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
BBC to air long-lost Morecambe and Wise episode this month to celebrate star’s 100th birthday
Emily Sergeant
A long-lost episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show is set to air on the BBC this month, after being ‘missing’ for decades.
In what is already gearing up to be a memorable moment, the episode – which was first broadcast on the BBC on 16 September 1968, and was thought to have been lost forever before being recovered – will be shown on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer in a couple of weeks time to coincide with when Eric Morecambe would have turned 100 years old.
The episode was discovered by Film Is Fabulous! – which is a charitable trust run by film collectors and television enthusiasts.
It was found in the estate of a former television industry professional, before being returned to the BBC.
Audiences tuning in to the episode can expect to see sketches written by Sid Green and Dick Hills – with Ann Hamilton appearing as Pauline in a sketch set in a nudist colony, while Jenny Lee-Wright plays Eric’s niece, a balloon dancer.
📢 ‘Missing’ episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show is coming to the BBC!
A long-lost episode first broadcast in 1968 will be shown on BBC Four and @BBCiPlayer on Thursday 14 May, to coincide with when Eric Morecambe would have turned 100
It also includes a musical performance from The Paper Dolls, who enjoyed hits in the 1960s.
This ‘lost’ programme is the third episode from Morecambe and Wise’s first series after returning to the BBC, following a period working with commercial television.
Eric Morecambe’s daughter, Gail, has described the recovery of the episode as ‘a lovely surprise’, adding: “I’m really looking forward to seeing it on a screen once again after so many years.”
Gary Morecambe, Eric’s son, added: “I honestly didn’t think there was anything out there left to find, and when something like this comes out of nowhere, it’s really quite wonderful. Hats off to Professor Justin Smith and his team, whose dedication and hard work brought this gem back to us. I’m very excited about seeing it for the first time since I was 12.”
Noreen Adams, who is the Director of BBC Archives, concluded: “We’re delighted to share this comedy gold that we thought was lost forever with viewers across the UK.”
This long-lost episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show will be broadcast on BBC Four at 8pm on on Thursday 14 May, and available to watch whenever you like on BBC iPlayer from then.
Featured Image – BBC | Film is Fabulous!
TV & Showbiz
Channel 4 is looking for Mancs to play world’s biggest game of hide and seek
Emily Sergeant
‘Cunning’ Mancs are wanted to take part in the world’s biggest game of hide and seek, as a popular reality competition show returns.
The Hunt: Prey vs Predator is coming back to Channel 4, and producers have now put out a nationwide casting call for contestants to take part.
People from Greater Manchester are being urged to put an application in.
Described as being an ‘exciting’ reality series, The Hunt: Prey vs Predator is a psychological competitive adventure show where players are tasked with tracking down and hunting their rivals in the ultimate game of cat and mouse in the wild.
Channel 4 is looking for Mancs to play world’s biggest game of hide and seek / Credit: Channel 4
Produced by CPL Productions Ltd – the BAFTA award-winning production company behind Married At First Sight UK and Love is Blind UK – the show’s creators are now calling on ‘cunning’ people with the charm and skill to compete to get in touch and apply for the upcoming series.
A casting call on the Channel 4 website simply reads: “Do you want to play the world’s biggest, most exciting game of hide and seek?
“If you have the cunning, charm, and skill to compete, we want to hear from you.”
Think you’ve got what it takes? Applications for the next series of The Hunt: Prey vs Predator are now open, and all you need to do is fill in a short application form and one of the production team will get back to you if they would like to proceed.
Daisy Jackson -
25th November 2022 
