‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Sashays to Sweden – Deadline
Sweden has become the latest territory to order a local version of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the first from Scandinavia, as the hit format’s producer World of Wonder runs it on this week’s Mip TV.
Swedish pubcaster SVT commissioned the show and it will premiere in the US, UK and other territories on WOW Presents Plus, World of Wonders SVoD. Local indie Mastiff AB will produce.
Reviewed by host and co-creator RuPaul Charles, Drag Race is a competition format that sees a queen eliminated per week after competing in challenges.
The show was launched in the US in 2009 but has only aroused international interest in recent years and a number of local versions are now being made in Thailand, Chile, Canada, Holland, UK, Spain, Australia and New Zealand, France, the Philippines and Italy.
The latest spin-off, Great Britain vs the world, ended on the UK’s BBC Three last month, which brought together Queens from the US, UK, the Netherlands, Canada and Thailand in a World Cup format.
RuPaul exec Fenton Bailey is on Mip TV this week with Sally Miles, who leads the format’s international sales, and both are talking to other foreign buyers about adapting locally.
“Drag Race and the art of drawing is a worldwide phenomenon that continues to attract global viewers, so we are proud to introduce a cool new group of queens, says Bailey and fellow World of Wonder founder Randy Barbato. “As our drag family continues to grow, we look forward to seeing these new queens sasha on our screens.”
Drag Race Sweden will be produced in conjunction with World of Wonder Productions with Bailey, Charles, Barbato and Tom Campbell producing.