Tia Kofi nearly BenDeLaCreme’d herself for Marina Summers in the UK Vs the World finale (BBC)
Drag Race UK Vs the World champion Tia Kofi has revealed that she nearly eliminated herself after winning the first round of the lip sync smackdown during the season’s finale – to give her place to Marina Summers.
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that the second season finale of Drag Race UK Vs the World was one of the closest run races in recent Drag Race memory; Tia Kofi, Hannah Conda, Marina Summers and La Grande Dame all had at least two ‘top two’ challenge wins each, heading into the final lip sync smackdown.
Though Drag Race UK‘s Tia Kofi was statistically the frontrunner, placing in the top two four times over the season, Marina Summers of Drag Race Philippines had won all three of her top-two lip syncs – leading many to believe this would be the season’s final pair.
As fate would have it, Hannah Conda triumphed over Marina in the first round of the lip sync smackdown for the crown, and after beating Drag Race France‘s La Grande Dame, Tia has revealed that she nearly tried to swap herself out for Marina in the final two.
Speaking to James Barr and Dan Hudson on the A Gay and A Non Gay podcast, Tia explained exactly how it nearly went down – and how Queen Team member Wendy gave her the needed confidence boost to eventually snatch the crown.
“After I lip synced against La Grande Dame, I cried backstage while they were making the decision,” Tia said.
“I turned to one of the Queen Team, who looked after us, and I said, ‘If I win this lipsync, I have to give my place to Marina, right?’”
@gaynongay Head of the Queen Team, Wendy saves the day, slay 👏✨ @tiakofi @Dan Hudson @jamesbarrcomedy Listen to the full episode now by searching ‘A Gay and a NonGay’ wherever you listen 🎙️ #gaynongay #rupaul #dragraceuk #dragqueen #tiakofi #gaypodcast ♬ original sound – A Gay and A NonGay
The Queen Team asked Tia, ‘What are you talking about?’ to which the Drag Race UK season two fan fav replied, “She deserves to be in the final. Like, I have to give up my place.
“And they went and got the head of the Queen Team, the iconic Wendy, and she came up to me and went, ‘What are you talking about? You have worked as hard as anyone else to be here. How dare you say that. If you win the lip sync, you’re going to the final, that’s it.’”
Tia added, “I was going to full BenDeLaCreme myself,” referencing the All Stars 3 queen’s gagworthy self-elimination.
As it happened, Tia did not fall on her own sword during the final, eventually beating Drag Race Down Under delegate Hannah in the season’s final lip sync to become the first ever winner of colour of a Drag Race UK season.
Speaking to PinkNews after her win, she explained that her victory was “significant” for the spinoff, saying that, “being able to represent people who haven’t seen themselves reflected on Drag Race UK is a privilege and an honour.”
“It’s something that I hope I do well and I hope I do, not only people of colour, but everyone, very proud as the queen of the mothertucking world.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season 6 airs on BBC iPlayer from 8pm every Thursday.
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