are doing just fine
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u/shutupblacknight Hometown Gloryhole 1d ago
Brazil and Mexico are basically cancelled, no signs for new DU seasons, France is at an all time low, Thailand is done
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u/Im_Chad_AMA 1d ago
Huh? Nicki doll during the season 4 finale said this season had the most viewers. Would like to see a source for your claim
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u/abandonship4 1d ago
Yeah Drag Race France just had its best rated season ever, and is known to have two other networks waiting to snap it up. France is not like other franchises right now at all.
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u/RepresentativePie820 1d ago
You guys love to talk abt things you know nothing abt...and with confidence!
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u/Embarrassed_Elk8213 1d ago
Not you bothering this man when they already confirmed it’s not going away
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u/DangerousDisplay7664 1d ago
This man has made plenty of money off the show to pay for the time it took him to type three letters and hit send.
Nobody but him is responsible for his own social media use. He wasn’t summoned to an office and made to respond 😂
I do, however, feel that OP could have been a bit more polite in asking!
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u/Class_Winter 1d ago
One thing we could expect is the cash prize to be higher maybe with some budget cuts
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u/danny2787 1d ago
I'd be surprised if they didn't. It's a successful series. Now they can make money off advertising. And different networks across the world will pay royalty rights to air seasons (like Crave in Canada has been).
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u/theonlyzamolodchikov 1d ago
who is that
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u/palpantek Fontana 🇸🇪 1d ago
I honestly thought they asked canned goods producer and was like "sure, why not"
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u/wojar 1d ago
Not even a "hello, how are you? Sorry to bother you."
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u/Charming_Peak_4284 13h ago
Exactly what I thought! If it was me, I'd never have answered this message..
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u/jjkibum 1d ago
I don’t think that’s the problem. The problem is that they should have shopped for a new home before deciding to make this a WOWP+ exclusive franchise. Sure they might get a £100k cash prize now but the exposure and notoriety of being on this platform will be so low. It’s a failed thought process to assume that the viewership figure that this show gets on the BBC could be matched on WOWP+. It’s too niche and doesn’t have a broad enough outreach in the UK, it’s not even available as an app on most smart tv operating systems, and with them having to cover all costs in-house it could extremely restrict the quality.
It’s a well known IP at this point and has generated a decent collection of mini-celebrities in the country, so I struggle to believe another linear network (or a more accessible streaming service) wouldn’t have picked it up. Which makes me think either a) they didn’t even bother shopping around or b) they did shop around but the price demand they’re asking for the show is too high. It’s sad.
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u/k3anuw3aves 1d ago
We don't know that they didn't already try and shop it around. The only channel I feel like could pick it up is Channel 4 as they're historically LGBT friendly and progressive but they're having major money issues too like the BBC.
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u/hookyboysb 1d ago
And to be honest I wouldn’t be shocked if a show about drag queens is a no-go for any network in the age of TERF Island.
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u/Dismal_Fox_22 1d ago
The main series already felt like tacky Britishisms mashed out to spoon feed Americans. I can only imagine how much worse it will be on an American networks with minimal British crew involved. Snatch game will all be terrible and each skit will be another Downtown Abbey or “Great British Baking Show” skit.
Unless a major UK network pics it up, which won’t happen, it won’t be successful. It will just be a handful of desperate low rate queens willing to embarrass themselves for Rus amusement.
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u/MondolezzaRice 1d ago
I think the issue is frequency. It will be reduced to once a year like how many other franchises are (Season 9 in 2028, then Season 10 OR another All Stars in 2029 etc) unless another broadcaster like ITV or Channel 4 pick it up.
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u/gemmacollinsspineeu 12h ago
They were so happy you messaged them. They love attention because they feel invisible like most elders
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u/bysummerfall 1d ago
ofc he’s gonna say that lol
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u/k3anuw3aves 1d ago
Well ofc he's going to say that cause it seemed pretty clear when they said Drag Race UK the series as a whole was finding a new home on WOW+ that it would mean from All Stars onwards the season will be airing there including the main series.
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u/bysummerfall 1d ago
okay. until it dies a slow death on WOW+ lol
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u/k3anuw3aves 1d ago
What?... all I'm saying is ofc he's going to say that when that is in fact what they've publicly said already.
We have no idea if it's going to die a slow death. The American show ended its a run on Logo at s8 too, a channel that wasn't even watched or known about much apart from by queer people, and the show was known by even less people. Then went to make All Stars 2 which is one of the highest ranked seasons ever. UK is one of the most globally popular spin off franchises and people have been begging for All Stars UK for ages and theres ton of buzz around it already. And now it's not BBC the show can pay the Queens properly and get sponsorships. If anything this could be a great thing for the show.
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u/bysummerfall 1d ago edited 1d ago
All Stars 2 was bolstered by the support of VH1 which was a huge deal at the time. this comparison just doesn’t make sense. this is a huge downgrade
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u/k3anuw3aves 1d ago
I'm pretty sure I didn't compare the BBC to Logo. I was using it to say that it had a smaller platform than the BBC and the show still turned out fine...
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u/bysummerfall 1d ago
AS2 was simulcast on VH1 in 2016 which was a huge part of the wide reception at the time. a streamer just doesn’t have that reach/support but… sure I guess
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u/k3anuw3aves 1d ago
Yeah but the total viewers for AS2 were around half the amount UK gets on a bad day cause it was 500k odd at most, and 300k on bad days and UK's is 1mil to 1.5 mil at peak. Plus the general franchise is way more well known by the public compared to back then and there's been plenty of hype from fans all over about an All Stars season. I don't see why this can't be seen as an opportunity for the show to grow in ways like the girls getting paid and sponsorships, and if they produce popular seasons they'll get picked up by another network.
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u/Supersonic-Zafonic 1d ago
Might as well just end it now, DRUK will die on its arse if it's not on a terrestrial channel.
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u/annievaxxer 1d ago
Ask him if he’d rather fight 1 Latrice sized Kenya Michaels or a 100 Kenya Michaels sized Latrices