Drag Race UK final: Scotland's Lawrence Chaney from Glasgow is crowned winner

A Scottish queen has won Drag Race UK.

Lawrence Chaney told us this week: “When you apply for the show that’s where you want to be, to be at that finish line with the crown and sceptre”.

The Glaswegian drag queen’s dreams have come true as she has been crowned the champion of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 2.

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Winning the crown the 24-year-old said: “This is insane! It’s incredible. Scotland babes, I brought the crown home.”

Lawrence Chaney winning RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 2Lawrence Chaney winning RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 2
Lawrence Chaney winning RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 2

She was joined in the finale, aired this evening on BBC iPlayer, by Ellie Diamond, who came fourth.

On chosing the winning queen, RuPaul said: “Condragulations to our first Scottish queen, Lawrence Chaney. Your charisma uniqueness nerve and talent have charmed the world.

“To our runners up, the incredible Bimini Bon Boulash and Tayce, I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of you in the future.

"To all our amazing queens, thank you for sharing your much-needed love, light and laughter during these challenging times.”

The queens Tayce, Ellie Diamond, Bimini, and Lawrence Chaney in their final performanceThe queens Tayce, Ellie Diamond, Bimini, and Lawrence Chaney in their final performance
The queens Tayce, Ellie Diamond, Bimini, and Lawrence Chaney in their final performance

The final challenge was a performance of RuPaul’s dance track A Little Bit Of Love, which saw all of the season two queens return as backing dancers.

Ahead of rehearsals the queens joined Michelle Visage and RuPaul for a sit down talk to discuss their backgrounds as well as their journey on the show.

Michelle Visage, Alan Carr, Graham Norton and the eliminated queens all returned as the finalists took to the runway one last time, and the category was Final Four Eleganza Extravaganza.

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After the runway and performance of A Little Bit Of Love, each of the four finalists was asked to take a moment to look back over the series, and give advice to their younger selves.

Lawrence Chaney on the Drag Race runwayLawrence Chaney on the Drag Race runway
Lawrence Chaney on the Drag Race runway

Ellie, the ‘Diamond of Dundee’, said: “You’re going to go through a lot of things but your light is going to shine bright and you’re going to meet so many wonderful people.

"Don’t do them wrong. Stick to the yellow brick road and get to Oz in the end.”

And eventual winner Lawrence Chaney said: “Don’t hide yourself from everyone. Yes, it’s to prevent other people bullying you, but not everyone is out to get you.

"Try to take every day as it comes. Cut your hair. Genuinely, relax and have a laugh because you’re a superstar.”

Ellie Diamond and Lawrence Chaney preparing for the finaleEllie Diamond and Lawrence Chaney preparing for the finale
Ellie Diamond and Lawrence Chaney preparing for the finale

RuPaul then asked the queens to put their modesty aside and say why they should be named The Next Drag Race Superstar.

Lawrence Chaney said: “I started drag in Scotland and I was never the best dancer or the best lip-syncer but what I started with was making connections, making people laugh and being that escapism for people.

"I want to offer my drag as escapism to all those people. I want to show that no matter how bullied you are, and how weird you look, you can do anything. I want to show the UK and the world everything I have to offer because I really think I can make a difference.”

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Discussing the drag queens’ performances privately, judge Michelle Visage said: “You wanna talk about grit?! It’s Lawrence Chaney.

"The thing about Lawrence is there have been ups and downs but there have been moments that have been so endearing and you fall deeper and deeper in love with Lawrence every time Lawrence comes out on the stage.”

And comedian Alan Carr said: “He just makes you love him even more! I guess that’s called charisma.”

While Graham Norton said Lawrence performed as a “fully formed character”. “It is performance but it comes from somewhere,” he said.

"It is really who that person is. A bit of pain, a bit of grit, doesn’t take herself that seriously and yet takes this seriously.”

The final three lip-synced one last time for the crown to I’m Still Standing by Elton John, before RuPaul announced that Lawrence Chaney was the winner.

Lawrence wins the coveted title of the the UK’s Next Drag Race Superstar, a crown and sceptre plus an all-expenses paid trip to Hollywood to create her own digital series with the producers of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

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