British Broadcaster BBC Cancels LGBTQ+ Reality Show Drag Race UK Due to Financial Reasons

The British national broadcaster BBC has announced that the eighth season of the LGBTQ+ reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race UK will be its last on the network. According to MambaOnline , representatives of the corporation called the decision a “very difficult choice” driven by “significant financial pressures.”

Following its departure from the BBC, the program is expected to move to WOW Presents Plus, a niche streaming platform owned by the production company World of Wonder. Earlier in March 2026, the BBC similarly cancelled the LGBTQ+ dating shows I Kissed a Boy and I Kissed a Girl, citing funding challenges.

The UK performing arts union Equity expressed concern that the cancellation of Drag Race UK will cost drag performers jobs. The organization argued that moving LGBTQ+ culture from public broadcasting to paid subscription platforms restricts mainstream audience exposure. The union believes that as a public broadcaster, the BBC has an obligation to serve all sections of the UK population.

The BBC’s decision comes amid reports of declining LGBTQ+ visibility in mainstream entertainment. According to the US media advocacy group GLAAD, the share of films featuring LGBTQ+ characters among releases from the ten largest Hollywood studios dropped to 20.4% in 2025, down from a record 28.5% in 2023. Separately, US regulators are discussing proposals to introduce additional rating warnings for content addressing gender identity topics.