RuPaul’s Drag Race garnered its biggest ratings ever with Season 13 premiere on New Year’s Day Friday, with more than 1.3 million viewers.
The VH1 program features drag queens compete in fashion and performance-related segments in a hunt for ‘America’s Next Drag Superstar,’ with the Supermodel (You Better Work) artist as the host.
The Emmy-winning show got a a 0.4 P18-49/LSD rating on VH1, Deadline reported, marking a one percent increase from its previous season debut.
The latest: RuPaul’s Drag Race garners its biggest ratings ever with Season 13 premiere on New Year’s Day Saturday, with more than 1.3 million viewers
It was simulcast on The CW Network, MTV, MTV2, PopTV and Logo for the first time, according to the outlet. Ratings for the simulcast amounted to 0.74 P18-49 rating and 1.3 million overall viewers.
VH1 had the highest total with 525,000, followed by The CW with 478,000, Pop with 116,000, MTV with 111,000, Logo with 58,000 and MTV2 with 27,000.
On the latest season of the show, contestants are, in alphabetical order, Denali, Elliott with 2 Ts, Gottmik, Joey Jay, Kahmora Hall, Kandy Muse, LaLa Ri, Olivia Lux, Rosé, Symone, Tamisha Iman, Tina Burner, and Utica Queen.
The new season started with a swerve for contestants, as they immediately had to lip-sync after making their introductions.
Format: The VH1 program features drag queens compete in fashion and performance-related segments in a hunt for ‘America’s Next Drag Superstar,’ with the Supermodel (You Better Work) artist as the host
The show’s season 13 debut was simulcast on The CW Network, MTV, MTV2, PopTV and Logo for the first time
The new season started with a swerve for 13 contestants, as they immediately had to lip-sync after making their introductions
Judges on the show this year will include RuPaul, Carson Kressley, Ross Mathews and Michelle Visage, with guest judges including Nicole Byer, Cynthia Erivo, Loni Love, Jamal Sims and TS Madison, according to Deadline.
Other celebs slated to take part in the show this year with masterclasses include A-list actresses Anne Hathaway and Scarlett Johansson. Previous winners of Miss Congeniality on the show include Heidi N Closet, Nina West and Valentina will also appear.
Production on the show wrapped up this past fall in Los Angeles, as it was filmed with safety protocols in place amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Variety reported.
‘Our 13 queens proved that it takes more than a global pandemic to keep a good queen down,’ RuPaul said, noting that the contestants ‘safely and fiercely’ participated in the show, which was renewed this past August.