When it was first announced that legendary RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner Danny Beard was to host a brand new spin-off show to accompany the latest series of the much loved franchise, devoted fans of the star lost their minds with excitement!
Hilariously titled ‘The After Shave with Danny Beard’, the super fun programme sees the ever charismatic Danny sit down to recap and discuss all of the drama, gossip and gag-worthy looks from every episode, as well as spill the tea with each of the eliminated Queens in a series of exclusive backstage interview.
Liverpool-born drag artist Danny Beard (he/they) is the reigning champion of season four RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, where they broke records as the first bearded Queen from all franchises across the world to win!
Since appearing on the show, they have hosted the BBC Sounds podcast Danny Beard On Same Sex Love and Marriage, appeared on The Weakest Link and Pointless Celebrities, and had a returning cameo role on Hollyoaks. In May, the advocate and activist headed back to their hometown to present Danny Beard’s Beginner’s Guide to Eurovision for the BBC.
Danny currently hosts a weekly LGBTQ+ podcast The Gossip Gays, and has recently performed a widely acclaimed headlining act at Manchester Pride, and appeared at both Reykjavik Pride and The Edinburgh Fringe 2023.
To celebrate the launch of The After Shave with Danny Beard, we caught up with Danny to talk all things Drag Race, supporting their fellow Queens, overcoming nerves, and why they are finally learning to keep a secret!
Congratulations on your new show! You must be so excited…
Thank you so much! I am honestly beyond excited to be a part of a show like this, because it’s something a little bit new and different for the fans. In recent years none of the Drag Race shows have allowed cameras to go behind the scenes, so we’re the first programme in a while that’s been allowed to film on set as all of the action unfolds, which is quite a nice little claim to fame for us (laughs).
The title “The After Shave with Danny Beard” is genius, bravo to whoever came up with it!
Ahh It’s good isn’t it?! I wish I could take credit for that, but sadly I can’t (laughs).
How did your involvement in this project come about?
I actually pitched this idea myself to the Drag Race team, and unbeknown to me they were thinking of something similar, so we’ve kind of just merged those two concepts together and now here we are!
Were you nervous at all to be taking on such a big presenting job?
Oh I was very nervous going into this. I was super aware that this was my first time presenting on camera, the first time I’d used an autocue, the first time properly interacting with all of these huge celebrities, it was a fairly big deal… and there was a lot that could go wrong (laughs). But luckily things have gone really well and I’m excited at the idea of doing more presenting work in the future.
In your role as the host of the show, what creative input have you had in terms of curating content for each episode?
Do you know what, I’ve been so lucky because everyone working on the show, has encouraged me to get involved, and to use my voice, so I’ve actually been really hands on, and had a lot of creative input which has been great! I’d get the scripts sent over to me, and they were honestly all so funny! But if I ever did have a joke, or a bit of dialogue to add in, they were cool with me doing that.
As the current reigning Queen of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, there really is nobody better than you to be presenting a spin-off show like this!
Thank you… though I’m sure some people might disagree (laughs). In all seriousness though, I do think the good thing about me hosting this show is that I understand the process, because I’ve been there and I’ve lived it, so I know exactly how the Queens are feeling… believe me, the memories are all still so fresh in my mind (laughs).
Talk to us about how you’re able to support the Queens…
I’m actually the first person they see after they’ve been told they’re going home, which is a really difficult and emotional moment for them, and I actually think they appreciated the fact that they were able to talk someone who really gets it – like I wasn’t just some random person who had rocked up on set with a bunch of empty questions that some producer somewhere had written for me. I’m genuinely interested, and invested in these peoples stories. That understanding, and the compassion I have for them has led to some really great exit interviews which I can’t wait for everyone to see!
Things must have gotten quite emotional at times?
Of course, peoples emotions were definitely running high at times! But that’s reality of the situation isn’t it? They’ve just lost their place in the competition, and they’re having to say goodbye to everyone they’ve grown super close to, it’s hard. So I’m glad the girls on this season had the opportunity to speak their truth, and say what they wanted to say following their elimination from the show. Viewers know how it goes, a Queen is voted off, they deliver their final line at the end of the runway, and then we don’t see them again, which is tough because it’s like they don’t get any closure or a chance to set the record straight on how things really went down… that makes the show sound really dramatic doesn’t it? (Laughs).
We live for the drama! Having the inside scoop on how everything plays out must be something of a gift, and a curse! How do you manage to not spill the tea?
Before I’d been through the process myself, I was shit at keeping secrets! Honestly I was the worst, I’d tell everyone anything and everything (laughs). I got better at keeping my mouth shut whilst I was working on my series… though I did maybe let a couple of things slip to my friends. This time around, I’ve said NOTHING! Seriously, I am so grateful for this opportunity so there was no way I was going to spoil it for myself and have everyone be mad at me for blurting something out that I shouldn’t… I mean, can you imagine? But listen, there are a lot of dramas, and twists and turns on this season, so get ready!
Whilst everyones journey on Drag Race is different, the fact that you’ve experienced something similar bonds you for life. Has it been nice to make connections with the new cast of Queens?
It’s been so nice to meet and get to know this new group of Queens! They are all so incredibly talented… I couldn’t possibly tell you who my favourites are though, because then all the others would come after me (laughs).
Is it quite surreal though to be discussing a competition that just over a year ago you were taking part in?
Do you know what, it doesn’t!! And I think that’s because, like you said, even though our series only aired a year ago, my personal Drag Race experience started, and ended, a long time before that – I mean I think we wrapped a good few months before that first episode went out. In the time since, I’ve done a lot and been crazy busy, so in a funny way, the past 12 months feels like 12 years I’ve crammed that much in (laughs).
Is it nice to still be involved, and to play an active role in the Drag Race franchise?
It does feel nice, it really does… ‘cause lets be honest, you have your moment the year you’re on it, and then by the time the next series comes around, everyone’s pretty moved on haven’t they? (Laughs). So I’m happy to still be around and playing a small part in delivering the show to fans.
Nobody has forgotten about you! Your career has gone from strength to strength since winning the show – tell us what some of your highlights, and most favourite moments from the last year…
Oh God, there have been so many highlights, I don’t know where to start! I’ve been so lucky, and I’ve worked with some incredible people. Heading home to Liverpool and working on Eurovision was incredible – I still can’t believe I got to do that. Performing at The Underbelly at The Edinburgh Fringe and the show getting 5 star reviews was pretty mind blowing. Do you know what? I’ve just loved it all – it’s been an incredible year! It feels like I’m living a dream, and I know I could wake up at any minute and everything could go to shit (laughs). But if it did, I’d be ok and I’ve got a load of great memories that will live with me forever.
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