Overview
It's the beloved series that's been on the air for more than a decade, and finally made the leap Down Under this year. That'd be RuPaul's Drag Race, which first premiered in the US in 2009, wholeheartedly embraced its mission to unearth the next drag superstars, and debuted its Australian and New Zealand version earlier in 2021. And, in spectacularly great news for fans of local drag talent — and of the show's namesake — RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under is coming back for a second Aussie and NZ season in 2022.
The original US series aired its thirteenth season this year, so this is a program with proven longevity. It has also spun off international iterations before, including in the UK — where it's also hosted by RuPaul — plus in Thailand, Holland, Chile and Canada. So, revving up the engines for another spin Down Under shouldn't come as a big surprise. And yes, RuPaul will be back on hosting duties again.
After Kita Mean took out this year's first season of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under, exactly who'll be donning eye-catching outfits, navigating dramas and vying for glory next year hasn't been revealed — because casting is now open until Tuesday, October 5.
Obviously, exactly when the second season will air on Stan in Australia and TVNZ OnDemand in New Zealand in 2022 hasn't been announced yet either. Neither has the lineup of celebrity guests, after 2021 saw Kylie Minogue, Dannii Minogue and Taika Waititi all pop up.
Fans already know the format, which features fashion challenges, workroom dramas and lip sync battles aplenty. If you're still a newcomer to all things Drag Race, you'll watch the next batch of Australian and NZ competitors work through a series of contests to emerge victorious, and join the likes of Mean and US contenders Jinkx Monsoon, Sasha Velour and Sharon Needles in being crowned the series' winner.
Check out RuPaul's announcement video for Drag Race Down Under season two below:
RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under will return for a second season in 2022 on Stan and TVNZ.
Top image: RuPaul's Drag Race.