The first queen to be eliminated from the debut series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK has described her exit as “iconic”.
Gothy Kendoll crashed out of the inaugural episode of the British spin-off after falling flat during a lip-sync battle to Dua Lipa’s New Rules against fellow contestant Vinegar Strokes.
Kendoll, 21, from Leicester, has been unable to listen to the song ever since, and even fled a shop when it began playing through the speakers.
She told the PA news agency: “I think being eliminated first is kind of iconic. Do you know what I mean? Everyone remembers the first one who got eliminated.
“It is about how you go from here. I’ve grown so much since the show and I’m really excited to show that to people.”
Kendoll, real name Sam Handley, is planning to use her platform to launch a YouTube series and boost her career as a DJ.
She added: “At the end of the day, the British thing is to just take the piss out of yourself if you do something shit.
“I didn’t do very well so I just have to take the piss out of myself.
“I literally don’t care that I was eliminated first because, how many people applied for this show? How many people actually got on? Ten.
“I was one of the 10. I managed to show a bit of myself. Maybe not as much as I had wanted to show but I am still so happy I got on and it has opened up so many doors for me.”
She failed to impress RuPaul and Strictly contestant Michelle Visage during the premiere on BBC Three on Thursday, as well as guest judges Alan Carr and Andrew Garfield.
After being eliminated by RuPaul’s deciding vote, Kendoll left a note in lipstick on the mirror in the so-called “werk room”, which read: “I’m the UK’s Porkchop. Love you, friends for life! xxx Gothy”.
Porkchop was the first queen to be eliminated from the US version of the show. She has gone on to have a successful drag career and has been invited back a number of times.
Detailing how she can no longer listen to pop star Lipa’s chart-topping track, Kendoll said: “I actually can’t.
“When we filmed everything it used to come on the radio, I just used to turn the radio off.
“Once I was shopping and it came on in the shop and I literally left the shop. I couldn’t bear it.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK continues on BBC Three.