Tia Kofi Wins RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World sees queens from different international franchises of Drag Race compete for the title of Queen of the Mothertucking World—and a substantial cash prize. On Friday night the Grand finale on BBC Three saw a new icon crowned

The second season, which premiered on 9 February 2024, featured a line-up of eleven queens, including fan favourites and past winners from the US, UK, Australia, France, the Philippines, Spain, and Holland. With RuPaul as host and head judge, the series gave us drama, glitz, and plenty of laughs, as the contestants battled it out over eight weekly episodes.

Among the UK contestants was Tia Kofi, a firm fan favourite from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season two. Tia’s humour and unique looks made her a standout contestant, but she was eliminated in seventh place during her first run. Three years later, she was back with a newfound confidence and a determination to prove herself, describing her return as a “Ru-demption” journey.

The competition was fierce, with only four queens remaining in the final episode, aired on BBC Three on Friday 29 March. In a tense lip-sync smackdown, Tia faced off against Hannah Conda (Drag Race Down Under), La Grande Dame (Drag Race France), and Marina Summers (Drag Race Philippines), impressing the judges with her charisma and original looks.

Ultimately, RuPaul crowned Tia the winner, making her the first queen of colour to take the title in the UK. As well as the crown, Tia took home a £50,000 cash prize, saying: “It means the world to me to win, it’s the perfect culmination of years of dedicating myself to drag and working hard at myself inside and outside. Being the first winner of colour in the UK is game-changing. To give people who look like me that representation, it’s really special, and something that I take extremely seriously.”

Congratulations poured in for the South Londoner from fans online, praising a well-deserved win and celebrating the diversity of her victory.

It’s been a wild ride for Tia and the other contestants, but only one could snatch the crown. With the series available to stream on BBC iPlayer, fans can relive the glory—or catch up on any episodes they’ve missed.