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Amanda Brugel, Brad Goreski, Traci Melchor join 'Canada's Drag Race' S2

By Wade Sheridan   |   June 29, 2021 at 10:50 AM
Amanda Brugel will be a judge on "Canada's Drag Race" Season 2 along with Brad Goreski and Traci Melchor. File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI Brad Goreski attends the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards in January 2020. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI Brooke Lynn Hytes is returning as a judge for "Canada's Drag Race" Season 2. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI Amanda Brugel arrives for the 26th annual SAG Awards in January 2020. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI Brad Goreski arrives for the 62nd annual Grammy Awards in January 2020. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

June 29 (UPI) -- Amanda Brugel, Brad Goreski and Traci Melchor are joining Brooke Lynn Hytes as judges for Canada's Drag Race Season 2.

The trio are joining the reality competition series following the exit of Season 1 judges Stacey McKenzie and Jeffrey Bowyer Chapman.

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Hytes of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 11 and Goreski, a celebrity stylist, will anchor the judges panel in every episode of Season 2. Brugel (The Handmaid's Tale) and Melchor, who appeared on Canada's Drag Race Season 1, will be joining regularly throughout the season.

Season 2 will premiere later this year on streaming service WOW Presents Plus in the United States and air on Crave in Canada.

"I am incredibly honored to be joining the Drag Race family. Now that the world has been introduced to the exceptional talent of our northern queens, I feel so fortunate to be able to champion the next class of drag royalty!" Brugel said in a statement.

McKenzie will not be returning to the judges table for Season 2 due to COVID-19-related challenges.

"#CanadasDragRace fans, we're sad to share that Stacey McKenzie won't be able to return for Season 2 due to COVID-related challenges," the official Twitter account for the competition series said on Monday.

"We'll miss her killer lewks, positive vibes, & energy but know that she'll be cheering on the S2 queens! Stay tuned for updates on our judges soon!" the statement continued.

McKenzie (America's Next Top Model) was the second judge to leave the show for Season 2 following Jeffrey Bowyer Chapman (unREAL), who cannot participate due to filming Disney's Doogie Howser reboot Doogie Kealoha, M.D.

Canada's Drag Race was renewed for a second season in January. The first season ended in September with Priyanka from Toronto being crowned the first-ever Canadian Drag Superstar.