Rochdale raised drag queen to feature on upcoming RuPaul’s Drag Race UK
Date published: 13 January 2021
Photo: BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
Veronica Green
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Landing on BBC iPlayer at 7pm on Thursday (14 January), the series 2 contestants of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK will include a drag queen born and bred in Rochdale.
34-year-old Kevin Grogan, otherwise known as Veronica Green, will be one of 12 fierce competitors battling weekly to be crowned the Queen of season 2, which was put on hold in March last year due to Covid-19, and the UK’s second official Drag Superstar.
Described as a ‘very classy lady’, beauty and glamour drag artist Veronica Green will be one to watch this season; being a triple threat as someone who can sing, dance and act.
Kevin, a former pupil at Springhill High School (now Kingsway Park), was raised in Rochdale before moving to London to further his career in musical theatre.
If you’d have told me 10 years ago when I first discovered #RuPaulsDragRace that I’d not only be doing drag, but appearing on the show itself to millions of people worldwide, I wouldn’t have believed you!
— Veronica Green (@veronicaqween) January 9, 2021
In 5 days you’ll get to meet the man behind Veronica Green join m pic.twitter.com/Z0WQl320OY
Performing for pop star royalty as his drag queen alter ego Miss Green, Kevin appeared on BBC’s All Together Now in March 2019, performing the Shirley Bassey hit ‘Let's Get the Party Started’ which won the crowd over. A successful actor, he was also part of the UK tour of Joseph and uploads drag showreels for fans to enjoy on YouTube.
Speaking about her drag style, Veronica said: "I’m not one-note. Veronica is a sweet and innocent Lancashire rose, with many petals and a few little thorns. If you come to one of my shows, you’re going to get gorgeous, goofy and professional, multi-skilled and multi- layered.
"As I’ve been a professional singer and actor for the past fifteen years, you will get live vocals and maybe even a bit of opera.
"In real life, I’m very different to Veronica, I can be very socially awkward, always muddle up my words, and I’m not good with large groups. So, when I first started drag, I was too terrified to talk to the audience, but now, I like to interact, have fun and get to know them and I add a little dark side to everything that I do.
"I like Veronica to be kind and gentle, but with bite if necessary!"
Even though it has aired in America since 2009, RuPaul’s Drag Race only travelled overseas to hit UK screens in 2019. The second series, which will run for ten weeks, will see the return of the judging panel – RuPaul himself, Michelle Visage, Graham Norton and Alan Carr. Each episode will also include a celebrity guest judge.
Available to watch for free on BBC iPlayer from Thursday (14 January), a new episode will be available every following Thursday.
The trailer for RuPaul's Drag Race UK series 2. Veronica is the queen in orange, on horseback.
©BBC
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