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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
Entertainment
Sheena McStravick

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK: Co Down Queen Jonbers Blonde taking part in this year's show

RuPaul's Drag Race is returning to our screens later this month and BBC Three have Ru-vealed the next set of fabulous drag queens about to make their Werk Room debut.

Each week, the queens face challenges that test their drag race prowess to the max in the hope that they have impressed Ru enough to avoid being one of the bottom two queens facing a lip sync for their life and elimination from the competition.

Queen of queens, Mama Ru has the ultimate say on who shantays or sashays away, and each week, Ru is joined on the judging panel by Michelle Visage, an extra special celebrity guest judge and, on a rotational basis, Graham Norton and Alan Carr.

Read more: Dermot Kennedy opens up on friendship with Jamie Dornan

Amongst this year's contestants is Banbridge's very own Jonbers Blonde, who is hoping to impress the judges with her performance skills having worked as a backup dancer for Years and Years, Mel C and Jessie Ware.

The 33-year-old described her drag as 'high fashion pig' and admits her drag act involves plenty of movement.

Jonbers said: "I put myself into the fashion category. Although I’m more than that, I'm a performer too. I love to perform. I've been around the world with Melanie C and I've danced as a backing performer for Years and Years and Jessie Ware. The list could go on!

"You're going to see a lot of movement! It's like coming to watch a crab perform. There's a lot of moving back and forth. I‘m a storyteller too, so accompanied by my Irish flute, you‘ll get a great yarn with plenty of animal and Irish references!"

(BBC)

Asked where the Drag name came from, Jonbers said: "One night, I was at my friend's house dressed to the nines and I came down the stairs and my friend's dad looked up from his paper and said, ‘Jonbers, looking like that you’re going to get very lucky!’ and since then “Jonbers” just stuck!"

With fashion high on the show's agenda, Jombers has a wealth of experience in the field.

"I've got the back catalogue. I can dance. I can move. I've got fashion skills. I’m not afraid to be silly. I’ve got a unique voice. You put all that together and you got this big muppet here! What more do you want?

"I really do have the fashion skills, as I'm also a stylist. I have worked at Vogue International and I have been fashion editor of several magazines. I’ve also walked the runways in London and Paris.

"I’m going to treat each runway as RuPaul’s Met Ball, Each week, I plan to go big and wild! Although, I am a high fashion girl, I'm not afraid to get mucky. I’m like a pig in muck!"

RuPaul's Drag Race UK returns to BBC Three and BBC iPlayer this month.

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