RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Finale: Did the Right Queen Win Season 3?
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK crowned its third winner on Thursday, and since they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving across the pond, it only made sense for the finale to be Christmas-themed. As Ella Vaday declared, “Can it get any more camp?”
Ella’s question was answered less than five minutes later when Ru sashayed into the werkroom to announce that the final maxi challenge of Season 3 would require the queens to “jingle them bells in an all-singing, all-dancing performance of my holiday hit ‘Hey Sis, It’s Christmas.'”
Then again, we’d be feeling pretty cheeky if we were Ella, too. Though any of the remaining queens could have feasibly taken home the crown this week, Ella entered the finale as the statistical frontrunner, boasting as many Ru Peter badges as Kitty Scott-Claus and Krystal Versace combined.
And Ella definitely brought that Big Drag Energy to her performance, inviting the judges to jingle her bells and promising an “Ella Va-Christmas,” all while sleigh-ing with killer vocals. Meanwhile, Kitty leaned a little harder into the comedy, telling Santa she’s going to climb him like a tree before demanding that he drop her knickers. And Krystal’s was somewhere in between; she elicited a few hearty chuckles from Mama Ru, but she never lost her signature sexy flare.
Then came the runway, which panned out quite differently. Ella kicked off the “Final Three Eleganza Extravaganza” in a glittery purple dress, but like so many of her past looks, the hair didn’t quite work — nor did the silver shoes, which Graham Norton rightly called “jarring” compared to the rest of Ella’s gold jewelry. Maybe it should have been a little longer? Either way, it wasn’t my favorite. Kitty, on the other hand, was a frosty winter vision, accurately saying that she felt like the “prettiest Christmas fairy in the world.” Mission accomplished. I also loved Krystal’s crushed black velvet dress, complete with big shoulders and expensive-looking gold jewelry. The whole look gave me ’80s soap opera villain realness, and I was here for it.
But before Ru could make up her mind, she requested one final three-way lip sync for the crown. When the dust settled after their group performance of Dusty Springfield’s “You Don’t Own Me,” Ru announced the winner.
The newest winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is… Krystal Versace!
Did the right queen sashay away with the crown in Thursday’s Drag Race UK finale? Weigh in via our polls below, then drop a comment with your full review.
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Ageism on full display by the producers.
Personality? Not important.
Multi talented? Not important.
Flexible, young, predictable look (created by who?)? There’s the winning combo.
So very disappointed at this. My own fault in hoping that the producers would not be so blatant in their fixation “the look.”
Who’s going to spend money to see that drag show? Sad testament.
I think they picked Krystal because Ru from episode 1 was clearly obsessed with her (same for Lawrence in season 2, and Viv was already known by Ru before Season 1). She’s also the only one of the trio who fit the US Drag Race box – she was raised on Drag Race, mostly knew what drag is based upon Drag Race since she’s so young and was immersed in that before realistically being able to be part of the actual British drag scene, etc. She’s a tool for WoW to try to push the UK’s more comedy and performance based drag into a more US Drag Race style look scene, and sends a clear message that THAT kind of drag is what Drag Race UK judged by Ru is about, not what UK audiences respond to (which was overwhelmingly pro-Ella this week). It’s clear that Ru and Michelle don’t get the references most of the UK queens make and this is not appreciated here in the UK, believe me.
As for Krystal’s look, she’s open on social media about who the doctor is who does her face and fillers and such, who she worked with on the looks (she has said in multiple recent interviews that she comes up with the concept herself but has friends make them for her, we saw that on the design challenge, she could draw it but not make it), so we know who she’s created by.
It’s a shame. No matter what Ella or Kitty did, they had zero chance of winning after Ru gave Krystal the ‘you were born to be a drag queen’ speech after Snatch Game. Granted, Kitty is highly entertaining and Ella is very talented so both would do well in an All Stars season, so we may see them again. Not sure what on earth Krystal’s show she won would be though, we haven’t heard about Lawrence’s yet and nobody watched Viv’s.
I’m not at all surprised Krystal won. I really hoped that we’d get a surprise based on the overwhelming sentiment of the UK public, and based on the negativity after Season 2’s finale didn’t go with the queen the public pegged to win. Set expectations low with WoW.
Excellent points Joe
Summed it up very well, everything you have said I agree with. Such a shame Ella or Kitty didn’t win, Krystal is totally for that and no drawers
It was very obvious from how Ru had a boner for Krystal that Krystal was going to win the season no matter what. Cemented by that “you were born to do drag!” Comment.
Sure Krystal has the looks, does a great lip sync, but she’s got a lot to learn, still. now that she’s been crowned Queen, will it go to her head? Ella or Kitty were far more deserving out of the trio, but hey, I ain’t RuPaul, so.. 🤷🏻♀️
What sad is bringing a queen down based on your opinion.
Be better.
EV should’ve won. 4 wins, never in the bottom two. Could literally do everything that was asked.
It was quite clear the Ru would make her the winner from early on. A plastic doll that is not the all-round performer that should have won.
Poorest season so far and a lacklustre winner. Drag Race UK is already heading into the “meh” category of things to watch, and the bias of the judging doesn’t help.
I feel for Ella, she could do everything and probably the most talented all rounder on stage in the final. I hoped she would win as she is real. Krystal is a doll and with this win I doubt she’ll look to others for more inspiration and just stick as she is but I hope I’m wrong. Kitty is hilarious and id rather watch Ella & Kitty every day. Krystal has plenty time in her side to grow though.
Charisma – nope
Uniqueness – nope
Nerve – nope
Talent – nope
I’m sorry but what boxes does Crystal check off to qualify her for winner?
This one has me hella baffled, frustrated and confused
She checks the only box that matters – Favoured by RuPaul.
She was great. Her looks were the best of the season and she do better in most of the challenges than I expected.
I don’t think your giving her enough credit.
You can have your favourite but bringing down another artist is just not right.
Are you even a drag race fan? The show is about love.
I’m not bringing Krystal down at all just because my preference happens to be for another queen winning. Its RU’s decision and whatever it was based on, it is what it is. No sense sending hate out there to all involved. However, nothing wrong with some constructive criticism. The Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent boxes aren’t as important to check as impressing Ru, and that criteria may not be known to the fans. Crystal checks those boxes in ways, but so do the other queens in the final three. They’re all talented in their own way. They’re all unique. They all have nerve and charisma.
It’s great to see someone so young doing this good and learning from her mistakes. Krystal is quite mature for her age. The conversations she’s had in the werkroom with the other gals (especially Victoria) showed another side of her that’s not necessarily visible on stage. She’s definitely grown the most out of the others, but then again she had to in order to keep up with the competition.
I do have to wonder if her win is in part sending the wrong message to other prospective drag race queens. I.e. as long as you have the looks (get your face, etc augmented to look more lady-like, impress Ru, can do a lip sync) nothing else matters. She won two challenges and both had similar kind of looks judges were expecting of her.
Krystal got help from Veronica for that one runway where Veronica was sent home. had Veronica not been so selfless, Krystal would’ve been in trouble. And we didn’t see her acknowledge Veronica’s help on the runway to the judges (maybe I missed it or they didn’t show it in the edit). Nor did we see any remorse from her at taking responsibility that Veronica possibly went home because she was busy helping Krystal out.
I saw the finale and Ella was quite boring to me, and I rooted for her. I dont think they picked Krystal for being favoured, she just was the best in the finale, lip sync, preformance, and lookwise.
Absolutely!!! I was rooting for Ella but she didn’t pull out all the stops like Crystal did. And I’m sorry but the elaganza look was terrible.
Let’s face it Ella was the real winner.
I think all 3 queens were deserving winners but I think krystal was someone who was the underdog who showed her true self and was honest about her lack of experience from day one , but she done well and I’m glad she won as she’s seems very genuine I wish everyone could be happy for her as everyone of those queens are gonna do well from this .
Looking at it from the perspective that the longest the judges ever seem to interact with the contestants is when they are on stage, Krystal just always looked 5x better than everyone else and without Vanity – was the best lip-syncer left. I really wanted Ella to win but her finale look (the clear straps on the dress, the poor fit, silver shoes and gold accessories!) and her lip-synch just we’re not as good. In fact, I don’t remember any of Ella’s looks well other than the oompa-loompa – and she was absolutely my favorite on the show. My guess is that it was close between Krystal and Ella and that if Ella had slayed that last lip-sync or look, it might have been a different outcome.
Actually reminds me a lot of Violet Chachki’s or Aquaria’s wins. Violet has other performance talents and isn’t just a “look queen” but I remember feeling very similarly “meh” about her winning over Katya (!) and Ginger Minj (!) – who both went on to arguably bigger careers from Season 7 of US Drag Race.
Sorry Violet is pretty hugely popular too. She has been MCing the Voss events or starring in and sold out her own show.
That’s why I said arguably! ;)
I was rooting for Kitty! Though I really thought that Ella had it (until that lip-sync). I’m disappointed (but not shocked) with Ru’s decision.
That’s riggamorris, baby.
Such a disappointing season. Krystal is a hugely talented queen, no doubt, and will have a great career ahead of her, but she was only mediocre in most categories and should have been in the bottom 2 multiple times. It was obvious they were going to give it to her no matter what, but it was still a disappointment to see happen. This season was more on par with DRDU than DRUK seasons 1 and 2.
Ella was my winner from the start.Love love ❤ everything about her.
The whole package. Rob of the crown.
See you September in Bristol.
Sooooo excited xxx
So unfortunately Ella really let her eyes off the prize in the final runway and lipsync! Her face looked like she wasn’t wearing make-up and the jewelry was too big and clunky. Just a really poor showing and the lipsync was atrocious!!
It was like she threw the competition! Glad crystal won!
Ella suffered the same editing fate as Bimini last year – the front runner and favourite is quiet and subdued in the final while the winner gets the best moments showcased. It’s pretty clear Ru and the producers pick their winners early and they are edited accordingly. Ella’s. Nigella will live long in the memory, plus how hot she is as a woman but also as a man. An oompa loomla should NOT be sexy!
Haha yes hard to say if seeing her out of drag helped me root for her. Just kidding.. She was very talented. But I could have almost shouted at her at the lip sync to get more energetic arghh
I feel like Ella “threw” the finale. While she ‘sleighed’ the Christmas song, the subpar (for her) runway and lack of gusto in the lip sync left me wondering if maybe she didn’t want to be away from her partner any longer. Krystal’s speech was very impassioned about being the new generation and I feel Ella handed her the crown. Ella is the winner for me.
Ella did seem to throw it away… Lip sync was just not as energetic as the other two. I was rooting for her but after watching it felt she wouldn’t win. She’ll do great though as she’s hilarious. Also I do think part of it is the editing.. I feel like krystal was edited out a bit in the group dance and she’s known to not pick up choreography well so my little conspiracy theorist brain wondered if they did that so we didn’t see her fluff it and question the result. Anyway… She’s 19 and fantastic and congrats to her.. She did adapt very well to the tasks that she had no experience of. All three gave a great show.. I’m just an oldie and loved Ella ha.
Ella should have won or Kitty. Sorry but i’m not sorry. Krystal’s win is only Tayra Banks of Season 2!!! just saying!!!
Truthfully I was rooting for either Ella or Kitty but both had areas where they paled a bit. Ella is clearly the most talented BUT Ella’s lip sinc was lack lustre as was her last lurk and unfortunately as much as I adore Kitty and loved her last look….her performance was a bit been there, done that. I also agreed that her “Santa, pull my knickers down” line is perfect for a club, it’s not right for television in my opinion which shows a lack of judgment. Just like Violet Chachki (sp?) I think that Ru see’s Krystal as the future of drag no only for her lurks, she’s a great performer and developing comedian. It was shocking initially but I get it.
Was rooting for Kitty but I’m fine with Krystal’s win. She was clearly their pick from the beginning and while I found her performance abilities limited (beyond dance / lip syncing), she is talented and fits the Drag Race mould. Ella I found boring and mediocre for the most part.
Poor result. Poorly explained. Blah.
I am disappointed with the result. I too feel that either kitty and Ella should have won, both are well rounded entertainers, I would pay to see either of them in a show. I can’t say the same for Krystal, yes she had wonderful outfits but the looks were so predictable and much the same, her personality was lacking, all of which comes with maturity and experience.I’m my opinion give Krystal a couple more years and she will make a Queen worthy of the crown but for now