Less than a month after being crowned BBC Three’s Drag Race UK vs The World title in its first-ever series, Northern Ireland’s Dragon Queen Blue Hortensia is back on our screens with a brand new show.
Winning Blu’s Drag Race beat competition from Thailand, the Netherlands and Canada, as well as the United Kingdom and the United States, to be crowned at the Queen of the World Opening Ceremony with an award for recording a musical poem with Ru Paul. .
Blue, 26, by AKA Joshua Cargill of Hillsborough, is Northern Ireland’s number one drag artist and the most recognized on Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK in 2019.
Due to the title’s coveted claim, Blu has now been asked to host Stitch, please! , a three-part BBC series in which contestants compete against each other for the coolest outfit in pop culture.
In each episode, you’ll set foot in new locations in Templetrek’s 17th-century Upton Castle for 100 yen and 12 hours to create faces inspired by the work of world-renowned fashion and fashion designers.
The theme for the first episode of the sewing competition is the dystopian adventure franchise The Hunger Games, and contestants Katherine and Jasmine take inspiration from the extravagant costumes of characters in books and movies.
Their work will be reviewed in detail by Blu, Emmy, BAFTA and BAFTA Award-winning guest judges Michele Clapton, who has created costumes for iconic characters from Game of Thrones to The Crown.
In the second episode, Lucy and Matthew go on to attend the Met Gala, an annual fundraiser in New York that sees celebrities carry on the work of some of the world’s greatest designers in hopes of compiling lists of the best dressed.
Julian MacDonald, a British fashion legend, is called to assess their efforts with the blues.
In the third and final episode, contestants Mary and Amy re-create the ’90s fashion cult Clueless, a movie that continues to inspire style two decades later.
Points will unleash their imaginations in hopes of impressing designer and original Blue and Co co-founder Keri Colin Horgan, who has worked with big names, from Lady Gaga to Little Mix.
“I love being creative with my clothes. I don’t do everything often at the moment, but I did and I still love getting involved in the process,” Bloom told Belfast Live.
“This interest in sewing grew out of my love for the bear. Ru Paul always says that if you are going to apply for a drag race, you need to know how to sew which is a really useful skill.
“I have a friend, Chloe Duggan, who is a local designer and she created all my fancy dress. I took some lessons from her and she was really patient (she needed it!) and to be honest, I couldn’t. I learned from someone else why I am impatient!”
Bleu describes his new show as “fast-paced” and “full of fun and charm” and adds that it reflects his love of pop culture.
“My inspiration for my style comes from the cartoon-themed earrings I see in a charity store or in color combinations.
“With the age of social media, I get a lot of inspiration from there, but it’s just about everything around me. It also comes from great pop icons like David Bowie, Lady Gaga, Prince and Elton John.”
(Photo: Darren Kidd/Price Eye)
“If half of the audience enjoys watching, as I do with dots, they will really like it. The host of this show showed me that there is a lot of talent in sewing, crafts, and cosplay themes.
“These are the guys who have been through a lot and used this art form as a tool against almost all the bad things that happen in their lives. They are all very inspiring, so it was very difficult to decide the winner of each episode.
Watching a guy fight for 12 hours and have a budget of only 100 100 will really make you feel his talent. Each of them had a different perspective and was able to incorporate his personality into what he created.
“I knew what they were doing and it was cool. Some are now working the red carpet, selling their costumes, while others are still a hobby.
“Stitch please! It has allowed them to really show their skills. I am amazed at the talent of stitching and I think there will also be spectators.”
(Photo: BBC 3)
Reflecting on the big win at the UK vs World Drag Race last month, Bloom said: “I just got back from vacation and I think those first two days I won! Those were great days and weeks.
“I work two or three nights a week at a bar in Belfast and am now preparing to travel the world next month – it’s unbelievable.”
He added: “Representing Northern Ireland has been very important to me and I am grateful for all the support I have received.
“I really hope there are people out there who have heard my story and gained recognition for themselves, or who have seen me as a magical, wonderful and weird person on TV, and that has opened their eyes to the possibilities they can achieve.
“There’s a future that’s going to be really positive for Northern Ireland and I think we’re making that happen.”
Source: Belfastlive
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
