I'm South Shields born and raised, and now I'm heading onto Ru Paul's Drag Race UK
The newest season of Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK hits screens this week, and the North East has some representation thanks to a South Shields local.
The hugely popular BBC show sees some of the UK’s biggest and best drag queens fight it out in various challenges with the winner being crowned as the champion of the series.
This year will see South Shields local Sally TM represent the region on the global stage.
She follows in a line of North East queens who have found fame on the show, including Newcastle-based Choriza May and La Voix, who was born in Teesside.
“I’m a small town diva, I’ve never been out of my home town for anything big like this before. To do something which is going to be seen internationally now is crazy!”
Sally TM is a self described child of the internet, and this is something she also brings across into her looks - both in and out of the show.
“I started doing drag in my bedroom about ten years ago and I used to do a lot of online competitions and that’s how I found my community.
“I think nowadays it’s easier to find the community. Being queer, there’s more accessibility to queer spaces whereas being a teenager trying to find your feet in the world, it was harder.
“Finding similar poeple who have similar interests as a drag artist, as a creative and as a seamstress - places like Tumblr and Reddit - was instrumental in creating my drag persona, which is quite chronically online!”
She then went on to perform in person around three years ago and now hosts a monthly show in Newcastle.
“While I love the scene here, it’s quite small and we try to get artists their first paid gig. We always try to platform different types of drag and different types of performers.
“We always try to platform our drag performers up here who are POC [person of colour], drag kings and those who are also trans identifying. We always have at least one person from those walks of life because it’s so important to be able to support and showcase that sort of drag - especially if it’s homegrown!
“I’m a homegrown North Eastern talent, my drag career started up here and I still believe in the local talent.”
The monthly show is called Sal and Sam’s Fat Drag Slam.
“I have a laugh, it’s that kind of Geordie culture that we have up here with our drag. I really do enjoy taking the p*ss!” she adds.
“I think, you know, life is too short to not laugh at ourselves. Drag allows us to laugh at things which I think some people may not be as open to laugh about.”
“I think my whole identity in Drag Race is ‘if I can make it, anyone can make it’ and I’m pleased I got to showcase a lot of my wardrobe I’ve got which are from North East designers.
“It’s very unapologetically northern!”
To celebrate the show, Sally will be hosting watchalongs for some of the upcoming episodes including at Newcastle venues Alphabetti Theatre and Blues Underground.
“It’s been a long time coming” she adds. “I’ve auditioned for every season so to get to this point and waiting for the first episode is insane. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind!”
Ru Paul’s Drag Race kicks off on Thursday, September 25 at 9pm on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer.