The winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season four was crowned last night, and Manchester queens completely dominated the final stages.
Both Cheddar Gorgeous and Danny Beard, prolific and well-loved talents based in Manchester, made it to the final two, doing our city proud.
The pair beat out competition from other finalists Black Peppa and Jonbers Blonde and faced off in a lip-sync battle.
The 10-week-long competition has been fierce in all the right ways, but it was Danny Beard – the first bearded contestant in Drag Race UK history and originally from Liverpool – who was eventually crowned victorious.
Following their win, they said: “Thank you for believing in me. I’ve had the wildest dream here meeting the most amazing people.
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Danny Beard after being crowned winner of Drag Race UK. Credit: BBC
“I never thought anyone who did drag like me could be a Ru girl, so this is for all the others out there. I can’t wait to let the world know what Danny Beard is all about.”
Guest judges this year have included Olly Alexander, Boy George, and Aisling Bea, with Michelle Visage stepping in as head judge for the first time.
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Fellow judge Graham Norton told Danny: “My God, you are funny. But what I didn’t expect were all the looks.
“When you’re on stage eyes are drawn to you and that is something you can’t learn, it is something you learn how to use.”
Cheddar Gorgeous on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Credit: BBCDanny Beard on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Credit: BBC
Both Danny and Cheddar are familiar faces on the Manchester nightlife scene, with Cheddar part of the Family Gorgeous troupe made up of some of our most talented queens.
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And Mancs have been delighted to see the local queens get so far in the competition, which has often been dominated by Londoners.
Actress Annie Wallace tweeted: “Huge congrats to @thedannybeard for winning @dragraceukbbc, and commiserations to @CheddarGorgeous… we do things RIGHT in Manchester!!”
Another person wrote: “What I love about Cheddar and Danny obliterating the season is they – along with Manchester queens in general – have largely been snubbed by the Drag Race brand in some shape or form, prior to Season 4. So glad producers are over their meth-like addiction to London queens.”
Another said: “I got so emosh seeing two iconic Manchester queens in the top two. @CheddarGorgeous and @thedannybeard were (and still are) staples in the Manchester drag scene when I was growing up gay. So so SO happy.”
TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT👑🏁
We’re proud to have platformed some of this year’s #DragRaceUK finalists over the years, but we can't help rooting for our MCR Queens this eve 🥹
Manchester Pride wrote: “We’re proud to have platformed some of this year’s #DragRaceUK finalists over the years, but we can’t help rooting for our MCR Queens this eve.
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“@CheddarGorgeous & @thedannybeard, you’ve done Manchester so so proud.”
Someone else said: “Love to @CheddarGorgeous and congratulations to @thedannybeard. BOTH AMAZING ARTISTS. I’ve never thought the race could be so tight for me personally and they smashed it. Manchester smashed it.”
Featured image: BBC
TV & Showbiz
The new Match of the Day presenter lineup has been confirmed
Danny Jones
The brand-new presenter lineup has been confirmed for Match of the Day (MotD) following the departures of Gary Lineker and Ian Wright.
Lineker had been the lead anchor on the BBC’s flagship football programme for 25 years, spanning generations of fans after taking over the equally iconic Des Lynam back in 1999.
The 64-year-old ex-pro and England star is still in post at present but will be stepping down after the conclusion of the current Premier League season.
Following months of speculation around who would be taking over in the main chair across from regular pundits like Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, the corporation has now confirmed its new core team.
After reports began appearing earlier this month, popular presenter Kelly Cates is making the big switch to become one of three main hosts, though she does already host BBC Radio 5 Live’s Tuesday night sports coverage.
The daughter of Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish and a familiar face on Sky Sports weekly matchday on-screen talent since 2016 after first appearing as part of Sky Sports News back in 1998, she’s a recognisable face to anyone who regularly watches football. A great appointment.
‘Chappers’ continues in post
In at number two – a number he’s become more than familiar with during his time as part of the existing Match of the Day team – Mark Chapman isn’t going anywhere and will now be sharing an equal third of the presenting duties as co-host.
Chapman joined MotD back in 2013 following the departure of Colin Murray and has gone on to present various other BBC Sport productions, including their NFL coverage. ‘Chappers’ isn’t going anywhere and rightly so.
Gabby Logan remains a BBC Sport stalwart
Third and finally, Football Focus mainstay, multi-discipline sports presenter and BBC veteran, Gabby Logan, is taking her rightful place on the Match of the Day panel. About time if you ask us.
Also the son of a famous footballer – Leeds legend and Wales international Terry Yorath – and a retired athlete herself, having competed as a rhythmic gymnast, she’s been a household name on British telly for as long as most of us can remember.
As for Lineker, you can expect an emotional send-off when he does call it this May.
The former Leicester, Everton, Barcelona and Spurs player will still be serving as a key part of the BBC’s FA Cup presenting team as well as future Euros and World Cups.
We’ll always have the memories, eh, Gary?
The new Match of the Day presenters have some big shorts to fill.
First look images released of new BBC drama series from Happy Valley creator filmed in Yorkshire
Emily Sergeant
A new BBC series telling the story of five women who come together to create a makeshift punk-rock band is set to air later this year.
Riot Women, the brand-new drama from the multi-BAFTA award-winning writer Sally Wainwright – best known for being the creator of Happy Valley – is a six-part series set and filmed in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.
First look pictures of the new show have now been released.
Starring Joanna Scanlan, Rosalie Craig, Tamsin Greig, Lorraine Ashbourne, and Amelia Bullmore as band members, alongside a talented supporting cast consisting of Taj Atwal, Chandeep Uppal, and Macy-Jacob Seelochan as the band’s riotous backing singers, the newly-released pictures show the women in action.
First look images have been released of a new BBC drama series filmed in Yorkshire / Credit: BBC
According to a synopsis on the BBC website, Riot Women dives headfirst into the world of five women who come together to create a makeshift punk-rock band in order to enter a local talent contest.
But, in writing their first original song, they soon discover that they have a lot more to say than planned – and this is their way to say it.
As they juggle demanding jobs, grown-up children, complicated parents, husbands who’ve buggered off, and disastrous dates, and relationships, the band becomes a catalyst for change in their lives, and it’s going to make them question everything.
📸 Here's your first look at Riot Women – the new drama from Sally Wainwright coming to @BBCiPlayer and @BBCOne in 2025
New pictures feature Joanna Scanlan, Rosalie Craig, Tamsin Greig, Lorraine Ashbourne, Amelia Bullmore, and more
Creators and producers say the show is a testament to the power of friendship, music, and the resilience of women who “refuse to be silenced by age or expectation”.
Speaking ahead of the show airing later this year, Riot Women creator, Sally Wainwright, commented: “I’m having a whole new buzz of excitement about the show as we bring it together in the edit, and I can’t wait to share it with everyone.”
Daisy Jackson -
25th November 2022 
