Rainbow Crew is an ongoing interview series that celebrates the best LGBTQ+ representation on screen. Each instalment showcases talent working on both sides of the camera, including queer creatives and allies to the community.

Next up, we're speaking to Drag Race UK season six winner Kyran Thrax.

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Kyran Thrax was actually a bit rubbish at the start of Drag Race UK season six. No, really. She was literally sipping bin juice when she entered the werk room, much to the horror of everyone else around her.

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Who knew that the queen that arrived wearing a bin bag would end up wearing the crown? Most of us, actually. Because from the moment Kyran introduced her puppet alter ego in the Tickety Boo Cabaret, it was obvious that Lancashire's most prominent queen was going to be a huge contender.

Ten weeks on, Digital Spy caught up with Kyran Thrax to discuss her win, a cut scene in the final lip sync and who she would love to compete against in an All Winners season of Drag Race UK.

kyran thrax, la voix, drag race uk season 6 finale
BBC

Congratulations on your incredible win! So many people must be reaching out to you now after last night's episode, but is there any message in particular, perhaps from another queen you look up to, that particularly means a lot to you?

There are so many queens who I've looked up to for so long. One of the biggest things for me was hearing from Adore Delano. Now that is somebody who... Drag Race season six in the US was the first season I ever watched. Adore was somebody who I really saw myself in. And now to have won season six of Drag Race UK. It's just the most full-circle moment in the world.

But all of the queens who have reached out are absolutely incredible. All of the queens from around the world and all the different franchises. Just seeing all the love and support is just so amazing and so overwhelming.

It must be hard to even catch up on your messages with everything going on right now.

Oh my god, yeah. I've not replied to anything. I've seen the messages, but I've not been able to reply to anything because it's been so fast paced and so wild since finding out. Tomorrow I've got the day off, so I'm just gonna go all the way through it and just respond to as many things as I possibly can. But I've seen everything, and it's just so amazing.

You also received incredible feedback from RuPaul herself, who told you many times that she's proud of you throughout the season. How did it feel to hear those words come out of her mouth?

There's no words. There's literally no words. RuPaul is literally the queen of drag. Her career, the things that she has done. To hear her... somebody who I've looked up to for so long and idolised. She's an icon.

"One of the biggest things for me was hearing from Adore Delano."

Saying those things about me is just one of the most validating things I've ever, ever experienced in my entire life. I feel so grateful to hear that she's proud. Like, that is such an amazing word. It's surreal.

kyran thrax, la voix, drag race uk season 6 finale
BBC

In the end, it was between you and La Voix in a lip sync for the crown. You clearly share such a lovely connection and that really came through in the moments where you played off against each other, like when you jokingly choked each other mid-song. Did you plan those bits ahead of time or were they just improvised in the moment together?

Before we went back on that runway, we're like, "We don't know who's lip syncing. We don't know what is happening when we go back out on that stage."

We love each other so much. We're like, "If it's us, let's just have a good time together." And that's what we did together all season.

We haven't really seen a winner like you on Drag Race UK before, or arguably in the entire franchise. What you bring is so unique and and so special, so I would love to hear from you: Why do you think you were crowned? The cast was so strong this year, so what was it you brought that pushed you past the others and secured that win?

That's the thing. Every single queen on this cast deserves their flowers so much, because they are incredible. So, so incredible.

Honestly, I don't know. I went in there and I said, "I'm gonna have fun. I'm gonna be myself. If they love that, then they love that." I feel like I have something fresh.

It just means so much to me, with my story, where I've come from, to be here right now is just one of the most amazing things in the world. I feel like it might be down to the things that the judges were saying. They view me as quite subversive, doing things that haven't been done necessarily so much before on Drag Race. Maybe that's what pushed me over that finish line.

la voix, rileasa slaves, kyran thrax, marmalade, drag race uk season 6
Guy Levy//BBC

When did you suddenly feel like, "Oh, I really could win this. I'm going to win it." Did that come to you on day one? Was it during the finale?

Would you hate me if I said it was when I walked in? [Laughs]

Before, I was like, "I don't want to go unless I have got myself in a state of mind where I know that I'm a winner. Regardless of what happens, I know that I am a winner. I trust myself, and I trust my talent."

So I walked in with that mindset and nobody could have told me otherwise. It was part defence mechanism. It was part, I guess, kind of like subconscious strategy. When you're there, you're just there. Whatever happens, happens. But I just went in with the mindset to have fun, be myself, and showcase what I can do to the best of my abilities.

Actually, I'll tell you: Before we did the Tickety Boo Cabaret, I was on the side of the stage before I came out, and I said, "I'm about to make a sandwich and pour mayonnaise all over myself and a whole bottle of wine and then do a split holding a banana."

"RuPaul is going to look at me and either eliminate me on the spot or crown me."

I said, "RuPaul is going to look at me and either eliminate me on the spot or crown me. There is no in between." Thankfully, it was the latter [Laughs].

Before you were crowned, RuPaul asked everyone to look back and speak to their younger selves. It always seems very difficult in the moment, but very healing, very cathartic as well. What was that experience like for you in the moment?

My god. It was everything. Looking at that kid, knowing what I was gonna go through, what I was gonna experience in the years following that picture... It's just wild. Something that RuPaul would always say on set, and something that my drama school teacher would always say, is to never lose that child in you. Never lose that playful side that you have, that joy, that curiosity, and I've always been such a strong believer of that.

It was surreal seeing a child picture of me being held up by RuPaul [Laughs]. What is going on!?! But it meant everything to me, even as a healing thing, to be able to address myself and talk to myself in that moment is so important. I'm so glad that I was given that opportunity.

kyran thrax, drag race uk season 6 finale
BBC

The finale also introduced the UK's first Miss Congeniality. Who did you vote for?

We got to vote for more than one person. I voted for Zahirah [Zapanta], Charra Tea, and La Voix. All of them are so deserving though. Everyone is so amazing. Even Chanel! [Laughs]

Looking back at the season, how do you feel about the way you were edited by the Drag Race UK team?

It can be a bit daunting, but it's more the lead up to it. Before every episode, you're like, "Oh my God. What if I say something that I can't remember?" There's so much that happens and you say so much. It's always like, "What am I gonna say this week?" [Laughs].

But I am very, very happy with the edit. I'm very, very happy with how I came across...

I really feel like they captured all of us so well and so authentically. They showed who we are. Everything that happened on the show that aired was just how I remember it, so I can't complain.

Are there any moments you wish could have made the cut, but didn't due to time constraints?

In the final lip sync — I'm sure it was cut for time — but I stole part of Charra Tea's headpiece look, where she had all of the balls in her headgear. I saw one of those balls in the bin in the werk room, and I stuffed it down my dress before we went back on stage.

"I stole part of Charra Tea's headpiece look, where she had all of the balls in her headgear."

So then, when I sang, "I'm having a ball," I pulled out one of Charra's balls and threw it [Laughs]. That was fun.

How did Chara react?

Afterwards, she was like, "If you win, I want some of that money. That's a shared win now, because you stole that ball."

What would you say to the judges if they were sitting in front of you right now?

Just thank you. It's such a fine line, because I believe in myself, and I believe that this could happen, but then when it does happen, it's such a shock to the system. To be received so well by them, to feel like I was seen by them and that they understand me was one of the most... It's just worth its weight in gold, and then to go on and win. I'm just so grateful.

I'm so so grateful for everything that they said, every little tidbit that they gave me, anything that I could take and learn and grow from. I'm so appreciative.

michelle visage, rupaul, alan carr, drag race uk season 6 finale
Guy Levy//BBC

What does it mean for you to share your artistry, your drag, on a huge platform like the BBC?

I'm surprised they even let me on. I was often like, "Are they gonna let me do that on the BBC?" But no, it means everything. It means everything to me.

The most important thing to me is to be able to share my story on the BBC and to show queer joy. It feels so important. It's so important for the entire season and for RuPaul's Drag Race and queer media in general. It's just, it's just so amazing. But we always want more. There could never be too much. It could never be too much.

What message would you like fans to take away from your journey?

The biggest thing is just trust yourself. Believe in yourself. Even if the odds are stacked against you, if everyone's telling you you're not going to do it, everyone's telling you that's a bad idea, or that you look silly? Screw it. Screw it. It doesn't matter. It really doesn't matter. Just trust yourself. You get one life. Okay? You need to look after number one. You need to trust yourself and do what makes you happy.

Your win is still very fresh, but would you ever be interested in competing on a future All Winners season? Who would you like to compete with? And who would be your biggest competition?

Firstly, All Winners? Hit me up whenever. If you called me tomorrow and they said, "All Winners 2 is filming next week," I'd be like, "Let's go!"

"I'm surprised they even let me on."

Filming Drag Race was the happiest I've ever been. From then to now, I just thrive in that kind of environment. We got to the end and I said, "Can there be ten more episodes?" I'm so happy here. So yeah, I'd go back and do All Winners in a heartbeat.

All of the winners are absolutely incredible, but the one person who I love and would love to be with in that environment (but also would never, ever want to compete against), is Lawrence Chaney. Baby, that is RuPaul's favourite drag queen! [Laughs] I would be sweating! But it would be a fun, fun time. And it would be a good fight. It would be a very good fight.

What great TV that would be! Oh, my god. Yes, yes. Let's make it happen, please.

Oh, my God! I'm excited. I want to go now! Ruuuu, I'm coming home. I'll bring my sceptre.

You heard it here first!

Oh my god. Reddit is gonna be going crazy now.

RuPaul's Drag Race UK airs on BBC Three in the UK and streams on WOW Presents Plus in the US.

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Headshot of David Opie

After teaching in England and South Korea, David turned to writing in Germany, where he covered everything from superhero movies to the Berlin Film Festival. 

In 2019, David moved to London to join Digital Spy, where he could indulge his love of comics, horror and LGBTQ+ storytelling as Deputy TV Editor, and later, as Acting TV Editor.

David has spoken on numerous LGBTQ+ panels to discuss queer representation and in 2020, he created the Rainbow Crew interview series, which celebrates LGBTQ+ talent on both sides of the camera via video content and longform reads.

Beyond that, David has interviewed all your faves, including Henry Cavill, Pedro Pascal, Olivia Colman, Patrick Stewart, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Dornan, Regina King, and more — not to mention countless Drag Race legends. 

As a freelance entertainment journalist, David has bylines across a range of publications including Empire Online, Radio Times, INTO, Highsnobiety, Den of Geek, The Digital Fix and Sight & Sound

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