RuPaul plays several roles on the show including host, mentor and head judge for the series, as the contestants are given different challenges to participate in each week.

The show's aim is to find the next "Drag Superstar", with the winner occupying the traits of "charisma", "uniqueness", "nerve" and "talent".

A year later in 2015, Ross and Price assisted RuPaul in a one-off search of the "UK Drag Race Ambassador", which eventual Series 1 winner, The Vivienne won in 2015.

[21] During Michelle Visage's time on Celebrity Big Brother, she said; "I tell you what, I could cast RuPaul's Drag Race the British invasion or the UK version in five minutes because there's so much talent over there.

And I saw the love and the passion for Drag Race and that's the reason I did Celebrity Big Brother five years ago, was to bring attention to it.

The executive producers are RuPaul Charles, Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, Sally Miles and Bruce McCoy, and the BBC commissioning editor is Ruby Kuraishe.

As the host, RuPaul introduces celebrity guests, announces the challenges the queens will take part in each week, and reveals who will be leaving the competition.

Spin-off series RuPaul's Drag Race UK: The Podcast, presented by Scarlett Moffatt and Baby Lame, airs on BBC Sounds, with interviews with the queens who Sashay Away each week, as well as guests.

Another recurring mini-challenge is dedicated to "reading", a drag term for making insulting observations about one's peers for comedic effect, inspired by Paris Is Burning.

RuPaul, as with the original American version, acts as both the host and main judge,[26] with Michelle Visage supporting him on the panel every episode.

[28] For the seventh episode of the fourth series, RuPaul was absent from the panel and Visage acted as stand-in host and main judge.

[30] Guest judges in Series 1 included Maisie Williams,[31] Geri Halliwell, Jade Thirlwall,[32] Andrew Garfield, Michaela Coel,[33] Cheryl, and Twiggy.

[36] Series 4 guest judges were revealed on 31 August 2022 to include: Olly Alexander,[37] Boy George,[38] Alison Hammond,[39] Mel B,[40] Dame Joanna Lumley,[41] Lorraine Pascale,[42] Leomie Anderson,[43] FKA Twigs,[44] Hannah Waddingham,[45] and former RuPaul's Drag Race contestant Raven.

"[48] Other guest judges were revealed to be Aisling Bea,[49] Cush Jumbo,[50] Yasmin Finney,[51] Joel Dommett and [52] Suranne Jones.

In October 2020, Series 1 contestant, Crystal sued Laurence Fox for defamation after he called them a "paedophile" on social media as he ranted at Sainsbury's for supporting Black Lives Matter.

"[23] On 29 October 2020, during an interview on Lorraine, Carr revealed that production had begun again and he was due to resume filming the second series of the show within two weeks.

[36] French further revealed that the BBC had originally asked her to be a full-time judge for the first series, however she had to decline because she did not live in London and would mean a lot of travelling for her.

[66] Unlike Series 1, four queens made it to the finale with Lawrence Chaney being crowned the winner, and Bimini Bon-Boulash and Tayce as runners-up.

Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, World of Wonder Co-Founders and Executive Producers, revealed that 2021 would have two series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.

[10] One of the queens confirmed to compete is Veronica Green, who was promised an open invitation to return to the show after having to leave Series 2 due to a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.

[70] RuPaul's Drag Race UK was nominated for two 2022 British Academy Television Awards including, "Must-See Moment" and "Best Reality and Constructed Factual Series".

[82] Judge Graham Norton revealed in an interview with Gay Times that the competitors that appeared on the fourth series were "some of the best queens we’ve ever seen".

[85] The following day, BBC confirmed the celebrity guest judges for the season would include: Dame Joanna Lumley,[86] Boy George,[87] Leomie Anderson,[88] Olly Alexander,[89] FKA Twigs,[90] Lorraine Pascale[91] and Hammond[92] would in fact feature as a celebrity guest judge and not feature as a cameo appearance.

[93][94][95] By September 2022, Drag Race UK has recorded 51 million stream requests in the United Kingdom, becoming one of the network's most successful shows.

[47] A producer of the show said: "Everyone at Drag Race UK has wanted to have [Vorderman] on the panel for years, so they're over the moon that they have finally made it happen.

"[115] The winner of Series 4, Danny Beard, commented that they "could have bought a house", with the money spent preparing for RuPaul's Drag Race UK.

[124] Later that month, the BBC revealed the promotional poster for the series featuring RuPaul, as well as the list of guest judges, which included AJ Odudu, Alison Goldfrapp, Amanda Holden, Beverley Knight, Claire Richards, Mabel, Siobhán McSweeney and Simon Le Bon, as well as Kristen McMenamy, who served as a guest judge on the first episode of the previous series.

[124] Girls Aloud and The Saturdays dancer, former S Club 8 member Aaron Renfree was revealed to have a guest position within the series, helping the queens during a girl-group challenge.

[137] During the finale on 8 March 2022, Blu Hydrangea was crowned "Queen of the Mothertucking World", winning the opportunity to record a remix of the song "Champion" with RuPaul, with Mo Heart placing runner-up.

[147] Vanity Milan[148] and Victoria Scone,[149] both from the third series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, represented the United Kingdom in the competition.