World of Wonder, Stan, and TVNZ have now officially renewed RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under season 2 to air sometime in 2022. When this new Drag Race spin-off was first announced, it was meant to only take place in Australia. However, the first season moved production to New Zealand due to COVID-19 restrictions, which caused the spin-off to be re-branded as Down Under instead. Before the fans knew it, casting opened for drag performers from both Australia and New Zealand to send in their applications.
As it stands, the Drag Race Down Under spin-off is a joint production between World of Wonder, the studio behind the original RuPaul's Drag Race series, and the Warner Bros. International Television Production division in New Zealand. The first season of the spin-off received a lot of attention from fans as it aired on WOW Presents Plus around the world, Stan in Australia, TVNZ in New Zealand, and BBC Three in the United Kingdom. Down Under season 2 is scheduled to air on the same networks and streaming services.
RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under season 2 was announced in a press release on Thursday, September 9, which casting officially opening up for Aussie and Kiwi contestants. RuPaul will host Down Under season 2, saying: "I am thrilled to produce and host a brand-new season of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under. We've only just begun to shine a worldwide spotlight on the charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent of Australasian queens." World of Wonder heads Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato also confirmed that this upcoming season will air locally on Stan and TVNZ and stream around the world on WOW Presents Plus. On Instagram, an official casting video has been posted and can be watched below.
Fans from around the world were delighted to meet the RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under season 1 cast when it was first announced earlier in 2021. That inaugural season featured powerhouse queens such as Kita Mean, Art Simone, Karen From Finance, Elektra Shock, Maxi Shield, and Anita Wigl'it, to name a few. Meanwhile, Scarlet Adams was called out on Down Under for doing blackface in the past, with Mama Ru herself delivering a powerful speech to Scarlet about self-accountability. Alas, it is safe to assume that producers will take every possible measure to avoid another situation like this in future seasons.
The overall fandom is looking forward to watching RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under season 2 in 2022. Hopefully, this upcoming cycle will feature an even more talented and fierce cast of incredible drag artists competing to win the title of Down Under's Next Drag Superstar.
Source: World of Wonder