Naomi Clarke,BBC Newsbeatand
Georgia Levy-Collins,BBC Newsbeat
bbcThe winner of the seventh series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK has said she will celebrate by spending some of her prize money on a trip for herself and the show’s runner-up.
Elle Vosque, Catrin Feelings, Bones and Sillexa Diction were put to the test one last time during the series finale.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for the season seven finale of Drag Race UK.
The final four sat down with judges RuPaul and Michelle Visage to reflect on their time on the reality show and offered some stunning final looks before Sillexa and Catrin were asked to step away.
Bones and Elle then faced off in a lip sync battle for the crown, performing You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) by American disco singer Sylvester.
BBC/Wonderworld/Guy LevyAfter a lively performance, Bones was declared the winner and secured the £25,000 cash prize.
The drag superstar told BBC Newsbeat it could take a whole year of his reign before he can find a word to describe how he feels.
“It’s a good kind of overwhelming. I think after the season, it feels like icing on the cake. Honestly, I feel very lucky,” she said.
Bones revealed that she and fellow finalist Elle, originally from west Belfast, promised each other that if either of them won they would take the other on holiday.
He said they haven’t booked anything yet, but a trip to Europe, the Caribbean or possibly a cruise has been suggested.
Originally from Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, Bones entered the world of drag seven years ago and is now a popular figure on London’s Soho scene.
The prize money will also go towards improving their drag, which is a notoriously expensive art form.
“This money is what every drag queen dreams of. It’s almost like a scholarship to be creative and produce. So I will absolutely step up everything you see,” he said.
This is the second year that the winner of the UK edition has received a cash prize since its launch in 2019.
Bones said that now that the UK spin-off is in its seventh series, the art form has become more popular, but also “more saturated”, meaning “it’s up to the queens to make (things) happen for themselves now”.
The 25-year-old, known as Paul Greaves, collected three “RuPeter” badges throughout the series, which are awarded to the winner of the maxi-challenge in each episode.
During her reunion with RuPaul and Michelle in the finale, Bones was joined by her mother Diane.
She said her parents had been “very supportive” of her as a child and she had tried to pass that love on to others within her community who did not receive the same attention.
BBC/Wonderworld/Guy LevyDrag Race fan Benjy Kusi told BBC Newsbeat that he feels Bones is a “really worthy winner.”
“I thought Bones always ate up the runway, they have such a presence every time they come on stage,” he said.
One of the highlights of the series was when the contestants gave a series of celebrities makeovers.
Bones transformed classical singer Charlotte Church into her drag sister, called Blood, and the couple wore coordinated cream silk and lace outfits as part of a vampire wedding fantasy.
Benjy said the makeover was “one of the best makeovers of all the seasons of Drag Race.”
Abena KusiDrag Race remains popular, but fans have complained that several spinoffs, including versions in Europe, Canada and Australia, have oversaturated the brand.
And, after seven years on our screens, there are those who think it could do with a makeover of its own.
Benjy said he believes the UK version would attract “greater engagement” if the show more reflected the “incredible, beautiful diversity of the scene”.
Nick, a drag performer and fan, agreed that the show reflected only a “small portion” of drag culture in the UK.
“People want to see something new and say, ‘Oh look, it’s another group of twenty-somethings, mainly white queens who are skinny and doing the same old thing,'” they added.
“It’s very flat and we don’t learn as much.”
Reflecting on this, Bones told Newsbeat: “I don’t think he can ever say he’s tired because honey, if it’s working, it’s working and it’s been working for a long time.”
However, the drag star said they enjoyed how other versions changed the format and suggested the UK edition could “mix it up a bit” but said he “loved” his series.

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