Who is Gothy Kendoll? Meet the DJ and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK queen
The 21-year-old Leicester queen completed a university dissertation on drag
Serving up the dark side of this year’s RuPaul’s Drag Race UK: Gothy Kendoll. According to her, she’s fierce, contemporary, striking, unique and a lot less campy than the other queens.
“I feel like a lot of queens in the UK are quite shut off to their own perception of drag and that's what makes me stand out amongst them,” she says. "I also do a lot of different work compared to other queens in the UK. I like to DJ, host and throw parties - that’s what I’m good at."
Just how will her goth-centred drag hold up against the other nine queens competing on the first series of Drag Race UK? Find out below.
Gothy Kendoll: Key Facts
Age: 21
From: Leicester
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Instagram: @gothykendoll
Stage name of: Sam Handley
Strengths: Unlike most queens this year, she knows how to make an outfit from scratch. “I went to uni to study fashion, and I can pretty much sew anything,” she says. “I can sew really well. Catsuits, headpieces, everything.”
Weaknesses: Dancing. “I don’t have that much experience in performing,” Gothy says. “It takes me ages to learn a song. I’m so thick.”
Who is Gothy Kendoll?
Despite having only started drag on New Year's Eve 2016, Gothy is no amateur queen. When studying fashion at university, she even completed a dissertation on the “the art and metamorphosis” of drag.
But despite spending months honing a look inspired by the likes of Grace Jones and Annie Lennox before attempting it herself, Gothy’s early days of drag weren’t without, shall we say, a balls-up or two.
“I think my biggest mishap was about the third time I did drag,” she recalls. "I went out with a leotard with no pants dancing the night away. My friend just said ‘Sam’ [Gothy is played by Sam Handley] and looked down. Then my k*** was out, balls and everything. When I found out I tucked it away and carried on dancing - I didn’t care!
Why is she called Gothy Kendoll?
Exactly the reason you suspected. As she explains: “My name comes from my friend who described me as a Ken doll but a gothy one because I used to wear loads of black, have really black hair, but also be really tanned and wear loads of makeup!”
When is RuPaul’s Drag Race UK on TV?
The first series of Drag Race UK is set to sashay onto our screens on 3rd October 2019. The first episode will be released on BBC Three via BBC iPlayer, with instalments released every Thursday at 8pm.
Just like its US sister, the show will be presided over by drag icon RuPaul Charles, who will offer critiques on the contestants’ efforts each week, ultimately deciding who stays.
RuPaul isn't the only judge, however. Each week she'll be joined by Michelle Visage, a special guest judge and either Alan Carr and Graham Norton (who will appear on a rotating basis).
