WOW confirms more Drag Race France; further international editions
October 18, 2022
World of Wonder, the multi-Emmy award-winning company, and French broadcaster Endemol and France TV have announced today that Drag Race Francais will return for a second series, casting for which is now open. Drag Race España: All Stars and Drag Race Sweden: Untucked also newly commissioned by Atres and SVT, respectively.
As World of Wonder hit the Croisette at MIPCOM, the international producer has confirmed that Drag Race France is sashaying back on to French TV following its huge success in the territory where the first series was viewed by over 9.4 million viewers combined, through its simulcast on France.TV and France.2, and becoming the 2nd most viewed programme on France TV Slash. Outside of France, the returning series will air on World of Wonder’s own streaming platform, WOW Presents Plus, globally. Drag Race France will be available on WOW Present Plus with English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitle options.
Drag Race France will once again take up the new search for France’s next drag superstar. Each week, the queens competing for the top prize will serve up all they have to offer in a variety of challenges and runway categories, in front of a panel of judges and French celebrity guest judges joining them weekly. Based on their performance in the challenges and their creations on the runway, the judges will choose who wins. Every week, the bottom two compete against each other in a legendary lip sync battle. At the end, the winner will win a cash prize and will have earned the title of France’s next drag superstar.
World of Wonder co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato commented: “We couldn’t be happier that French audiences have embraced Drag Race with such an incredible response. It is a testament to the country’s bustling drag scene and drag talent, and to be able to invite 10 more fierce French queens to flex their charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent while battling it out for the crown is hugely exciting. And with further localised editions of Drag Race confirmed in the Philippines, Sweden and Spain, the brand continues to go from strength to strength.”
Alexandra Redde-Amiel, Director of Entertainment and Variety at France TV, commented: “We are delighted, along with the France TV Slash and France 2 teams, to be launching this second season! We are proud and happy, like our partners Endemol France and Shake Shake Shake, that Drag Race France has become a real phenomenon with our queen Paloma and all the talents of season 1! We can’t wait to discover the casting of this season 2, which is officially open. We are excited, the drag scene is wonderfully inspiring and the setting already le-gen-dary!”
The recommission of Drag Race France further solidifies World of Wonder’s increasing global success with the Drag Race brand. The series is one of several successful local iterations, joining the UK, Canada, France, Spain, Holland, Italy, the Philippines, Down Under (Australia and New Zealand), and Thailand and the forthcoming Sweden and Belgium – with more versions in pre-production and not yet announced. Alongside Drag Race France, World of Wonder, has also confirmed a raft of new commissions:
- Season 2 of Drag Race Philippines and Drag Race Drag Race Philippines: Untucked. Hot on the heels of its successful inaugural season, which has just crowned the Philippines’ first drag superstar, Precious Paula Nicole, series 2, and its companion show. The series airs in the Philippines.
- Europe’s first Drag Race All Stars series, Drag Race España: All-Stars. The series will be coming to Atres in Spain, and the commission follows the recent announcement of series 3 of Drag Race España.
- Drag Race Sweden: Untucked – the companion series to Drag Race Sweden (currently in production) has been commissioned by SVT. The series gives viewers more behind-the-scenes action as the competing queens spill the tea backstage. The deal for Drag Race Sweden was brokered by Passion Distribution.
All international iterations air on WOW Presents Plus globally, in addition to the individual broadcasters in their territory.
Drag Race France is produced by Endemol France, broadcast by France TV and executive produced by World of Wonder. Randy Barbato, Fenton Bailey, Tom Campbell and RuPaul Charles serve as executive producers. The deal for Drag Race France was brokered by Passion Distribution.